Ten Thoughts I Had at #lululemonimmersion

So here’s the deal, I’ve been working on this post for two weeks now and finally decided to just hit publish. If you follow along on IG Stories, you saw that Jessica and I were in Malibu a few weeks ago for The Immersion. A five-day retreat hosted by Lululemon, this was truly a once in a lifetime experience that I will never forget. A week-long of inspiring human connections, access to world-renowned leaders and teachers, daily sweat sessions, impactful self-development workshops, amazing accommodations, even more amazing people and some of the yummiest food I’ve ever had…it was all that I could have imagined times one million.

I was debating the best way to recap and share all that I took away from the experience and I just couldn’t decide. I’ve written this post ten times over and after giving it some thought, I came to the conclusion that the best way to give you guys some insight was to share what I actually experienced during the week. The thoughts that I had, the moments I loved most, the real-life highlights I will cherish for years to come…#allthethings.

Keep scrolling for a super quick video diary, the ten things that ran through my head and some of my favorite photos from the infamous @thompsoncphoto!

ONE. 

“Wow. I think I actually like yoga.”

Seriously, before I got on the plane to LAX all I could think about was the fact that I didn’t like yoga. I went into this trip solely excited for the fact that I’d get a unique experience with Lululemon in a place I’ve always wanted to visit. Who knew that I would leave loving yoga…like really loving it. Shoutout to some of the best teachers around who have officially changed my outlook and have gotten me excited to transform myself physically and mentally in brand new ways!

Janet Stone | Baron Baptiste | Gloria Latham 

TWO.

“I need a smoothie bar in real life. Everyday.”

Every single meal we had in Malibu was amazing. Equal parts healthy and delicious, the entire menu helped create a major reset in my eating habits. Waking up every morning to a smoothie bar, enjoying fresh salads and wraps for lunch, chowing down on the most incredible dinners under the stars with a glass of wine…I came back home and was very disappointed with my refrigerator. It’s safe to say I’ve stepped it up a bit and have already noticed some changes with my diet and nutrition in the past few weeks that has me excited for even bigger changes to come.

THREE.

“I might need to make therapy a thing in my life.” 

I’m not necessarily new to the whole idea of therapy but after daily group sessions where we focused on personal & emotional development with Cecily Elmas, I’m now convinced I need more of this in my life. I love to share and embrace my vulnerabilities but I realized on this trip that it doesn’t come as naturally for everyone. I straight up got on stage and had a full cry in front of 49 strangers and it felt so good. To dish out the things I’m struggling with but to also realize the negativity I’m releasing and the awesomeness I’m open to accepting! I think there’s benefit in breaking down every now and then, diving deep into the challenges we face, talking to a third party about ways to overcome and better ourselves…the whole nine. I want and need more of this STAT.

FOUR.

“I need better leggings.” 

And no, this is not sponsored by Lululemon. I realized on this trip that my cheap leggings I tend to wear at the gym or spin class will no longer cut it. After rocking Lululemon gear all week, I now only want to live, sweat and sleep in Lululemon leggings. They fit my curves, they melt away the sweat, they’re cute AF and they’re honestly worth the splurge. I’m planning to invest in a few good black pairs that I can rock to the gym and can’t wait to toss away the junk I’ve been hoarding.

FIVE.

“What I do is pretty damn special.” 

Jessica and I both had the realization on this trip that we should be feeling hashtag blessed for being able to do what we love. Sometimes I take this job of mine for granted. I complain and stress and sometimes want to give up but the fact that I’m literally doing something I love every single day, living out a passion of mine and also have the flexibility to also pursue other passions of mine all at the same time, that’s pretty special. There were several people at the retreat who talked a lot about their fear for taking the plunge, leaving their full-time jobs, investing in a business idea, etc. I never realized it until this trip how scary and rare it can be for others to take the leap. I encourage everyone to make a solid plan and then do it! Put that confidence in yourself and make things happen – you’ll always be better for it in the long run.

SIX.

“Man, I love to dance.” 

On the first day with Cecily, we had to write down a few of the things that bring us true joy. We then had to make a plan for how we can bring more of that into our lives. For me, one of those things is dancing. Not professionally or with a tutu or cool shoes, but under flashing lights to awesome music with awesome people. I love to go out and just dance all night long. I honestly don’t have much rhythm and think I sometimes “luck” into a good dance move every now and then but I love to dance anyways. Solo, with B, with my friends, with strangers…I love it all. And I want to make more of an effort to just say YES to going out more. I always turn down invites and never make a proactive move to just go out and let loose for random occasions. That’s all about to change so if you live in ATL, get your dancing shoes ready because you’re coming with.

SEVEN.

“I think Jessica might just be one of my best friends. Scratch that, she 100% is.” 

Y’all know by now that Jessica is a super close friend of mine. We’ve traveled together, worked on our businesses together, created content together, gone to Bar Taco 100000 times together…the list goes on. We were asked so many times on this trip how long we’ve known each other and I realized that I’ve been friends with Jessica for five years and we’ve developed such an awesome relationship since then. I have also shared things with her over the past few weeks that some of my closest friends don’t even know and that is something I’ll always cherish. I think it might have taken this trip to remind myself of our friendship and to really embrace it. We both have some work to do after this experience in terms of personal goals and missions and I’m looking forward to both of us holding the other accountable!

EIGHT.

“I don’t drink enough water.” 

Nothing profound here. I have got to do better about my water intake. We were constantly surrounded by hydration stations and adorable water bottles and I caught myself filling up on H20 and felt so much better when I did. And then I came home and totally slacked off. Gotta do better, Lauren.

NINE.

“I can’t wait to reconnect with these amazing souls.” 

We met so many awesome men and women on this trip. The team at Lululemon, other guests, the teachers, etc. Everyone was so inspiring and totally different. We created some fast bonds over five days and I’m truly looking forward to reconnecting with some of these folks to check in and keep inspiring each other in the future

TEN.

“I want more of this.”

More yoga. More retreats. More healthy food. More friendships. More breakthroughs. More leggings. Just more. And I realized that it’s OK and pretty much needed to want more out of life and embrace that. This trip did so much for me mentally, emotionally and physically and I can’t wait to keep living my life with the things I learned…getting MORE out of my life than ever before.

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Photos by Thompson c/o Lululemon