lululemon is an amazing company. I first fell in love with them for their clothing, but I kept coming back because of the people. In a time where a lot of retail companies are closing their brick and mortar stores and moving to online, lululemon has put more focus than ever on their stores. They want you to come into the store, they want you to interact with their employees because they invest in their people and it shows. Their ambassador program was something that I always looked at from the outside in such envy. Now that I am in it, it is more than I ever thought.
The main things I have learned from this company are: connection, mindfulness and how to achieve your big time goals step by step.
The power of connection can change everything for you. I have particularly watched how feeling connected to other people affects your workout routine, especially in a city where people are in a hurry and not always super jazzed about making new friends. Some workouts, especially the first time you try them, can be really intimidating. That’s why so many articles, blogs and people say bring a workout partner with you. What if there was a studio where the instructor was your friend? They were always there, they never no show on you and they push you to be better while taking out the intimidation factor. This is something lululemon has influenced in our community! They connect people to one another through fitness and mindfulness. When I walk into a fitness class and know the instructor or know other people in the class, it immediately gives me a sense of community. I have gained that directly from becoming an ambassador so my focus in the last year has been to create that feeling of community for others. Now think, if more people said hi to each other and smiled and had genuine conversations in every studio… workout classes would lose their intimidation factor completely.
Mindfulness is literally defined as a state of being conscious or aware of something, but what does that mean in relation to your daily life? There is no right or wrong answer – it’s just how are you being aware of things around you and your relationship to those things? For me, its all about the power of choice. Everything in your life is a choice. As much as we like to say, “I have to go do this” or “I have to show up to that,” let me remind you – you quite literally don’t have to do anything. You don’t have to go to work, you don’t have to be in a relationship with someone and you don’t have to go to the gym. Sometimes the things that we don’t want to do make us feel like we are forced to show up, but we can’t forget the power of choice – the power of mindfulness. So when you do choose to show up to something, whether that’s picking your kids up from school or going to your girlfriend’s parents’ BBQ or just going to work out – don’t show up with that “I don’t want to be here energy” – everyone loses when you do that. Be present. Be mindful.
Goal setting is a term I think we are all familiar with, but how we break it down makes all the difference. If I have learned anything from being an ambassador it’s that no goal is too big. What do you really want for yourself? What are you scared of? What have you always wanted to do? Write it down, right now.
1. Get a pen and a piece of paper and write down your goal.
2. Your goal HAS to have a date. I will do blah blah blah by what exact date?
3. Write down three things you need to do to get to your goal and give those three things a date.
4. Tell people about it! luluemon put mine on the wall of the store… so make sure you level up with accountability.
While the people are amazing and the lessons learned are so valuable, the clothes aren’t bad either… I put together a list of all my favorite items for different occasions. You can use it as a gift guide for others or just to spice up your workout wardrobe! Enjoy 🙂
Enlite Bra
I have been cursed/blessed with large tatas so finding a sports bra has been an ongoing life challenge and this one is in my top 2 favorites. It is hands down the most comfortable bra I own. The edges are cut softly so it never cuts into your rib cage. It is super thin so it goes easily under any top or is also cute to wear on its own. I would recommend this bra to anyone with a C cup or bigger. It is pricey, but it is really worth the money.
Invigorate Leggings
These leggings are my favorite for strength workouts, not necessarily cycling. The waistband doesn’t move so you can bend down, lean over and jump around and they don’t move! I recommend them for any weight lifting, hiking or gritty workouts.
Wunder Under Leggings
These are my all-time, hands down favorite leggings ever. I wear them around the house, when running errands and I even wear them under my snow pants when I go snowboarding. They have a thick waistband that holds everything in and the top of the waistband doesn’t cut into you so they are perfect with a cropped sweatshirt. I have about three pairs and one of them I’ve had for over four years and they are still holding up perfectly.
Swift Speed Leggings
When cycling I need something that breathes, but doesn’t show sweat. These leggings aren’t always available, but they have become my favorite lately! They fit really snug so I order up one size.
Define Jacket
This is my second favorite item! You can wear it just with leggings in the summer and it’s really thin so it fits great under another jacket for the winter. It comes in just about every color and I am livvvving for the velvet one for the holidays!
Wunder Puff Jacket
I’ll be the first to say, lululemon is killing it in the jacket department this year. Puffy jackets have been all the rage and I am loving this one. You can take the hood off or leave it on, it has a comfy warm liner (there is nothing worse than getting sweaty and then putting on a jacket that just rubs your sweat around) and it zips up but has buttons for looks!
Sculpt Tank Top
I love this tank top for cycling because it has a high neck (so your tatas aren’t bouncing around in everyone’s face) and because it’s loose fitting. It comes in so many different colors and has a very sporty feeling fabric.
On My Level Bag
This bag is so cute! It doesn’t look like a gym bag, but it fits everything I need for a day at the studio – which is a lot of things. I love the gold accents and the material. I spilled coffee on it the day I got it and it wipes right off!
