If there is one thing I’m passionate about in life, it’s living the best one possible. Needless to say when I heard lululemon’s Director of Possibility, Susanne Conrad, and imagine1day were hosting an event open to all I was almost giddy with excitement. What kind of possibility would this event create in my life?

Going into the room that day, my goal was clear. I wanted to leave the day a better communicator than when I came in. But the truth behind that goal, was the communication I sought was very one way. How could I say what I wanted to say in a way that influenced others? So when Susanne started talking about stingy versus generous listening I smiled politely and waited for her to get to the good stuff. Then it clicked. This was the good stuff. I’m stingy, and if I want to be a great communicator I need to listen. Really listen. Not listen, assess whether or not I agreed with this person and then say something to make myself look good. Yep, I do it and I’m owning it. Sometimes the best thing a person can do for you is remind you of the obvious things you already knew. I needed to be reminded I can be stingy.

Looking back it’s laughable. What kind of effective communication goes only one way? Of course, I hated admitting to myself that I’m a stingy listener. Nobody likes to think of themselves as stingy (and I’m a generous tipper, even on sub-par service). Sometimes the best thing a person can do for you is to remind you of the obvious things you already knew.  The moment I owned who I was being as a listener, was the same moment I became the person I wanted to be. The kind of person who has the courage to recreate themselves, to own a mistake and to take themselves on and change that behavior. The kind of person who understands communication is a 2 way street, and the listening side is a four lane highway. So off I go to recreate myself.

Sheena recently took part in Livin' It Up led by Susanne Conrad and imagine1day in Vancouver where 100% of the tuition goes to building new schools in Ethiopia. This event is happening in Toronto May 1st and in New York May 2nd. For more information about Imagine1day visit their site here: http://www.imagine1day.org/

Above: Vanessa wears the Remix Hoodie Lux in her tent in Tofino. Who will she affect today?

lululemon's vision is elevating the world from mediocrity to greatness. That's a pretty bold statement, isn’t it?

Individuals sometimes feel we can't make a difference in the world and we wonder what the point is. But this weekend I realized something: how truly powerful and influential I am. It isn’t arrogance, just reality. And I will ask you to read on to find out why.

I made some important calls and got in touch with family back home in Australia. Usually, I "skim listening", where I don't pay a whole lot of attention to what they say, because I think I already know what they are going to say. I think we are all guilty of this, at some time or another. However,this time was different. I stayed in the moment and actually listened to them and I could hear in their voice the impact I had on them.

But you know I'm not just talking about family. You impact everyone around you.

As I waited at the Vancouver airport last night at 11pm, I listened to this guy sitting further along the bench. He did not sound happy, so after he got off the phone I asked what was wrong. Seems there was a problem with his flight ticket, about an additional tax that did not occur when he originally bought the ticket. Heading back home to England, he had cashed in all his travelers cheques and had no money to pay the $53 they told him he owed.

Not being able to get into the city or back in time to go to a currency exchange, he was hugely stressed. He would have to stay in Canada and then fork out who knows how much for a new ticket. I shrugged my shoulders and said, "I will pay for you". This young English guy couldn’t believe it! "But you don’t know me!?" he protested, to which I replied: "So what?"

By that one simple gesture, he got home to his family. And I got an invite to not only stay at his bed and breakfast in England, but his mum also offered me a job! I couldn’t stop laughing at the hilarity of it all and how wonderful life can be, full of surprises. I had impacted his life so greatly. Not just him, but his family’s, my own life and all the people that I tell this story to.

Take a look at those around you, open your eyes and realize you impact them. Make a difference. Act. Do it now!

There's a unique physical balance that is different for every individual. Some bodies may be able to run 7 times a week. Some, like mine, cannot. Listening to your body is probably the most important part of any athletic training regimen, one that I tend to forget with my "go hard or go home" attitude.

About a month ago, I made a "to do" list in preparation for my first half marathon. A runner I may not be yet, but a list maker I am. Here's a snapshot of my list:

• get new runners!
• run 5 times a week
• weight train, yoga and spinning once a week each
• eat 6 times a day to fuel for activity
• tune up at the city's 10K, that's only 3 weeks away

Two weeks later, I'm down and out (this would be the trouble part I mentioned above). My knee was wobbly, my achilles was throbbing, and my rotator cuff was just plain uncomfortable. Looking back at my original list, I think I brought "gung-ho" to a new level. I should have known better than to dive right into it. As a child, I was full of semi-functional body parts, evidence of a small athlete with big dreams. When I set a goal, I get excited, and that voice of reason gets … unreasonable.

Stretching behind the pant table at work earlier this week, a friendly woman asked me what was wrong. "My whole right side!" I replied half jokingly. We started chatting about running and not before long she was revealing her own athletic goals and recovery secrets. She was tall, strong and training for a triathlon this summer.

Her best piece of advice for me? "Why aren't you listening to your knee? You know, it's great if you run your half marathon this year. But it won't mean much if you can't run with your kids in ten years. Listen to your body."

Most runners schedule a day of rest and almost all athletes believe in down time. Studies have shown that it's when you are not running that the muscle rebuilds itself and gets stronger. If the muscle doesn't receive enough recovery time, continuous training will break it down more than build it up. As much as I am dedicated to my running goal, I am just as committed to my newfound running mantra of "run hard, rest harder".

So what am I doing on my day off? Listening to my body and actually taking a day off!

Above: Mark (a Business Analyst at the SSC in Vancouver) is working up a sweat in our Pipes SL top and Run: Response Shorts.