Reflections on a weekend.....

Wow, what a weekend and past week this has been. Obviously filled with heavy emotions - sadness and heartbreak - but also a tinge of happiness, joy and immense gratitude. My first reaction is to go to sadness and despair at how harsh life can be (and to be honest I am stuck in that space somewhat in regard to the impact this event will have on my beautiful friend Nancy with the loss of her husband). But it has been impossible to completely succumb to that emotion after spending yesterday celebrating the life of a beautiful man with some of the most amazing people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting and calling my friends, or rather, family. As I looked around yesterday I just kept thinking how unbelievably lucky I am to have crossed paths with these people and to still be tightly bonded with them, even though hardly any of us still work at the workplace in which we met. The fact that I met them after a very dark and challenging time in my life is also not lost on me. I know for a fact that had I not experienced post natal depression and been set on a completely different path in life, I would never have ended up making the massive career and life change which led to me meeting these wonderful peeps. I feel in every part of me how special and important these people are because even in the midst of utter sadness or when I personally have gone through some really tough times, I never cease to feel connected to them. It is also an absolute testament to Brad and to the power of what happens when like-minded people find their 'tribe' how yesterday, which represented us saying a painful goodbye to a much loved friend, could still have been one of the most special and beautiful occasions I have ever experienced. And I feel nothing but blessed and privileged to have been a part of it.

Hello Old Friend......

My poor little neglected blog. I think this is the longest time I've gone without updating you. Days turn into weeks in the blink of an eye right now. I'm also at a place in life where a million different things are fighting for my attention and I just can't do all of them. Anyhow, we do what we can when we can..... So to get up to speed with what's been going on for me, I've been in Melbourne a couple of times for work, which has been great. I've been taking on some training and development stuff and it feels so good to get back on my teaching path a little. In the next year or so thats the role I aim to be having at lululemon athletica, although I'm happy managing my store and team for now and soaking up everything I can to be great in that role before I move onto the next one.

I'm faced with challenges every day in regards to my family/personal life but just keep focusing on being the best me and mother I can be for my little man. The guilt of how my decisions could be affecting his life is getting to me a bit lately. I know that deep down I have made the best decision for myself, Lachlan and Bailey but that doesn't stop those 'what if?' thoughts entering your head. Last week was really emotionally draining for me as my little man cried every time I took him to daycare. I also found myself second guessing everything and wondering whether behaviour he was exhibiting was normal 2 year old stuff or whether the separation is affecting him etc. Boy, its tough..... All I can do is keep trying to do my best each day and trust that things will be ok.

On the note of trying my best, thats something thats been a real focus of mine in the past few weeks. I've read two amazing books that have had a huge impact on me. The first being "The Leader Who Had No Title" by Robin Sharma. Such a brilliant book about personal responsibility and being the CEO of your own life and whatever role you have, regardless of your 'title'. Really empowering stuff that makes you think about how you are choosing to live. I've recommended it to so many people and have added it to our library at work. The second book is "Linchpin" by the phenomenal Seth Godin. Its all about your choices, your future and your potential to make a huge difference in whatever field you choose. He discusses that there used to be two teams in every workplace: management and labour. But now there's a third team: the linchpins. These people invent, lead (regardless of title), connect others, make things happen, and create order out of chaos. They love their work and pour their best selves into it . Linchpins are the essential building blocks of great organisations and in today's world they are the people who will get the best jobs and the most freedom. I cannot agree more with Seth's views on society and the workplace and what really excites me is the fact that I work in a company who supports this view and that I recognise myself as a linchpin. As such, the only limits to what I can do in my role and in my life are the ones I put on myself. Anything is possible and I can make a difference in the world - and thats such an amazing way to look at your life and to live each day.

Feeling good....

The past couple of days have been great for me. The weather here in Sydney town has been AMAZING. Today my Little Man and I went for a long walk then met my family for lunch to celebrate my Mum's birthday. We then hung out with my family (and got to see my new baby niece, Camille). I know there is still alot of hard work and ups and downs coming my way amid this separation from my husband, but I've finally found a little space to breathe and enjoy the simple things in life again. I have to say I'm so grateful for my family and the support they have all given me, as well as my lululemon family - I would never have been able to get through all of this without them. I'm very, very lucky.......

A "Thrilling" Sunday....

Today I got to do something out of the ordinary and attend a Dance Workshop where we learnt a section of the dance from Michael Jackson's Thriller film clip. (It was organised as a goal party for the lululemon team from the ivy store as a reward for our hard work in April and May. As I was still there then, I got invited as well, which was wonderful). It was lots of fun and so great to do something that I don't normally do, ie dance classes or workshops.

The class was followed by lunch in Surry Hills and a chance to catch up with my lululemon gals again (always a pleasure). What I particularly savoured about the day was the chance to see Desirae (a Canadian lulu who we have had the pleasure of having in Oz for the past few months). She is heading home shortly which will be wonderful for her but sad for us. She wasn't with us for a long time but boy has she left a huge impact on me. For someone her age, she possesses such a strong sense of who she is, and is true to that each and every day. I feel so lucky that I was able to have her brilliant light shine on me and that I could play a part in her adventure in Australia. I admire her positivity, her enthusiasm for life and her ability to find and share joy in everything. I have no doubt whatsoever that she will succeed at whatever she puts her hand to in the rest of her life's journey. Today she paid me the ultimate compliment - she told me that she thought my guest experience at lululemon was phenomenal and I was floored. For anyone who has met Desirae, she is the epitomy of amazing lululemon guest experience, so I want her to know how much her words meant to me. Have a safe journey home my lovely. x

New Horizons....

This week marks the start of a new adventure for me career wise. Yes, I am still a lulu but as of this week I am officially the Manager of the Warringah Mall store. This was only an opportunity that came into my life a couple of weeks ago and not one that I had necessarily seen on my horizon. As I have learnt over the years though, things come into your life for a reason and even though you might not be aware of it at the time, the reason or reasons will slowly present themselves. I have to say that I am really embracing this unexpected path that I am now on. As a person who has spent most of her life having to know exactly where she is heading, my greatest learnings have stemmed from letting that expectation go and accepting that 'not knowing' is a place that I need to sit in every now and then. Not only does it allow me to take the pressure off myself but also leaves space for the possibility of anything and everything to come into my life, which is very exciting. So here's to a new chapter, new experiences and new lulu friends!

Blissology....

Today I am feeling a bit like the world is whizzing around me at 100 miles per hour and that my life is turning upside down. I am trying to stay grounded and remind myself that the things that are turning upside down are doing so because they need to. Still, its a challenging, challenging time and I am calling on every ounce of my personal strength to get through this period of my life. So when I was reading Eoinn Finn's blog and read the word Blissology, and his definition, it brought a smile to my face and a much needed feeling of calm.

Eoinn defines the word Blissology as "the art of creating a path that maximises the highest degree of happiness for you and all beings".

[Origin: 1990 a.d Various conversations with Eoinn and his good friends over tasty merlot]. I love that!

Blissology is a time of reflection and dialogue with others. The tendency in life is to get pulled by the forces that lull us into a state of mediocrity or to drift aimlessly though our days. Time spent mastering the skills of blissology pay off hugely in the department of lasting happiness.

How great is this concept? Eoinn's mix of humour and seriousness is so up my alley. He has started a group called the Bliss Army which promotes spontaneous relaxation. This idea was inspired by the enlightenment he achieved one day whilst doing his Hammock Asana Posture (ie, lying in his hammock - I think that could easily be my favourite posture too!).

Just to give you a little more info, Eoinn Finn is one of Vancouver's best Yoga instructors, and the very first lululemon athletica Ambassador. Eoinn has a commitment to teaching, sharing and promoting yoga, health and bliss. He has produced a number of yoga DVD's (his "Yoga for Happiness 2" DVD was the first thing I ever purchased from a lululemon store and I love it). On his website, Eoinn Finn Yoga , there is a thing called the Happy Map, which are "aphorisms for harmonious living" as he puts it. There are many, many sayings and ideas on the map but I thought I would share a few with you that particularly resonated with me today:

Every culture has currents that will pull you into a life of uninspired mediocrity. Follow your Bliss.

Remember that the word 'Should' starts with "Shhhh...".

Let awe flow through you. Don't let even the smallest things be taken for granted or grow stale.

Aim for the stars but stay grounded in simplicity.

Creativity is pure magic.

Resist the tendency to drift through life like a cork, chart your course. Why bob around when you can surf?

Everything that doesn't go right, goes wrong for all the right reasons (although it may take time to see this).

I am dedicating this blog post to my beautiful new friend Jen, who reminded me of Eoinn Finn's greatness yesterday.

Love is the ultimate Renewable Resource.

Yin Yoga with A Beer Chaser....

So I did my favourite Yin yoga class again this Friday night, followed by a girls night out. Sounds a bit weird, I know, but it was great. I'm flying solo for most of this weekend (husband is doing a 6 hour adventure race tomorrow and the Little Man is with other family members), which is a rare luxury. So I'm making the most of it by doing things I don't always get to do, such as drinks with some of my lulu girls. Having said that, I do have a pang of sadness in my heart that I won't be the one that is there for my Little Man when he wakes up and won't get one of his kisses first thing in the morning. But I do know that these times alone are so valuable in order to recharge and keep being the best mum I can be. So here's to a weekend of me.....

Getting My Yoga On...

The gorgeous Kelli Prieur (ivy store Ambassador)

Last week I kicked off the "March Madness Challenge" with the team at our store. Our goal is to have been to 60 classes between us in March. The teacher in me constructed a star chart that is proudly displayed in the store to track our progress. The expectation is that full-time staff do 4 classes each week. This does seem a little daunting at first but if you plan your week carefully before it begins, and schedule the classes in, it makes it a lot easier. I did 3 yoga classes and 1 Zumba class last week, and I have to say I feel so much better for having challenged myself to do more than I usually would. My favourite class of the week was the Yin class led by Kelli Prieur (our very own ivy store Ambassador) at Body Mind Life. Friday night, the end of a busy week, a warm studio, 'Buddha Lounge' tunes, the sound of the rain falling outside, candlelight, 5 of my fellow lululemon lovelies by my side and an hour of restorative yoga. Bliss.....

Way To Go Cheltzie!

Exciting news from the Winter Olympics! Cheltzie Lee, is through to the second stage of the ice dancing after pulling off an awesome performance to Michael Buble's "Feeling Good" (music selection went down a treat with the Canadians!). Not only is this exciting because she is an Aussie, but because she just happens to be on the Research and Development team at our lululemon store on George St, Sydney. I've met Cheltzie and her Mum a number of times, as they love our gear, and its a huge buzz to see her doing so well. Amazing stuff from someone who is 16 years old. Wishing her all the best for the next section of the competition!!!!!

A Packed Weekend....

I spent the past Friday, Saturday and Sunday attending the Landmark Education Forum. It was full-on, going from 9am-10:30pm each day and night. I was lucky enough to be provided with this opportunity by lululemon, and I attended with my gorgeous lulu friend, Mel. It was so inspiring to see people from all walks of life learn so much about themselves and others and to truly feel as though they are embarking on the first day of the rest of their lives. What I got from the weekend was a much needed reminder of how simple life actually is and how complicated we make it. In two weeks time I am attending the Advanced Course, where you get to focus on what you can do with your life and the difference you can make. I'm all about making a difference, so can't wait to see what I come up with!

Today....

Cheeky smiles from my little man.

Great experiences with guests at the store.

Meaningful chats with lulu friends.

Life changing (in a good way!) news from another friend.

Burgers and beers with an amazing lulu friend for dinner.

Making a difference.

What more could a girl ask for?

Awesome Day....

What an awesome day. It started with a coffee and a walk in Centennial Park with a friend and our little ones. Then I walked to work and did some admin stuff at the store. At midday two of my lulu peeps and I hit V Club for a Zumba class (we did our first one of these last week and are hooked!). We then had lunch and did more work in my favourite book store, followed by a Hatha Yoga class with one of our lululemon ambassadors, Kelli Prieur. Kelli's class was challenging but fun (the headstands and handstands were cool). She also really brought my focus back to what is important when she discussed gratitude at the end of the class. I definitely need more gratitude in my life right now. Time to crack open that gratitude journal again I think.....

P.S Isn't my Boo Boo sooooo cute. I just had to show these photos off!

Ah ha's.....

Image by blondepowers via flickr

"Our biggest fear is not that we are inadequate

Our biggest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure

We ask ourselves, who am I

to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be?

Your playing small doesn't serve the world

We are born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us

and as we let our own light shine

we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same"

Marianne Williamson

These concepts are ringing very true for me at the moment. Some, I 'get' completely and others are a work in progress. I cannot agree more with the idea that when we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. Over the past year I have worked hard to find my light and share it with other people (and to come to understand that it is ok to do so). I have shared the 'real' me and been more authentic than ever before in my life, and by doing this I have given myself and others a gift. When we are happy with ourselves, understand ourselves, celebrate and share ourselves with the world and are authentic in everything we do, it inspires others. It allows them to see how wonderful life can be and motivates them to get out there to find and spread their own joy.

In the past I have had a hard time truly believing the idea that our biggest fear could be that we are powerful beyond measure. Who would be afraid of being powerful? Wouldn't we all love to get to that point in our lives and when we did, wouldn't we grab it with both hands? Apparently not. I can attest to this. I am powerful in my own life. Sharing my life experiences and being my true self has had an amazing effect on the people around me. I have seen this, felt this, been told this. I know this to be true. If this powerful self is the very same person who made a huge life change this year and left her teaching job to join the lululemon family, why then do I let fear and doubt creep in and essentially play-down the power that I know exists within me? The answer to this question only started to dawn on me in the past week. It is because I am letting past disappointments cloud my mind. I haven't realised it, but I must still be carrying them around with me.

What I need to trust is that I have found my place to be powerful, where I can take that leap of faith and throw everything I have and everything I am into this life and I will be supported. I'm not going to be 'dropped' or be told 'Be Big, Be Powerful - ok stop, now you're too powerful', as has happened in the past. I need to fully let go and trust that the culture of lululemon and the amazing people I work with is where I can finally be me and achieve greatness. I did truly believe this when i first decided to change my life and work with lululemon, but I've let fear creep in since then.

I made an enormous stand for my own greatness in changing how I live my life, and in changing my career path at the time in life that I have (age 32, with a 1 year old). I need to keep holding myself accountable. I didn't put in the hard work and make those big decisions to come to lululemon to be mediocre. I came to lululemon because I truly believe with all my heart that I have finally found the place where I can be the powerful person that I am, and where I will make a difference in a way that goes beyond anything I could ever have imagined for myself. I'm here, its here and its time to do this! So I am a lululemon store manager by July 2010, I am Regional Manager for lululemon by July 2012 and I am General Manager of lululemon athletica Australia by July 2016. Whooo hoooo!

Feedback.......

This week has been a very powerful week for me so far. And it is all because of feedback. We all need constructive feedback in order to help us achieve greatness. Yesterday I received two emails from lululemon colleagues whom I really admire. I was overwhelmed by the feedback they gave me in terms of where they can see me going with the company and about who I am as a person. Exactly what they said is not important for this post (although I do think Belinda Youll General Manager lululemon athletica Australia has a nice ring to it don't you? - I was going to write ha ha here but I deleted it as I would be playing small and I'm all about playing big!). What is important is the impact that this feedback had on me and how it made me feel. And what I want to pass on to everyone is that you should never underestimate the impact you can have on someone by offering them honest and positive feedback. One encouraging word, sentence or conversation can literally change a person's life. You may think it is insignificant but it could actually be a defining moment in their path to greatness. The best thing is, we all have the power to be that person for someone else, so get cracking with that feedback!

I also want to acknowledge Elizabeth, who is one of my fellow lulu's at the ivy store. She gave me some incredible feedback this week as well (how lucky am I this week?) by telling me how much she missed my presence while I was away at the lululemon conference in Melbourne. She also told me that I had changed her entire experience of living in Australia by making her feel included and welcome. (Oh my gosh, I'm tearing up re-living this conversation!). Anyway, thank you sweet pea. Your words meant so much to me. xx

This is why I do what I do....

Today I had an amazing experience in the store. I met Michel and Helene who are part of a group of four Canadian cyclists from the Motor Adaptation Foundation who are in Australia as part of their “Seeing Beyond” World Tour. This group's incredible adventure began back in 2003, and by 2012 they hope to have completed 42, 195km across at least 4 continents. Backed by Lions International, and more specifically by the Lions Club of Quebec l'Ancienne-Lorette, these four Canadians have been leading by example, riding across North America and Europe to show the world that everyone, young and old, including anyone with disabilities, needs to take an active part in life and maintain good mental and physical health. The group have achieved their goal of riding 4,219.5km in Australia, and did so in 39 days. And, get this: The youngest member of the team is 68 years of age!!!!!

Michel and Helene initially came in the store because they wanted to purchase an inspiring gift for someone and decided to get him one of our water bottles. Once I heard their story, I told them they could choose four bottles, one for each person in their group, and take them as a gift from lululemon to congratulate them and support them on their journey. They were completely overwhelmed by this offering and said that the I 'heart' lululemon bottles would always remind them of me. (They also said they would be telling everyone where their bottles came from). Even more touching was the fact that they returned to the store later in the afternoon, because they wanted to have their photo taken with me (Awwwww!). Despite being from Canada, Michel and Helene were not familiar with lululemon. I feel quite privileged to have been their introduction to our culture and brand.

How lucky am I that I get to have these wonderful experiences as part of a days 'work'?

Note: To read more about this group and their inspiring founder, you can click here.

Weekend Gratitude....

I've been a bit stuck lately with updating my blog. I love it and I miss it when I don't check in, but thoughts of not having anything interesting to write creep in every now and then. In an effort to kick myself out of this rut, I'm going to randomly select a topic and write about it. Today I'm choosing Gratitude, as this has featured in a number of the blogs I've been reading. I used to religiously write down 5 things that I was grateful for every night (Thanks for the tip Oprah). Sounds corny but it completely changes the way you perceive each day and assists you to focus on the positive rather than the negative. Here's my list for the weekend:

• I am grateful that I had breakfast with my little man at a cafe yesterday morning.
• I am grateful that my little man had a mid-morning nap with me yesterday.
• I am grateful that I got to spend time with my Dad, Step-Mum and brothers yesterday (as well as the little man!).
• I am grateful for the chocolate sundae I had yesterday (YUM!).
• I am grateful that I had a great day with my lululemon peeps at work today.
• I am grateful that I have tomorrow off and can catch up on some creative projects.
• I am grateful that I have tomorrow off so that I can prepare for the lululemon conference that starts on Tuesday.
• I am grateful that I get to go to the lululemon conference in Melbourne this week.
• I am grateful that I get to spend time with my awesome fellow lulu's from all over Australia this week.

I am sooooo excited for this week (while at the same time being a little sad that this thing I have been looking forward to for so long will come and go). But I have no doubt that this will be a life changing experience for me and I can't wait to share it with you all!

Fun Times....

Last night all of the lululemon crew from the store I work at attended a special screening of George Clooney's new movie "Up In The Air" (Due to be released in Australia in January, 2010). The movie is directed by Jason Reitman of 'Juno' and 'Thank you for Smoking' fame. A woman who works at Paramount Pictures rang us out of the blue the other week and asked if we would like to go. Of course we said 'yes' but we were curious to know why she picked us. She said that she personally loved our clothes and coming into our store, and that we all seemed like exactly the kind of people who would enjoy this movie. And I did. It was really, really good and so awesome for all of us to go together, along with our partners, fathers, best friends, and some of our regular guests in the store who are like family. Here is a summary of the plot just so you get an idea of what it is about:


"Ryan Bingham's (George Clooney) job is to fire people from theirs. The anguish, hostility, and despair of his "clients" has left him falsely compassionate, living out of a suitcase, and loving every second of it. When his boss hires arrogant young Natalie, she develops a method of video conferencing that will allow termination without ever leaving the office - essentially threatening the existence Ryan so cherishes. Determined to show the naive girl the error of her logic, Ryan takes her on one of his cross country firing expeditions. But as she starts to realize the disheartening realities of her profession, he begins to see the downfalls to his way of life".




Make sure you go see it!

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.