Parker is one of those sparkly people that instantly makes an impact when you meet her. After graduating from the University of North Carolina a few years ago (go Tar Heels!), Parker and her husband took life by the horns and moved from Raleigh to Vancouver, B.C. to pursue their careers AND live in a place completely new and exciting. After a ton of adventures in British Columbia and beyond, they are now returning back to the East Coast to begin the next chapter of their lives.

Instead of flying, Parker and her husband Thomas are driving with their golden retriever across North America and have committed to practicing 5 yoga classes a week along the way (let's face it - they'll need to stretch their legs!) As they go, Parker is going to journal what it's like to relocate (again), sweat in different studios, their favourite new places and how it feels to finish off one goal and start living into the next one. Let's get road trippin'!

the first leg

As we crossed the border from Canada into the U.S., I could feel those pesky ‘water droplets’ making their way over my eyelids (aka tears). I reflected on the crazy life we created in Vancouver over the last year and a half that captivated my heart. Half of me believed our adventure was coming to an end, while the other half was already planning out my first southern meal in the land of sweet tea and shellfish.

To make our journey even more exciting, we have committed to sweating in every stop on our road to goal crushing. We began our drive down the West Coast to the first stop of our journey – a 525 kilometer drive (that’s 328 miles in American speak) to Portland, Oregon. Known for its breweries, famous coffee houses, and slow food centered restaurants, Portland is a destination for sensory overload. Our short stop in Rip City did not disappoint.

yoga, portland style

Through recommendations of our Vancouver yogi friends, we landed at Yoga Pearl, a stunning studio in the center of the Pearl District. On a street lined with artistic window displays and engulfed in the aromas of coffee houses, Yoga Pearl is a soothing hub.

We unrolled our mats in a small corner room with a few other Portlandians for a mid-morning Hatha class. True to Portland style, the class was intentional, unhurried, and grounding. The teacher knew each student by name and connected with us before class to learn our background and get the details on our cross-country plans. She greeted her other students – some of whom she hadn’t seen in a few weeks – and caught up on recent events of life. As I listened to the ins and outs of conversation, I felt the power of connection and a sense of gratitude. This wasn’t simply a workout facility with drop-ins and people passing by; this was a staple of livelihood, a gathering place for learning, and a center point of community.

Bound for our next adventure, we took one more stroll through the Pearl District and grabbed coffee at a local favorite – The Barista. I am so glad we took the chance to practice in this town - Portland's sense of community (and caffeine) will resonate with us for a long time. With the car packed to the brim and our mats in easy access, it’s time for another set of miles on the tires. Next stop, Redding, California!

Relocating to a new city is a big life shift: it can bring up a host of emotions (nostalgia, exhilaration, fear, hope and more). What big, scary and audacious things are you getting up to this year? In the meantime, keep an eye out for Parker's latest dispatch from the road to goal crushing!

adventures in goal-setting: how getting clear on your vision can change the direction of your life

Chloe, our Vision & Goals Program Manager here at lululemon, first started working for the company in 2002 as a part-time educator at our Queen Street store in Toronto after hearing about the job from a friend. She was looking to pay the bills and chill out after finishing her undergraduate degree in Fine Arts before embarking on a career as a (band camp alert!) music teacher. When she was hired, Chloe wasn’t really an “athlete,” nevermind a yogi; however, she soon fell in love with the practice of finding her breath and stretching it out on her mat.

A few months into her role, Chloe realized that part of what made her want to be a music teacher was her love of facilitating learning for people. She began focusing on this and consequently became a Store Manager. It was also around this time that Chloe was introduced to the practice of creating a vision for herself and setting goals. Her first reaction was something like this (something a lot of us can probably relate to):

“I am a cool city girl from Toronto who doesn’t read self-help books thankyouverymuch.”

Chloe soon realized, however, that if she was going to facilitate learning for her staff as a Store Manager, she needed to walk the walk and invest in what she was supposed to be teaching (aka drop the too-cool-for-school vibes and open up to the possibility that Vision and Goals could be awesome). She began by setting a vision for her ideal future life in 10 years and then created 1, 5 and 10 year goals for herself (personal, career and health-focused) that would support her in achieving this vision.

Once Chloe got into goal-setting, she realized that it was working: by intentionally writing down and declaring what she wanted, things started to come together. Zing! She realized that she wanted to train people in Vision and Goals and became lululemon’s Training Manager. How did she know she wanted that job? Because her goals and her passions were clear enough that she knew, she had the confidence to declare her goals, and she was around people who supported her in achieving them.

It’s been, ahem, a few years since Chloe first created the training role in Toronto. Since then her life has been pretty rad: she has moved to Vancouver, become the Head of Retail Training for the company, got married to a cool dude, had a baby, backpacked New Zealand and come back to share why vision and goal-setting is badass once more. She isn't teaching music class - instead, she's living the life she was meant to, with her authentic vision acting as her true north.

key takeways from chloe's journey

1.     surround yourself with people who support your goals.

Sometimes the people around us are happy, supportive, honest and will do whatever it takes to support you achieving your goals. Other times there are people who (for whatever reason) cannot get down with what you are striving for. Surround yourself with positive people who are rooting for you and will give you honest feedback - you will find success more easily, promise.

2.     get clear on what you actually want.

Chloe originally thought she wanted to be a music teacher. She told herself that that was what she wanted, plus she had just gotten a fine arts degree, so she should still do it. When she gained the courage to actually declare what she wanted, it became clear to her what her vision is: owning and running a leadership retreat centre where she creates awesome experiential leadership programming. The courage to have a real conversation with yourself about what you really want (not what should happen, but what is POSSIBLE) is when things will begin falling into place. Speaking of that…

3.     set goals from possible, not probable.

Close your eyes and think about what you really want. Not what might or probably will happen, but what you really want for yourself without any caveats getting in the way. It’s remarkable how many of us are doing stuff that has nothing to do with what we actually want. When we shift into the perspective of possibility, we can begin to discover what makes us happy and what looks like an ideal vision for ourselves.

This month we are getting down with setting vision and goals for ourselves! For more on how to create a vision and set goals, check out these worksheets. Share your progress on Twitter and Instagram with the hashtag #readysetgoals.

Chances are high you’ve seen Tess' name around Twitter and our Facebook page, answering your product questions or handing out virtual high fives for recent goals crushed. As one of our incredibly social savvy team members - Tess spends her days pursuing the internet and chatting with some of the coolest people out there (like you!). The conversations Tess has every day at work consistently inspire her and recently led her to create a badass goal - "the Ambassador Project".

Have you ever had one of those moments where you wonder “Is this real life?” Those happen to me on the regular in my job. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I work in social media. This vague title (much to the confusion of border control officers and my parents – hi, Mum!) allows me the opportunity to spend my days cruising the internet and chatting to some of the raddest people out here – you guys.  I answer tweets about anything from directions to the nearest store to the best places to sweat in your hood. I’m naturally chatty (ask anyone who’s ever been in a room with me) so getting up each morning to hear about all the cool and inspiring things our guests are up to is such a treat.

One group of people that inspire me daily are our  ambassadors. Now, I fully intend on finishing my degree and eventually winding up with my PhD in physiology but if the opportunity arose for me to be a professional marathon cheerleader, I’d drop the textbooks in a heartbeat. The thing is, I love athletes. I have the deepest respect for anyone who is willing to go all out to try something they’ve never done before. Nothing moves me to keep going than knowing that there are people out there getting up to 4am alarms to run track in the rain, juggling schedules to create workouts or showing up on their mats for their students. I’m a person who turns to sweat when things gets rough. I wanted to spend some time getting to know the people that have helped me through some of my darkest hours and might not even know it. It started with a simple declaration and lo, the Ambassador Project was born.

sweats so far

Yin Yoga – Elle Basten

Spin – Mike Porter

Spin – Natasha Lowe

Hot Yoga with Music– Sasha Smith

Hot Yoga – Heather McEwen

Barre Method – Carolyn Williams

the road ahead

I have a long, sweaty road ahead of me which is perfect for working off holiday shortbread and one too many spiked eggnogs.  After the YVR edition is complete, I’m headed to NYC to stretch, spin and sweat with our ambassadors in the city that don’t sleep. I can’t wait to see all of you on the mat, in the box or on the bike.

Feeling inspired? Get out there and get to know the ambassadors in your neighbourhood. Needing inspiration? You know where Tess can be found and she’d be happy to chat about your goals and sweaty pursuits. If you’re an ambassador and you want to sweat with her, leave a note or shoot her a tweet @thatgirlsix with the hashtag #ambassadorproject. Let’s get sweaty!

what does “vision and goals” mean, anyway?

how V&G came to be at lululemon

As a former competitive athlete, Chip has always been a big believer in setting goals. Prior to creating lululemon in 1998, Chip became very interested in the practice of goal setting and creating a vision - how we as people define and create what we want in our lives. When he saw the power these principles had in his life, he incorporated the practice of vision and goal setting with his team at lululemon. It has been a part of our culture ever since.

why we are sharing this with you

We have seen the power of setting a vision and goals all around us – triathlons, languages learned, health goals achieved, houses bought, job changes (both coming and going from the company)…we’ve seen magical things accomplished that once seemed impossible, or at the very least improbable! We are so passionate about this practice that we want to share it with the world.

the practice of vision and goals

Like yoga, creating vision and goals for your life is a constant practice. Being intentional about how you approach this process will help you get clear about what you want – and how you are going to make it happen.

1.     get connected to your vision.

Find a place you find relaxing and get yourself settled in (think tea, a candle…maybe even sweatpants). Next, close your eyes and think about what your ideal life would be in 10 years if anything was possible. Don’t get caught up in tactics – i.e. “but how would I pay for that” or “that seems unrealistic.” Focus in and think about what this life would look like without caveats.

Pssst....we created worksheets especially for this exercise. Get down on it!

Attention à nos amis francos! Veuillez télécharger les feuilles de travail ici.

2.     determine what your ten-year goals are from this vision (we suggest three areas of your life to begin: personal, health and career).

In order to begin the path to the ideal life you just imagined, we begin by setting ten-year goals. What does this mean? Take a look at your vision. Do you want to sail around the Mediterranean? A few things will need to happen: money for purchase and upkeep, skill…what else?  And what order do these things need to go in for you to be successful?

example:

ten-year goal: I sail the Mediterranean captaining my new sailboat by June 1st, 2023

3.     do the same with five- and one-year goals.

Okay, so here’s the reason we set goals backwards: your five- and one-year goals should support you in attaining your ten-year goals, consequently helping you to your vision. Let’s use our sailboat analogy again.

examples:

five-year goal: I take lessons from the skipper of an America’s Cup vessel by August 1st, 2018

one-year goal: I put $400/month into a high-interest savings boat fund

4.     what can you do right now?

Goals can seem lofty or even unattainable. 50% of the goals on your worksheet should scare you a little – it is when we set these audacious goals that we tap into the life we really desire. This can be both exciting and a little daunting, too.

So what can you do right now? Well, look at your goals. Do you need to be physically fit or have some money set aside to achieve them? Are you accomplishing them by yourself or do you need to enroll other people? Begin planning and executing the things you need to do today in order to get the ball rolling.

vision and goals worksheets

Having a dedicated worksheet or book devoted to your vision and goals practice is key. We have created worksheets to help you brainstorm and ideate on what your vision for your ideal life is, and then also included pages designed to help you create a framework for your goals going forward. Think of this booklet as your vision and goals “hub,” a place for ideas to begin and then take off on their chosen path.

What are your vision & goals and how are you getting there? Share them on Instagram and Twitter with the hashtag #readysetgoals - we can’t wait to see and hear what you've got cookin'!

And here we thought one 30-day yoga challenge was just that, a challenge. Meet Danne, a Natick, MA educator and 30-day challenger extraordinaire. Seriously – Danne’s been completing a one-month challenge (or “Lent” as she calls it) every month for the last four years.  We couldn’t help but ask her to dish the deats on what she’s been up to (and secretly hoped her dedication would rub off on us too).

one goal at a time, one month at a time, for a whole year

As Sophia from the Golden Girls would say...Picture it: Boston, Massachusetts. It’s a cold December night in 2008. A discouraged 25-year-old-girl in the midst of a quarter-life crisis is sitting down to write her New Year’s resolutions. This last year has been kind of a letdown and she can’t seem to shake the feeling that she isn’t making any notable progress on her goals—on the things that really matter most. After scribbling down an intimidating number of resolutions, the hopelessness starts to settle in. “How can I actually expect to get anything done with such an overwhelming list?”, she wonders. That’s when the epiphany hits: Why not create a hybrid between a New Year’s Resolution and the concept of Lent; one goal at a time, one month at a time, for a whole year. And just like that, a blog (and lifestyle) was born.

12 months of lent

Having grown up in a Catholic household, I’m no stranger to practicing Lent in the more traditional sense. With my blog, 12 Months of Lent, my goal is to take Lent’s underlying concept (personal sacrifice and dedication for a set period of time) and use it to push myself towards making headway on my goals. Each month, I assign myself a different challenge, or “Lent”, to complete with the intention of living a more purposeful and fulfilling life. The best part? It works.

rising to the challenge

So, what type of challenges do I take on? Well, I spent a month picking up every piece of litter that I came across, another month not making any trash (it’s much more possible than you think), a month attempting to become a diehard Red Sox fan, a month getting rid of 100 things a week and other months committing to much simpler tasks, like writing in my journal each day, taking more photographs and doing more yoga.

the good, the bad and the ugly

Favorite Challenge:
"Sixing" was a challenge where I limited my wardrobe to only six items (totally amazing and especially awesome for travelling).

Hardest Challenge:
Attempting to eat the government’s daily-recommended servings of fruits and vegetables. Epic fail.

Most Dreaded Challenge:
The 21-Day Dietary Cleanse. It was pretty tough to be psyched about going without my beloved pizza and Pinot Grigio for three weeks.

what’s the point?
People ask me all the time why I do these funny challenges in the first place...what’s the point? The answer is simple: it’s become second nature—a habit, a positive ritual that impacts my life in the best way possible. Four years in, and I honestly can’t picture my life without it.

Are you challenging yourself to do anything this month? Check out Danne’s blog for inspiration. Also, keep your eye out for her coverage of Wanderlust Vermont right here on our blog next week!

People who run marathons are incredibly fit, incredibly inspiring and, well, simply incredible. People who run ultramarathons are all of the above with the  (and we mean this is the best way possible) addition of incredibly crazy. We asked ultramarathoner and SoHo store ambassador, Tom Cripps, a few questions about going the distance.

an interview with an ultramarathoner

what do you run for?
It continually evolves for me. Sometimes I love the solitude. Sometimes I love the company. Sometimes I love the grit. Sometimes I love nothing about the run at all! There’s nothing like getting out of the city, hitting a trail and tearing up a dirt path. I don’t meditate but I guess you could liken it to that. For me, running is a release, an adventure and a killer workout too.

what exactly is an ultra?
Depends on who you ask, really. The actual definition is anything further than a marathon… so if you jog to the beer station after running a marathon, you could say you ran an ultra (and congratulations on that extra effort too!). Some people say it’s got to be a race that’s at least 50 miles. I think the best definition is 50k (about 32 miles) or more. There’s a lot that goes on between mile 26.2 and mile 32 and I think the mentality for most runners switches from speed to survival around here.

what inspired you to go the extra distance?
Like a lot of people, I did the ‘I want to run a marathon’ thing. Then I ran one. For two weeks after, I promised myself I would never do it again. After while I started to miss the commitment and the feeling of accomplishment. Then, I read the book (Born to Run – Christopher McDougall). I had no idea humans could even run much further than a marathon let alone 135 miles in the middle of Death Valley in the heat of summer. I was just so intrigued I had to try it myself. I am still as intrigued today as much as I have ever been.

let’s talk logistics – do you run the whole time? how do you eat? hydrate? go to the bathroom?
I have never actually run 50 miles non-stop - I have run 32 non-stop but that was around Manhattan so it was pretty flat. 

Eating can be a chore for me as after a certain amount of mileage not everything wants to stay down. Hydration is really important too and getting the sodium levels right is pretty critical. There is an ultra golden rule that if you’re thirsty, you’re already dehydrated so I try to take a good sip of water every 10 minutes or so. As for bathroom, I guess men are like dogs. The world is our potential urinal. As for women, there seems to be more logistics involved but the concept is exactly the same.

running an ultra feels like the ultimate goal – how do you push yourself beyond that?
One of the goals I’m working on is to run an ultra marathon on all seven continents. I love to travel as much as I love to run, so this should save me some time and give me plenty of ammunition to bore people with when I’m old.

rumour has it you’re headed to china for a race soon?
In a few weeks I’m running The North Face 100km in China to raise money for LearnToLive. It’s a cause focused on providing sustainable healthcare and resources to areas in North Sulawesi (Indonesia) where there is absolutely zero history of any healthcare. The organization sends health workers and engineers to North Sulawesi for one month on an annual basis to diagnose, treat and educate these communities. This is kind of an intangible benefit but I also believe this experience provides these workers with a unique perspective that will simply make them better at what they do.

Are you ready for race season? We’re getting serious about our training (and cheering). Only 95 days to go ‘til The SeaWheeze!

On May 17^th 2012, it’s your sports bra’s time to shine…

the itsy-bitsy-teenie-weenie bikini fear
Last May, as summer was approaching, I was overwhelmed by my annual beachwear anxiety. You know, that moment when you realize bikini season is right around the corner. Usually, I’m filled with dread but this particular year, there was a fire inside of me to change how I felt about myself. As a fitness instructor, I needed to own up to my role as a leader so I encouraged my riders to step out of their own comfort zones by facing a fear. I set a private, personal goal for myself to face my biggest fear of revealing my midriff. Why was this so scary? What was I trying to hide? I challenged myself to teach one of my SoulCycle classes wearing only a sports bra. When the class was over and I was still wearing my lame, gold jacket (yes, this class was Rihanna-themed), I was not only disappointed in myself but I felt like I had let down those riders who looked to me as someone who practices what she preaches.

s

the midriff movement
At that moment, I realized that I could not face this challenge alone, I needed the support of my peers. The only way I was going to be able to overcome my biggest fear was if an entire class would join me by riding in their sports bras too. A simple, personal goal quickly turned into a small movement when two of my personal heroes, NBC'S The Biggest Loser Season 11 finalists Olivia Ward and Hannah Curlee got on board. On July 29, 2011 we bared it all in a class and stories from women across the country  who participated in their own mini Sports Bra Challenges came pouring in.

turn your dreams into plans
That July, I became an ambassador for the lululemon Union Square store. Through a goal coaching session (which includes the terrifying task of writing down my goals and discussing them) it became clear to me that I was not through with The Sports Bra Challenge. I wanted to continue to challenge, support and help women and men all over the country feel comfortable in their bodies and to embrace who they are. I decided that I was going to recreate The Sports Bra Challenge on a much larger scale and make it more accessible to people all over the country. That’s when my dream started to become a reality.

putting a spin on it
What started out as an event quickly turned into a foundation. In January 2012, I created S.E.A.K. Foundation; a non-profit organization that empowers people to be confident in who they are through educational programs and events focused on physical and emotional health. The Sports Bra Challenge is now an event that provides the funding for SEAK to implement after-school programs for teenage girls in New York City to develop their sense of self-esteem and self-worth.

the 2012 sports bra challenge
On Thursday, May 17, SEAK Foundation presents The Sports Bra Challenge 2012. This one-day outdoor fitness event will consist of two large-scale SoulCycle classes, a Vinyasa Yoga class and a (free, kids-only) signature Pound Class through Crunch Fitness. All proceeds from the event will benefit City of Hope's Positive Image Center and SEAK Foundation.

Come one, come all and get ready to grin and bare it. Registration for the event starts today!

We’re all about turning our can’ts into cans and dreams into plans (ahem, goals).  We got Jenna, our superstar goal coach, to host a live goal-coaching session with our socialsphere. Missed the event? NBD. Here’s a recap and Jenna’s own recipe for creating a life you love.

what would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail?

… I’d move across the ocean.

To make it happen, ensure that you always include a 'by-when' date. For example, 'I move across the ocean by September 2020'. It gives you the commitment and puts a stake in the ground. Without it, it's not actually a goal.

…I’d get back to my goal weight. I am always so tired after a long day of work. What can I do to get that motivation and energy to work out?

You want to get back to something that you were before. I recommend letting go of the past and creating a brand new future that serves you for all that you are. Start with a commitment for next week and let that be enough.

…I’d have my own show on the travel channel but I’m afraid of starting the process... finding connections... putting myself/my idea out there for criticism... and being "TV” ready.

You've just written all your goals! Set some by-whens. "I'll start the process by X.” "I'll make five connections by X.” "I've completed classes or coaching by X to be TV ready." As for criticism, we don't reach our goals without criticism. Share your goals with people who love you and support you and listen to them.

…I’d move to Manitoba with my boyfriend. What's stopping me? Possibly school and what if it doesn't work out and I'm alone in Manitoba?

"If you don't like where you are, change it - you're not a tree." You can set a new goal for a new location. Change is constant.

no time? no money? no more excuses.

I'm struggling to find balance in my life between yoga, work, school, kids, friends, husband, etc...

Writing vision and goals are designed to create balance in your life. It's the framework that ensures all areas that are important to us are fulfilled and manifested.

I would love to go to yoga teacher training but money is a constraint.

Determine the teacher training program you want to do, figure out how much it's going to cost and give yourself the time and space to make that money and save it for what you know is most important - your teacher training.

I want to create a routine where I work out 3 times a week. I used to do yoga 3 times per week and I loved it; now I am not making myself a priority because I am so drained with my job. Sometimes, I would just rather do art but when I do my yoga I feel more balanced. I guess I just would like to feel more motivated when I don't feel like doing what I know to be good for me. A kick in the pants is what I need sometimes!

Put your three classes in your schedule for next week before you go to bed tonight. And then don't make anything more important than going to those classes. Consider this your kick in the pants!

I need to pass my calculus class but it's too hard to focus. I work full time, try to work out and I also have to find time to have a life. It's just hard to focus on that class especially because I'm not very good at math.

Is your calculus test soon? It may require you to work out less, work less or sleep less for the time being – whatever it takes to pass. Then you can get back to doing the things you love… and maybe don't take calculus anymore!

I’d love to make a career change. What's holding me back is money.  I'm used to making a certain amount and my bills won't pay themselves.

Did you know that you'd probably end up making more if you were in a job you loved? Set some goals to map it out. You've only got one life.

I’d love to be a social work officer and help my troops with PTSD. Fear of rejection is a powerful enemy in applying to schools. Have any tips?

The fear doesn't go away by not doing it, the fear goes away by facing it.

I want to return to softball with a fully strengthened knee from a surgery I had a year ago. Holding me back? Time, there’s just too little of it.

Lack of time is an illusion; every human has the same amount of it in a day. Our power is in how we choose to use our time.

get going on goals

Here are a few resources to get your goals going!

• get down to the nitty gritty – how to create a vision and set your goals

• do it now! do it now! – our goal setting sheet

Goal setting is all about creating a life you love. It's not about being better or more. Create a vision of your ideal life and set goals to get you there. We dare you to be great.

It’s 2012 and the future feels bright. With January comes a clean slate, resolutions and a heightened sense of possibility. Last year, we wrote about re-igniting your goals once the New Year high wore off. We caught up with Katie, Matt, Laura and Carolyn to find out which 2011 goals they crushed and which goals need a little revising.

katie, design

2011 goal declaration
I attend Wanderlust by 2011
I enroll in a raw foods cooking course by November 2011

how it went down
In 2011 I did indeed get to shake my Shakti at Wanderlust. While I was thinking warm winds in Tahoe, I got sent to three days of downpour in Vermont. The rain didn't dampen my spirits though. I got to meet (and converse with) Bryan Kest - the first teacher who ever inspired me to do yoga via VHS tape so many years ago. (Who knew he was just a cool dude from Detroit?)

lesson learned this year
Sometimes your goals don’t always play out exactly the way you envisioned them. Goals are meant to be guidelines to help you achieve the things that are important to you. How it all goes down, well that’s up to life.

what’s next?
Alas, however, my goal of attending a raw foods workshop still remains unfulfilled and my food still fully cooked…but hey, that's what 2012 is for, right?

Matt, currently crushing his mba in denmark

2011 goal declaration
I complete 10 items off my 100 before 100 by Dec 2011

how it went down
This one got 40% complete. Paying for a random strangers meal, hot air ballooning, making chocolate by hand and bungee jumping made my summer completely awesome! Even though I didn’t fully achieve this one, I feel good about my progress and the other goals I did crush like:
• finish four running races by Nov 2011
• save $10,000 for my MBA by Sept 2011

lesson learned this year
Looking back, I definitely stuck with the 50/50 rule – having 50% of my goals BHAGs that would push me. Goals are intended to be both attainable and challenging. Failing to reach a goal doesn't make me a failure. It means I was pushing myself

what’s next?
Best part of looking back at these goals? It makes me more excited about my goals for this year. Bring it on 2012!

laura, recruiting

2011 goal declaration
I ride the GranFondo Whistler by September 2012

how it went down
This year, my coworker Ben looked at my goals and said, “you’ve got the Gran Fondo on your goals, sign up!” With do it now, do it now, do it now engrained in my brain, I signed on the dotted line to ride the Whistler Gran Fondo a year earlier than planned.

If you’ve ever driven up the Sea to Sky Highway you can appreciate that there are a few hills. Once you’ve ridden a bike up it you’ll know that it’s almost all hills - 2,400 meters of climbing for a total elevation gain of 650 meters. The support from the crowds and my team pushed me to the top and over the finish line for one of the proudest moments of my life. Editors note: I think it’s safe to say Laura crushed this one by completing her goal in 2011.

lesson learned this year
Just because you’ve told yourself you’re going to do something by a certain time doesn’t mean you can’t kill it sooner!

what’s next?
I take one hour off my 2011 GranFondo Whistler time.

carolyn, digital

2011 goal declaration
I sample wine from every winery in the Okanagan Valley by December 2011

how it went down
I set some seriously fun goals last year – and I achieved a lot of them. Through the first half of the year I was attacking them with gusto and crossing them off my list.
• Take my parents on a fishing vacation to Painter’s Lodge? Check!
• Cook Julia Child’s famous Boeuf Bourguignon. Check!
• Take three ski vacations - at different hills. Check!

I used to keep my goals written on a big chalkboard in both my living room and kitchen. Everyday I was confronted with them – my fiancé saw them, they sparked conversations with friends and they stayed top of mind due to the visible reminder.

In September I moved into a new apartment (another goal off the list) and I no longer had a big,visible space to display my goals. With the loss of the chalkboards I stopped achieving my goals and even started to forget what they were.

lesson learned this year
Keep your goals visible to hold yourself accountable to them and keep them top of mind.

what’s next?
I revised my Okanagan Valley wine goal as I realized early on it wasn't realistic. With hundreds of wineries in the Okanagan, it would take me years to complete this. I've revised the goal to: I have tasted wine from every winery south of Okanagan Falls by June 2012.

Now that we’ve shared some of our successes, failures and revisions, what big goals are you setting for 2012?

create a vision board with

It’s no secret that lululemon is big on goals. We set goals, we achieve goals and, to put it mildly, we are downright obsessed with living lives we love through the practice of goal setting. Sometimes, nothing beats old-fashioned pen and paper when it comes to creating a vision and setting goals but leave it to our Digital Innovation team to find the coolest, raddest, digital tools, for screens big and small.

tools to get inspired

pinterest - desktop, iPhone carolyn - digital innovation manager

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Pinterest is my biggest source of vision inspiration online. From inspiring quotes to eye-catching photos, Pinterest helps me build vision boards for myself in all areas of my life. Currently I’m pinning to a “vision of my life in ten years”, a “my vision of health” board and even a “my career in five years” board.

Pinterest keeps my imagination alive and allows my vision to grow and change with time. I can keep my visions private or share them with friends. Pinterest also has a great iPhone app (actually, one of my all time favourites) so I can keep creating on the go!

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43 things - desktop, iPhone carolyn - digital innovation manager

A true match made in heaven - social and goal setting? Yes please! 43things is an online community and goal setting service (it’s the biggest one on the web) that helps you set goals while meeting likeminded people. The site builds on social relationships so that community members can help each other in achieving goals and get inspired to take on new goals themselves. With Facebook integration, I can see what sorts of goals my friends have set and we can connect through shared or similar goals.

evernote - desktop, iPhone, iPad, blackberry, peder - digital innovation intern

I achieve my goals by breaking the process into five categories: note taking, visioning, goal setting, to-do’s and daily tracking. While Evernote is not exactly positioned as the technology that will achieve my goals, it fits perfectly into the note taking part of my tried and true system. Evernote allows me to capture a picture, a stray insight, a voice memo, a webpage and pretty well anything else right from any of my devices. I love how “in the moment” Evernote is. I can record anything that piques my interest and then come back to it when I have enough time to make sense of how those bits of inspiration play into my bigger picture.

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mindbloom - desktop peder - digital innovation intern

Mindbloom fuses inspiration and goal setting to one by taking you into a place of possibility through an interactive story line. Mindbloom helps create your vision and connects you with the inspiration and tools you need to achieve your goals. I love that the app asks you to identify the areas of your life that are most important to you. Once you identify those areas, Mindbloom shares inspirational quotes and pictures so you can start visualizing an "anything is possible" life. From here, you can set goals that actually speak to who you are. Social integration and goal suggestions are two other amazing features that help jump-start your most fulfilling life.

tools for staying on track

getting dreams done - iPhone carolyn - digital innovation manager

Getting Dreams Done is an iPhone application for goal setting, dream creation and vision boarding. Part of what I love most is that it’s simple to use. It integrates with my iCal and I find that it really operationalizes goal setting in a way that works for me. I use 43things and Pinterest to find vision and goals, inspiration and then use GettingDreamsDone on a weekly basis to check in, track and revise my goals. The calendar helps remind me of my status on certain goals and holds me accountable to achieving them.

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action method - desktop, iPhone, iPad, android, pen and paper kristina - social innovation manager

I use Action Method to keep track of my to-dos or goals for each day. Since I’m in a role where work often feels like play, it’s pretty easy to get carried away. Action Method is a tool that is available in almost every form: website, app and even that good old fashion pen and paper we were talking about. With so much always on the go, Action Method helps me prioritize my goals and keeps me on track for achieving them.

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Technology helps to hold us accountable to our goals because it is easy to share and it integrates goal setting into our day-to-day lives. The more accessible and visible our goals are, the more likely we are to achieve them. Let our DI team in on some of your favourite goal-setting tools.

want more?

• learn how to set powerful goals
• more goal setting 101
• check out some of our other favourite apps

The population seems to have doubled overnight here in Lake Tahoe and the Wanderlust grounds are buzzing with happy, sweaty, yoga-fied people. The energy here is incredible and the conversations are flowing - from the yoga mat to the elevator.

600 yogis line up for Seane Corn's class

creating space

About 600 people were in my first class of the day, lead by Seane Corn. I knew it was going to be powerful a few minutes in when I noticed the two people in front of me had tears streaming down their cheeks. We honoured the amazing and powerful women in our life by dedicating our thoughts to them (I sent mine to my mom - hi mom! Did you get them?), and went deep into our hips where Seane says we "store every relationship we've ever had" to release the past and let go. One word: wow.

creating art

I had been looking forward to practicing with John Friend, the founder of Anusara yoga, for a long time. His class was just as I had imagined it would be -- 1.5 hours of play, accompanied by live musicians who were perfectly in sync with our movements: holding the song as we held poses, crescendoing as we expanded towards the sky. I think I detected a Simon + Garfunkel song at one point [side note - can anyone verify this? I really want to know!].

John Friend and the merry band

science-asana

About to get my neuroscience on

Next up: "The Secret" meets neuroscience. At least, this is what I thought when Dr. Van Houten began his lecture about happiness and meditation and asked us to create a vision of our future self. My nutshell edition of his wonderful 1.5 hour lecture: We can change the chemistry in our brains permanently, through 10-15 minutes of meditation a day. So if there's something in your life that you want, focus on it and your brain will figure it out. I'm now inspired to give my neurons a workout -- six-month meditation experiment, anyone?

hammock dreams

I had a short break between activities and checked my Twitter stream. Someone named @hammocker had said hi to me, and I decided to meet them in real life. I am so glad I did.

Rachel was at the Yellow Leaf Hammock booth and told me how her boyfriend Joe had gone to Thailand on vacation, discovered these handmade hammocks, and quit his corporate day job when he returned to found Yellow Leaf, which is committed to creating a sustainable social enterprise. They've only officially been open for a week. The hairs on my arm stood up when she told me their story.

visions and goals

I ended my day with a goal-setting workshop lead by Andrea from lululemon. Andrea brought tears to a few eyes with her personal story of goal-setting including the fact that she was achieving a goal by being here at Wanderlust leading the workshop. When I got home and checked the lululemon blog, I saw Allessia's post on visions and goals and it connected all the individual pieces of my day together.

If there's something in your life that you don't have, you can create it. Let go of situations / things that aren't serving you and create a life you love. If you're at Wanderlust, Andrea's holding another workshop Saturday at 5 pm. Be there or be square.

Until tomorrow,
Alana

image: flickr-Angie Torres

Think about your life 10 years from now. Where will you be, what will you be doing, what have you achieved? Writing down a detailed vision for your ideal life (being as descriptive as possible) helps to identify the goals you need to achieve to realize your vision. Here is our secret sauce to success; our 6 core concepts for vision and goal setting.

The 6 Core Concepts of Vision & Goals

The lululemon vision & goals training program is based on 6 core concepts.  These are tried, tested, and true methods for clarifying your vision and then setting goals to make it a reality.  Use this program to guide your vision & goals process.

1. Possibility

Set visions & goals in possibility and that are beyond what is likely to happen.  A mindset of possibility allows you to get into creative visualisation and clearly articulate your ideal life without self created limitation.  A couple of ways of getting into possibility:

• Let your past be in the past: We tend to look at the past in order to create our future, yet a goal set from the past will likely create more of what already exists, and inherently has limitations.
• Remove perceived constraints: What limitations do you create for yourself that don’t actually exist?  ‘I don’t have enough money’.  ‘I don’t have the time’.

2. Vision

Your vision for your ideal life will drive your goals.  The purpose of setting your vision is to create a clear picture of your ideal life so your goals become powerful and meaningful to you.  The vision articulates what you are out for in life and your greatest ambitions.  It will give you a reason to get out of bed in the morning – something to get excited about.  Why are you setting goals – where will it get you?

A powerful vision:

• Is set 10 years in the future.
• Is clear and concise with enough detail to feel complete.  A paragraph or two should suffice.
• Incorporates all major domains of your life.  Usually: health, personal, career.
• Moves you emotionally and gets you excited – maybe even a little nervous.
• Uses present tense language.  Write it as if you are already there.
• Is authentic to you and grounded in your passions and unique greatness in the world.

3. Balance

It is important to balance your vision & goals in the major domains of your life.  Having balanced goals leads to a balanced life, while having goals in only one area can leave your desires for other areas unfulfilled.  The three main domains in life are most often: personal, health, career.  These can mean different things for different people.

4. Audacity

Be bold and set goals that are a challenge for you. Dare to challenge assumptions or conventions you have and tackle difficult goals.  Set your goals to be BHAGs:  Big Hairy Audacious Goals.

To decide if your goal is a BHAG, ask yourself:

• Is this goal easy to achieve?
• Is this likely to happen anyways, with little effort on my part?
• Is it a push goal that will move me closer to living my ideal life set in possibility?
• What sense of accomplishment will come with achieving this goal?

You will know if you are truly setting BHAGs in life if you’re failing at 50% of the goals.

5. Format

Formatting your goals in the correct way gives you the greatest likelihood of achieving them.  A goal written with the incorrect format can be wishy-washy and will go un-achieved.

• Trickle back: Start with the end in mind.  Set your 10 year goals first, then move backwards to 5 year, 1 year
• Quantifiable: You must be able to measure your goal.
• Specific: Precisely articulate the desired activity, object, event, or outcome in the goal.
• Present tense: Write your vision & goals in the present tense.
• Affirmative language: State what you want, not what you don’t want.
• Concise: Use as few words as possible; no justification is required.
• By-when date: State when the goal will be achieved.

See the worksheet below for examples.

6. Integrity

Once your goals are set, consider how you incorporate them into your daily life to achieve them.  How do you live with integrity to your vision & goals?  Here are some ideas:

• Create a system to honour and achieve your goals.  Do you use your day-timer?  Do you post your goals on your fridge?
• Enroll others so they know what you stand for.  Sharing your goals with others who are also committed goal setters allows them to support and assist you.
• There is choice every day in life.  Choose the things that move you closer towards achieving your vision & goals, rather than those things that are in conflict.

By writing your goals down you increase the likelihood of achieving them. Here’s a handy vision-and-goals-worksheet to get you started. Ready, set, goal!

want more?

• how to set compelling goals
• how to find balance in your life
• read about the lululemon vision

Something you should know about Thea, one of our Vancouver educators, is that she loves to dance for fun. For her, a successful party is simply not complete without a sweet, sweet dance floor. She tells us how her passion for dance (and a belief that it can bring communities together) led her to a series of Big, Hairy, Audacious Goals and a future date with Ellen.

I lost touch with dance in any sort of formal way after I finished school. It wasn’t until my sister’s wedding, 3 years later, that my passion was reignited with the brilliant plan of creating a flash mob as a gift! I choreographed a ridiculous routine to Beyonce’s ‘Put a Ring On It’ and made a step-by-step instructional video. The guests learned the steps prior to the wedding and busted it out an hour into the reception. It was awesome! The next winter, during Vancouver's Olympics, 5000 spectators watched as a 3000 strong flash mob danced my choreographed routine up and down Robson St. This second success gave me a new sense of energy, momentum and purpose (and an opportunity to set some goals.).

 

setting big hairy audacious goals

Focusing on my strengths and my passion for dance, I set my first BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal): I create an online instructional dance choreography business by January 2011.

It felt scary, foreign and ridiculous to create a business out of thin air. That, by the way, is how you know a goal is a BHAG. If it scares the crap out of you or seems impossible, it is a BHAG. It's been a year of huge learning, perseverance and patience but I have successfully created my business, Just For Fun Dance Party, and can check that BHAG off the list.

Of course there is always another juicy one waiting around the corner. My current BHAG gets me excited every time I think about it: the Vancouver Bust Out! It's an opportunity for Vancouverites to get together and create a unique and hilarious experience. A Bust Out is like a flash mob but it's NOT a secret. The goal is to engage with our greater community and do something just for the sake of fun!

the bold declaration

• 500+ Vancouverites participate in the Vancouver Bust Out on July 23rd during the Khatsahlano Music Fest.
• Ellen DeGeneres sees the video of the Bust out on youtube and invites me to teach her and her audience the dance. (I've assigned you a special ring tone, Ellen).

join in

Come join in the fun and bring all of your friends and family. We dare you all to try learning the first few moves and NOT giggle. Check out  justforfundanceparty.com or find the Just For Fun Dance Party Facebook page so you can learn the moves at home.

Or come practice in person with Thea. Here is the schedule of rehearsals for the Bust Out! happening on July 23rd:

• Wed July 13 from 8- 9pm @ lululemon West 4th (2113 W 4th Ave)
• Wed July 20 from 8- 9pm @ lululemon West 4th (2113 W 4th Ave)
• Fri July 22 from 7:15- 9:15 @ Semperviva Kits Beach (2201 W 4th Ave).

want more

• learn how to create powerful goals
• dance. sing. floss. travel. it's right there on the manifesto

As an educator at our Houston Highland Village store, Laura loves to inspire others and to be inspired by those around her. Recently, she became so inspired by the flow of inspiration around her that she had to share her experience. Read on and join her circle of inspiration.

The life I love is challenging, uncertain, and sometimes outright tiring. After experiencing lululemon’s entrepreneurial-focused culture as a part-time educator at the San Antonio store, I went on to a career and a job where I felt unhappy and stuck. To maintain balance in my life, I surrounded myself with healthy, inspiring, like-minded people who all seemed to have two desires in common: to make a difference in the world; and to live a happy life.

My goal became to create my life around those two intentions. The inspiration to achieve those goals took many forms:

• an inspiring and empowering yoga teacher training at a local studio
• my friend, Jenny, having the strength to change career and find happiness
• the passion for life and love of lululemon Key Leader, Emily Jacobs
• support from friends and family
• my yoga practice

The journey towards my goal led to me leaving a well-paying, status quo job for a risky, less-mainstream one. The result? I am financially stable. I love the work I do. I am inspired by the people I work with on a daily basis. I am simply a happy human being. I am also fortunate enough to have the opportunity to inspire others around me as a friend, yoga teacher and lululemon educator. The flow of inspiration starts with just one brave act.

top 10 ways to inspire others in your community

• share ideas generously with anyone who will listen; without fear
• follow your passion
• face the unknown with curiosity and excitement
• drop your labels and open yourself up to constant change and growth (labeling yourself limits your potential)
• allow others to share in your greatness and allow others to (gasp!) copy you; without judgment.
• don’t base your wants on society’s wants, or the status quo
• let others’ ideas be different from yours, and let that difference inspire you
• forget your ego and take responsibility for your circumstances
• set goals and accomplish them
• enlist the help and support of others

Inspiration can be a lot like the butterfly effect; a tiny action from you can set off a chain reaction. Hopefully all our little butterflies are sending out positive ripples through the universe.

want more?

• Share your goals to actively seek and give inspiration.
• Find an inspirational ambassador in your area.

You’ve probably heard that we are doing some behind-the-scenes renovations to our online store. (What? You didn’t hear? Read more about it.) We have big goals. We’ve been assessing where we’re at and the first step in making our goal a reality is re-platforming our site. (Sounds glamourous, right? It's not.) We need to change a few things - hence, the renovation.

goals need renovations too

Our online store isn’t the only thing needing a facelift these days. Not sure about you, but our goals need constant attention. It’s been almost three months since we talked about setting goals instead of resolutions. We re-ignited things later in January when some of us (and likely some of you) lost some momentum. For those of you who were still stuck, we talked to Soho ambassador Holly to learn more about how dialing in on your values can help set things in motion.

Now it's nearly April. In the spirit of spring cleaning, why not take a look and see if your goals could also use a little love while we renovate online? After all, the goal setting resources on the site is in fine working order during the reno.

Visualize your next ten years before you set out renovating

how to renovate your goals

Have goals in the first place. You can’t renovate if you don’t own the place. You need a 10-year vision. If you have no idea what a BHAG is or you haven’t formally set out to capture your SMART goals on paper, we highly recommend you start. (We mean it. Start now.) Spend some time doing so and then set a reminder to check back on this blog in a few months’ time. Already got some goals? You may proceed.

Assess the situation. What stirred you when you first wrote your goals? Do they still motivate and inspire you? Are you happy with the attention you’ve been giving them or have you let the dust bunnies set up shop in the corners of your world?

Get insight from professionals. Ok, maybe this is more applicable if you’re attempting to redo the kitchen plumbing. Still, it never hurts to talk to those close to you. They may challenge you to dream bigger and take more risks. They may give you that dose of reality you need. There’s one thing to remember though: your goals need to motivate you and you alone. No justification is required.

Draw up some new plans. If you’re uninspired, get clarity on where you want to go, tear up the old blueprints and start fresh. Motivation (unlike that plumber you may actually need for your kitchen) runs cheap. Just spy on some of the big things others are up to. (Carolyn’s enthusiasm is just the ticket. Try not being motivated after reading her blog on goal setting.)

Get going. Renovating goals may not be as fun as swinging a sledgehammer into drywall but the clean-up is easier. Don’t expect it to all be easy though. (Just ask our IT team.) Every renovation comes with its surprises, so be prepared for some bumps along the way.

want more?

• Get your goals on paper. Everyone has to start somewhere.
• Make a stop-doing list while you’re at it. They’re just as amazing as their counterparts.
• Get inspired. Read about what Linda, Meghan and Jenn are up to.
• Follow our progress. Get all the latest news on the online store reno.

 Next to breaking a sweat, goal setting is the best way to up the resale value on one of your greatest assets: yourself. Remember to have some fun while you’re at it. (If you’ve been pining to wear a tool belt on a day that wasn’t Halloween, now’s your chance.) What are you busy renovating?