At The Good Stuff, we believe that the foundation for a great life is freedom. We also know that finding freedom day-to-day can be tough – we wouldn’t exist if it was easy. We have chosen a few of our favourite smoothie drinkers to share with us how they keep their busy lives in check and learned that balance is the key to having more freedom in your life.
We all, at times, feel a little bit overwhelmed by the number of commitments we have: work, family, friends, bills – and that's just the beginning. But when the pressure is on, we can choose to let our commitments drown us or lift us up.
Taylor Fernuik knows about being pulled in different directions. With a full time corporate job and a part time gig on the side, free time is in short supply for him. But Taylor uses his uber-full schedule as a springboard for achievement.
Amid the packed weeks, he finds balance through community.
We spoke with Taylor about balancing his full-time job with his side hustle and how he makes it all work while staying on top of his wellbeing.
Tell us about yourself and how you spend your time, both in work and outside of it.
I Grew up in Edmonton, Alberta (shout out to area code 780) and have been living in Vancouver for the past 5 years. Now, I can officially call it home! I just recently purchased a condo.
I work at the Lululemon Head Office during the day as a Merchant and teach spin at Ride Cycle Club 3 times a week.
I love to sweat. When I’m not working I’m either running, in the gym, or on my road bike.
What drew you to Ride Cycle Club and Lululemon?
I love the culture and community. Both Lululemon and Ride feel like home--it’s that simple.
We all spend the majority of our lives working, so you better enjoy what you do and who you're with.
I like to surround myself with like-minded people and those who challenge me to be better.
Going from a client of Ride to an instructor was a huge challenge that wasn’t easy to overcome. I had no idea I was capable of getting in front of a class and leading them through a workout. Now, I don’t know what I would do without it.
How do you define freedom for yourself? When are you most free?
Freedom is something you should feel every second of the day. You should be in charge of your own being.
Being free comes easily for me. I especially feel it anytime I’m working out. I just block out everything else going on. I only focus on my sweat.
How do you find balance in your busy life?
I like to ground myself throughout the day. I feel it helps, when life gets a little stressful, to close my eyes for a second and take a deep breath.
When do you struggle most with balance?
I have a lot of commitments in life. Every week, I work a full-time job at Lululemon, then I’m scheduled to teach Tuesday, Wednesday, and Sunday at Ride. Rain or shine, I’m on the bike teaching those classes.
What motivates me to find balance in this crazy schedule is everyone who comes to my classes. Whatever reason brought them there, I want to ensure they have the best ride.
What's your favourite (non-smoothie) food?
Steak and Fries. Classic comfort food.
What's your favourite smoothie from The Good Stuff?
Honestly, they’re all so good. You really cannot go wrong with any of them.
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Taylor is a modern day Vancouver superhero: Lululemon executive by day, motivator to the masses at Ride Cycle Club by night.
He's successful, balanced, fit, and endlessly positive. So how does he do it all? He's fueled by greatness.
Try Taylor's favorite smoothie, the Kitsilano Sunrise.