Meet Kristy with her family above, our new Area Manager for Canada.

Keep an eye out for this lovely face in stores across Canada, and if you see her, make sure to say hello and get to know her! Until then, learn more about Kristy:

what was your best olympics experience?

Saturday, February 13 – livin’ it up at the Robson store, educating to people from all over the world and taking part in my first flashmob amongst 3000 other people – exhilarating!

what are you most passionate about?

Hands down most passionate about two things: my kids and travel.

I have two boys: Tyson who is a born leader and risk taker, even at the ripe old age of four. He can download an app and launch off the bouncy castle while delegating recycling duties to his little brother with ease! Zack is one year old and much more chill… so far. While just starting to find his voice, Zack has an opinion on everything. Can’t wait to understand what he is actually saying!

The little guys, Tyson and Zack, who keep Kristy grounded.

When I am not chasing the kids around, my favorite place to go is the beach. Greece, south of France, and Maui are my faves so far.

what is your favourite guilty pleasure?

Celebrity gossip mags - terrible, I know - I just can’t walk away.

what quote/book/advice has made the biggest impact on you?

“Life is short,
Break the rules,
Forgive quickly,
Kiss slowly,
Laugh uncontrollably,
And never regret anything that made you smile.”
-Mark Twain

or

“Fashion fades, only style remains the same”
~Coco Chanel

what has been the biggest surprise working at lululemon so far?

The level of engagement from all the people working in the stores and the Store Support Centre is unbelievable. I had always heard what a great place lululemon was to work at, and it is beyond true. We are walking the walk and talking the talk – I love it. I am thrilled to be part of such a dynamic and committed team. I have never been so excited about life’s possibilities!

Say hi to Kristy when you see her in your local yoga studio or gym!

There you have it... another new lululemon face and another new world of possibilities opening up! Is it just me, or is it super exciting to see what the rest of 2010 will have in store for us? - both literally or figuratively!

If you are interested in being a part of Kristy’s growing Canadian team, visit our careers section and search for “store management”, “store operations” or “educators” to find the next possibility for your life and career!

I recently remembered why I love what I do, and even better I remembered why life is in and of itself is so precious.

This past October our lululemon La Jolla team was given the job to lead stretches for the kid participants of the Challenged Athletes Foundation's annual San Diego Triathlon. The kids had the choice of running in the Challenged Athletes Kids Run or Sprint (some even ran in both), and we were to get them ready with a big group stretch. To say that these kids inspired me would be an understatement.

 
Everyone stretching before the run.

Almost ready to run their little hearts out.

The starting line of the Kids Run was packed with pint size kids, all bouncing like Tigger on their running legs, eager and ready for their race. I even tried bouncing along with a few of them, but they were much better than me. As the race horn went off they all took off, the determination on their faces was reminiscent of participants in an Olympic 100m dash. The kids moved so gracefully and were incredibly quick. It was breath-taking to see all of the kids together who to the outside world may look different, but to each other look like family. They were all at home with one another, and though you could feel a competitive spirit in the air, all were rooting for one another and made sure that everyone finished.

 Running to the finish line.

The great athletes going to the end.

After their races were over, the kids were free to roam around the fun zone, equipped with an inflatable obstacle course, and scour for autographs from their favorite athletes, Sarah Reinertsen and Scout Basset.

Climbing around after the run.

Hanging out with new friends and howing off the well a deserved medal.

For those of you unfamiliar with challenged athletes, just imagine meeting Serena and Venus Williams or even Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter. Sarah was the first female to ever finish the Iron Man triathlon in Kona, Hawaii with a prosthetic leg, and Scout is an up-and-coming star in the racing world. Little girls who look just like Sarah and Scout clenched their Sarah Bears, a teddy bear whose right leg is prosthetic, anxiously waited for autographs and hugs from their idols.

I was truly taken back with Scout, maybe since she is attending UCLA and I myself am a former Bruin. In reality I was taken back with both her courage and character. One little girl burst into tears when it was her turn to meet Scout and gave her a few drawings she had made for her. Scout blushed and welcomed the girl with open arms, and the moment sent a rush of goosebumps through my arms and legs. To the world, Scout may be a girl who has overcome adversity, but to this little girl she was Wonder Woman, and rightfully so.

The girls with their inspiriation, Scout Basset.

Scout’s story is numbing and as an athlete and a person in general, it reminded me to keep dreaming, keep working, and thus keep growing. Scout lost her right leg due to severe burns as a very young child, and was left alone in a Chinese orphanage. It was not until her American family adopted her that she could touch or even imagine a world of possibility both physically and mentally. With the help of CAF and guided by the belief and spirit of her wonderful parents, Scout now regularly participates in triathlons, and most recently completed her first half marathon. Scout is a heroine in the community of challenged athletes, but she is a living reminder of the power of the human mind. It is not our physical advantages or shortcomings that determine our success, but our minds.

The Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF) is truly a world leader in providing means for physically challenged individuals to remain active regardless of economic background. This year alone CAF was able to donate $1.5 million to 765 challenged athletes through its Access for Athletes program This funding goes directly towards challenge athletes of all ages for adaptive sports equipment such as running prosthetics and sports wheelchairs, but also coaching and competition expenses.

Scout and all of the amazing athletes I had the pleasure of meeting at the CAF event truly bring a whole new meaning to the phrase "mind over matter", and I hope in reading this you will continue to share and celebrate their stories. Funding and awareness for the Challenged Athletes Foundation continues to grow, and I have created a goal to bring more awareness to their cause in years to come. I strongly encourage everyone to visit their website and learn more about these incredible athletes and wonderful organization and hopefully get involved. In today’s world and economy, we could all use a little inspiration and sense of remembrance as to why life is so immensely precious.

http://www.challengedathletes.org/

Namaste.

What are you conquering today?

As a parent, finding that place of balance and bliss during our busy day-to-day lives can sometimes be a challenge. Many moms (and dads) turn to yoga to find that inner sense of calm. But yoga is not only for adults. Children can do it too.

Yoga for kids is a fun way to learn about health and exercise. By using creative play, simple yoga postures, breathing and relaxation techniques, children can experience the physical and mental benefits of yoga – from helping raise self-awareness and self-esteem to aiding in a positive body image to respecting each other’s space.

Besides increasing strength and flexibility, striking poses can also help students strike a balance in class. Studies have shown that yoga has helped children increase their confidence, concentration, and sense of calm.

So what’s stopping you from signing your kids up for yoga? Contact your local lululemon athletica for leads on yoga for kids classes in your community or you can do a search on the internet for kids yoga DVDs and books.

See if there is a lululemon store near you that offers yoga classes for children or bring them with to a class with you!

Check out our lululemon stores and see if there is yoga class for children in your community!