Lululemon Ambassador Summit Day 2
April 5, 2011

I am going to cut to the chase. Lululemon is far more than a clothing company. Lululemon is an extremely successful company, built from the ground up through the original vision of one man, which is now a shared vision of a global community. Lululemon empowers individual lives through encouraging each and every individual to live fully in each and every moment. I am going to be completely honest. I walked into this thinking, great! I love to go snowboarding and a chance to meet some really amazing individuals who collectively strive to teach and care for humanity. I got this in the bag. Needless to say I had about 2 hours sleep the night before and I was so jazzed on the energy of the group a a bit jet lagged but I went into the day very excited and exhausted. I took a yoga class in the morning with 90 of us together with an amazing local teacher who weaved a powerful theme through the sequence. It was incredible and the connections we were having as a group was inspirational. After breakfast we started to dig in. All of a sudden my buttons got pushed. You know that feeling when you feel like you are being asked to do something that you just don’t want to do? The feeling when you have to really search your mind or soul to at a level that is ultimately confronting. All your emotional baggage is pulled to the surface and you are required to dig deeper to get to the root of the issue at hand. All your patterning starts to come up. Thoughts like, “I don’t need to do this, I am far superior to this experience, I already know what I am doing, this is just over the top, ect., ect.,” start to come up. We all know from doing personal development that this is normal but when we are in “it” the resistance is so strong that it is difficult to see beyond our own voices or fears.

This was me today. I wasn’t expecting this. I mean I was, because I have read the Lululemon manifesto and was familiar with the ideas surrounding goal setting, yet on a deeper level I began to ask myself what are my goals, what would I like to have in my life and ultimately, why am I afraid to expand my vision? Earlier in the year the our local store manager had asked me to fill out a goal setting sheet and I put it to the side. I believe fully in setting goals, yet my reaction at the time was “I am already setting and achieving goals so I don’t need to do this.” Well, when the same sheet got pulled out today and we were asked to set forth our vision and to lay down our 10,5 and 1 year personal, health and career goals I just went “oh boy here we go again.” Yet I am here to learn and be a part of this and I reached deep and used the formulas at hand and I laid down the tracks. I began to turn the corner. I began to open up to the process and just allow myself to dream big. To be very clear about what would I like to achieve and how much compassion can I develop personally and globally. I had an epiphany. Setting goals can be very challenging if at the core I don’t believe that I can achieve them! This process needs to be done over and over again because it is constantly changing and evolving. Just because we have achieved goals in the past doesn’t mean we won’t need to again today. Also, be very clear and concise about what the goals are. Stay in the present tense and begin to make it a reality right here and now. These are all things we already know, yet the beauty is in remembering and continuing to put it into selfless action. If in reading this you are thinking, “what are your goals then Todd and what did you come up with?” I will be happy to share with you, however I encourage you to go through this process your self. It has nothing to do with what my goal is, the beauty is that this is your journey and you can dream big to. You can come into your true nature and live life to the fullest through the expression of your ability to care for yourself, family and friends. Dig deep into your deepest emotions, feelings, fears, expectations, and concerns and become native with your truest sense of self.

Then I remember, wait a minute, this is a clothing company. I am searching my soul and really defining my intentions at a clothing company meeting? This is where the I began to realize the awesomeness of what is going on. Lululemon is a way of life. The only way it can be fun to have success is if we can share our success with others. One way to share success with others is to share the techniques that are employed to achieve success. Lululemon is coaching and encouraging us to do our own personal development work so that we can share in this success and also create it ourselves.

My intentions in sharing this with you is simply that, to share. Happy goal setting!

All the best,

Todd

Todd McLaughlin
www.nativeyogacenter.com
561-296-7996

Todd McLaughlin
www.nativeyogacenter.com
561-296-7996

Lululemon Ambassador Summit

Day 1
April 4th, 2011

This morning I got up really early and got ready for Waleah and J.B. To pick me up at the Atherton at 5:30am. They drove me from Stillwater to Oklahoma City to catch my 8:30am flight. I really enjoyed their company this weekend. They were the greatest hosts and were very gracious. It was a true pleasure to be able to be in their care and they made me feel very welcome in their town. The experience of teaching there has been a really eye opening adventure. Waleah had said there was going to be major tears when they dropped me off and that was not the case. I think we all know we will see each other again very soon.

The plane left on time from Oklahoma City and it was a very quick flight to Dallas, TX. It was a very close connection and I had to hoof it to get to the other side of the airport. Luckily very smooth, no worries. I got on the plane and immediately spotted two other people whom I suspected to be Lululemon people. One of them sat down next to me and it turns her name is Cat and is from Miami. We have had a great chance to rap about the excitement of the days ahead.

With that being said, Lululemon is flying 90 Ambassadors from around the world to attend the Lululemon Ambassador Summit which is to be held in Whistler, B.C.. We are bound for Vancouver right now and to the left of the left of the plane I can see towering mountain peaks frosted in snow. A great sigh of relief knowing that for the next four days I can absorb the tremendous North West. The furthest north I have been on the Pacific is Oregon and I remember being completely blown away by the beauty of this part of the world. Towering redwood trees, powerful Pacific swell, temperate rain forest and really interesting people. I have always dreamed of going further with hopes of one day making it to Alaska. I am really happy to have the chance to get a little closer to here. Everyone who I have talked to about Vancouver and Whistler with has said the best things. They have all raved about the culture and environment and expressed a grand appreciation for this part of the world.

I think this meeting is going to be a great opportunity to meet a bunch of like minded individuals. Already speaking with Cat I am feeling amped up and excited to share ideas and experiences.

I had the idea of interviewing each of the Summit attendees with with a question pertaining to their experience of being an Ambassador and compiling the interviews into a YouTube clip to help to be able to share this experience with others. I feel like this is an incredible privilege to be able to attend this conference. It would be so much more fun to be able to share it with other people who have an appreciation for Lululemon.

Tam and I have been thinking about trying to put together a yoga retreat at a desirable location somewhere around the world. We were thinking we would like to do a yoga and surf retreat in Costa Rica. We went down there last summer to scope it out. It at least seemed like a good idea to go down their anyway since we have heard so much about it over the years. The area that I like the most was Avellanas and a beach close to it called Playa Negra apparently has built a beautiful outdoor platform for yoga. Also in the conversation I learned that someone who is going to be here has extensive experience in putting retreats together. I am really excited to learn some of the ins and outs of making this a viable option. Some of the other Ambassadors are on the plane which will make the journey from the airport to the Support Center exciting. This is going to be amazing!!!

Upon arrival into Vancouver I am very impressed with the airport. It has to be one of the nicest in the world. Went through customs and got together with 7 other Ambassadors and we got a limo and all drove together to the Lulu headquarters. Incredible building and everyone began to file in from around the globe. I have already met so many interesting and informative people. We all got on a large bus and made the scenic drive from Vancouver to Whistler. What a completely stunning drive. The view of the islands across the bay while weaving around the winding coastal road created a complete sense of awe. Someone had mentioned that because it was rainy and foggy that they felt like we were in the movie Twilight! Conversation flowed and we all seemed to sink into the reality that we were actually on our way. Sometimes the anticipation of travel creates a surreal sense of not really traveling until we settle into the moment and begin to enjoy the journey.

Upon landing at the Four Seasons we were met with a gentle snowfall. Whistler Village is everything one can hope for in a ski community. People walking along the sidewalks with their skis and snowboards tucked under their arms. Trams lifting people into the ski, tree leaves hanging heavy with snow with perfect circular skirts of melted snow surrounding their trunks from the fall of earlier rain. So serene.

We checked into our rooms and I was lucky enough to have Matt who is a running coach from Naples, FL be my roommate. We brewed up some coffee and sat out on the third floor veranda and watched the snow fall on the beautiful mountain backdrop in front of us. I can hardly believe that Lululemon is doing this for us. To be flown to a location like this feels very surreal. When we first sat out in the environs Matt was in his t-shirt and I said how I didn’t think it seemed that cold and then about 1 minute later I went in and put on about 4 more layers and laughed at my earlier comment. He reminisced about his earlier years of growing up in CT and running in shorts and t-shirt in 40 degree weather. I have to admit that being around all these elite runners it has peaked my interest to start running. Their excitement for the art of running is making me intrigued.

We went down stairs and the ceremony began. Their was some really good food and we had the chance to listen to a presentation by the owner of of the company, Chip. I was thoroughly impressed by the fact that he had revealed that he wanted to fly us all up here, 90 Ambassadors from all around the world, so that the company could thank us for our participation in helping make Lululemon what it is today. All this time I have just enjoyed working with them in the sense of collaborating in ways to help bring yoga to the community. I never really felt like they needed to do anything like this and I had thought before that it kind of seemed like we were sponsored by Lululemon but it didn’t need to be defined as such. It dawned on me the power of what his man was saying. This company is built, successfully, on the process of paying it forward. This is quite profound when I think about it. Lulu has been able to build this enterprise from the ground up through listening very intently to what people were saying. Instead of applying what he wanted he just listened and provided want we wanted. Simple right!! It seems so, and all of us know how much more challenging this is as a path versus a theory. Just think if we actually listened to one another instead of pushing our own impressions and agenda on to them. The world is a better place. I have just had time to come back to the room and collect my thoughts and present them here. I really am stoked to be here and am eager again with anticipation at practicing yoga in the morning at 6:30am with 90 new friends!

Todd McLaughlin
www.nativeyogacenter.com
561-296-7996

Todd McLaughlin
www.nativeyogacenter.com
561-296-7996

Todd McLaughlin
www.nativeyogacenter.com
561-296-7996

Todd McLaughlin
www.nativeyogacenter.com
561-296-7996

Todd McLaughlin
www.nativeyogacenter.com
561-296-7996

> A couple of years ago, shortly after Tamara and I opened up Native Yoga Center, a student named Waleah came into practice. Tamara and I were teaching all of the classes and were unable to take a day off regularly (thank you moon days), and we needed some help. This was before we had organized our Teacher Training program. Waleah was so enthusiastic! She has so much excitement for the yoga practice and she was extremely dedicated. She brought so much enthusiasm into the room that it was always palpable. She had the opportunity to travel to California and study with Tim Miller and get a good foundation for the Ashtanga practice. We worked one on one with Waleah over a period of several months helping her to get comfortable with teaching the Native Yoga classes. If we thought she seemed excited about yoga before this added a complete another dimension to her verve. It was through this experience that we laid down the tracks for our current TT program. Waleah really started to demonstrate incredible potential. We were able to have some time off and it was wonderful. Then she alerted us to the fact that she was needing to move to Oklahoma and I think we were all heart broken. We were so excited for her new adventure in life and at the same time we new we would miss her so much at the studio. > > Jump forward to now…. she has invited us to teach a weekend workshop here in Stillwater, Oklahoma!! Waleah managed to open up a beautiful yoga center with her friend and fellow teacher Carol Bender who is so sweet and kind. Oklahoma has a uniquely different vibe from say Florida or California. It is rural and they enjoy a much more relaxed pace here. The surrounding country side and farm community leaves me reminiscing my days spent in farm communities in Australia. The dry and rugged terrain has really opened up my imagination and leaves me feeling even more love for this country and the many flavors it has to offer. The people are very friendly and seem so excited to practice the yoga. Sometime we can be so saturated in yoga studios and it is really amazing to come to a place where yoga is seems so foreign and it is because of this that they have such an incredible vibe at Red Earth Yoga Center. I feel truly blessed to be able to be here. My only lament is that Tamara is not here to share this.
> > I would like to thank all the students who attended last night and I am looking forward to sharing the rest of the weekend here with you.
> > Todd
> > > > > Todd McLaughlin
> www.nativeyogacenter.com
> 561-296-7996