Contradictions.....

This week seems to be a week of contradictions for me. In my head I am happy and excited for so many things eg. lululemon party on Thursday night where my husband and sister Alison are going to help, along with my sister Lauren who is going to sing, going to a special screening of George Clooney's new movie "Up in the Air" tonight with all the lululemon gang, going to Melbourne next week for the lululemon conference, making T-Shirts that people have ordered from me for little bubba's for Christmas. Its all good. So why then do I feel so cranky? Why can't I stop letting other people's negativity and meanness (a word?) affect me so much? Hopefully I will get to spend some time today being inspired and I will be able to 'suck it all up and get over it' so to speak. I hope so.........

Welcome to new friends!

Image by John White via flickr

Two new friends have joined our lulu family and I wanted to officially welcome them. Anthony and Maya, you guys are both fantastic and if there is anything at all we can do to support you, don't hesitate to ask. Looking forward to a long and fun-filled journey with you both! X Bel

Another goal achieved......

I'm giving myself a pat on the back because tonight I finished the 5th and final book in the lululemon core library. I'm pretty chuffed considering that I have only been at lululemon for just over 4 months and I have also read at least 7 other books in this time (As you can probably guess, I LOVE reading). All 5 books in the core library (Good to Great, A New Earth, The Goal, Focal Point and The Tipping Point) have been well worth reading as I have learnt so much more about areas such as goal setting, business and reaching my potential. I am so grateful that I have had the opportunity to be exposed to the life changing culture that is lululemon. The best thing is, that it isn't a secret. Anyone out there can pick up these books and share in the culture - I highly recommend that you do.

Boy with balloons in Afghanistan.......

Image from The Boston Globe via wide open spaces

How cute are the two munchkins on the right?

Image by via littlebitsandblogs

Strengths finder......

A couple of weeks ago, I completed an online test called "Strengths Finder". It is a test which determines what your talents are and then provides you with a detailed analysis of how these influence your life. The main philosophy behind the test and the book that it comes from is that to achieve success you should focus on, and maximise these talents (rather than focus on your areas of weakness). When I discovered what my talents were, it was clear as day to me why my life has been so wonderful and fulfilling this year. It is because I made the conscious decision to follow my heart and move my life in a direction where I could use those talents every day. It makes such a difference when you can do this.

I will give a brief description of my talents/strengths below, as they give you a further glimpse as to who Bel really is!:

MAXIMISER:

People who are especially talented in the Maximizer theme focus on strengths as a way to

stimulate personal and group excellence. They seek to transform something strong into

something superb.

EMPATHY:

People who are especially talented in the Empathy theme can sense the feelings of other

people by imagining themselves in others’ lives or others’ situations.

DEVELOPER:

People who are especially talented in the Developer theme recognize and cultivate the

potential in others. They spot the signs of each small improvement and derive satisfaction

from these improvements.

INPUT:

People who are especially talented in the Input theme have a craving to know more. Often

they like to collect and archive all kinds of information.

POSITIVITY:

People who are especially talented in the Positivity theme have an enthusiasm that is

contagious. They are upbeat and can get others excited about what they are going to do.

It really is fascinating stuff. For anyone who is interested, the book you need to buy is called "Strengths Finder 2.0" by Tom Rath (you need to buy the book to get a code to do the online quiz).

A great read.....

I just finished reading "The Wolf of Wall Street", which I could not put down. It is the tell-all autobiography of Jordan Belfort, who became one of the most infamous names in American finance in the 1990's. He narrates an astounding but also hilarious tale of greed, power and excess, which no-one could even begin to make up. Thanks so much to my twin sis who recommended that I read this book. I loved it so much that I've moved straight onto Jordan's second book, "Catching the Wolf of Wall Street", which I'm sure will be just as entertaining. If you want a book to laugh through and totally lose yourself in, then this is for you. Happy reading!