On November 18 this video was shared with me and I have thought about it every day since. I have watched it more than a dozen times since, shared it, referenced it, and on a daily basis have the words of Danielle LaPorte ring through my mind.
“Do not check your email while I’m telling you intimate things” ~ 0:17
Confession: Often while at work this is me.
When a colleague needs to chat, there is still work that needs to be done, and in the past I have continued to work. Looking up to great them, then turning back to my monitor to type while they share, question, and try to engage. Now, the words of Danielle ring through my mind and I #GivePresence.
Please take a second to watch and change. And this holiday season and then beyond, unplug and be present.
With nearly a full week of 2013 under my belt, I’m already loving what it has to offer.
On Jan 2nd I started the year off with my first morning show appearance on CHCH Morning Live. It’s been something I’ve wanted to do for a while, but a goal which had fallen to the back burner until post NYC Marathon where it seemed to be in my face all the time, after a last minute guest appearance on the evening news. While this opportunity is set to be a bi-monthly opportunity, I’m hoping to can be something even more frequent. (Update, following the creation of this post I was emailed to make it a monthly deal and to give consideration to a “regular schedule” – yippie!)
If only all my goals would be that easy 😉 So here they are, I share them in hopes that you can hold me accountable and we can celebrate together on December 31st when they are done!
My Official Goals of 2013:
Health
I have a consistent strength training program which allows me to live and run hip pain free
I run two marathons.
I qualify for the Boston Marathon at Road 2 Hope on November 3rd.
I race the Olympic Distance Triathlon at TTF
I cook 1 new recipe a week
I can do this arm balance:
I see it everywhere, but no one seems to know it’s name. If you do please leave it in the comments so i can more easily search the lead in postures. Picture from elephantjournal.com
Personal
I am a fun, loving, and supportive wife, sister, daughter, and friend
I continue to surround myself with people who support my life vision
I complete my Masters in August
I return to being student loan/debt free
I take a family vacation somewhere warm!
I run a destination race with my NYC Marathon crew (Disney?)
I (finally) buy my own Stand Up Paddle Board and use it at least twice a week from July to September
Career
I post blog content at least three times a month
I continue to build my personal brand through revisions to my blog/website and use digital tools to become a more effective user of social media
I continue to support lululemon ambassador program through mentoring new ambassadors
I lead a lululemon run event connected to the SeaWheeze half marathon
In September I take a business course at George Brown and by the end of the course have a business plan for my indoor cycling studio.
I am a certified Yoga instructor through the teacher training program at 889yoga
I am a certified TRX instructor by September
I continue to teach at least one day a week (two + courses) through Brock University’s Fac. of Ed. starting September
I will provide a minimum of 15 professional learning opportunities through Ophea and write at least three health & physical education resources
By far the goal that scares me the most is Boston. Likely because it is the biggest unknown. So, here’s to a year of setting a vision, creating goals, crushing the goals, and repeating!
What’s one of your goals for 2013? Become accountable and share it in the comment section!
A leader who changes the world one workout at a time.
By lululemon Robson St., Vancouver
Learning To Live and Lead At Summit
On July 20th I was asked to represent the Queen St. W lululemon at the Vancouver ambassador summit. I have friends from the store who attended, but I didn’t know really what to expect. As the opportunity grew closer I tried to not put too much expectation on it. I knew it would blow my mind and I knew I’d come back changed, so I wanted to keep my experiences real and authentic.
On Monday Sept 10th I arrived in Vancouver with 70 other ambassadors from around the world. An amazing crew of leaders and professionals, none of us knew what we were in for, but we were all open to the learning and opportunity. After a quick (59 min) climb up Grouse Mountain – turns out no, it’s not “just a hill” as I had been referring to it as the previous week, the learning and exploration began.
We attended workshops and seminars learning not only from experts in various fields, such as Susan Conrad founder of Igolu, but also each other. One of my favourites was presented by a fellow ambassador from Utah, Denise Druce, who shared about reputation and her professional story (as a fitness guru during what I believe to be the start of fitness – the 80s!). I was fortunate enough to have also been asked to share my message and presented to my ambassador colleagues how they can get involved in schools to share their passion for healthy active living, and as always I got them active with rubber chickens!
Over the four days, we also got our sweat on which included 2 yoga class, a 10km run, and a 4 hour bike ride gave us time to explore Vancouver and get moving.
What Are Your Strengths?
One of the activities that I enjoyed was led by lululemon trainer Tracy Hutton. She had use divide a piece of paper in half vertically and draw a happy face on one side and a sad face on the other. Under the happy face, we then recorded everything we had done the previous week that made us happy. We wrote what the activities were and the feelings we had associated with them. Next we did the sad side, writing activities we didn’t enjoy doing and the feelings connected with those. For me, I confirmed my love of fitness and physical activity. My learning came from the idea of focusing more on what we enjoyed, our strengths, and managing our weaknesses, those we didn’t enjoy. “Leverage your strengths and manage your weaknesses” Tracy told us. We learned to pay more attention to the activities we enjoy, to focus on becoming better at our strengths, and to find ways to manage those areas of weakness (like support from a colleague).
“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive” – Howard Thurman
After seeing Oprah in Toronto, she shared that we could not leave the room going back to doing the same things we had previously done, because we were no longer the same people. I believe this experience was very similar. We were no longer the same people. We learned about ourselves, we learned from each other, and together we will continue to elevate the world from mediocrity to greatness one endorphin filled workout at a time.
catchingheather.com 