author. speaker. motivator.
Affectionately known as "America's #1 Success Coach," Jack Canfield is the originator of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series and a leading authority in the areas of self-esteem, achievement motivation, and peak performance. [www.jackcanfield.com]
political powerhouse. media mogul. author.
Arianna Huffington is the co-founder and Editor in Chief of the Huffington Post and the author of twelve books. [www.huffingtonpost.com]
author. speaker. linchpin.
Seth Godin is a prominent author, blogger and speaker. [www.squidoo.com/linchpin]
yogi. philanthropist. dynamic teacher.
Krishna Kaur is the founder of YOGA for Youth, a program that takes yoga, meditation, and stimulating discussions on the philosophy of yoga to urban youth. [www.yogaforyouth.org]
producer. philanthropist. tv legend.
Norman Lear has enjoyed a long career in television and film. He is also a political and social activist and philanthropist. [www.normanlear.com]
race car driver. activist. carbon free girl.
Leilani Münter is a professional race car driver and an environmental activist who uses her voice in the number one spectator sport in America as a catalyst for change. [www.leilanimunter.com]
Freedom Fighter. Philanthropist. Game Changer.
By going undercover to meet slaves and slaveholders, Kevin Bales exposed modern slavery's penetration into the global economy. He co-founded Free the Slaves, which has helped to liberate thousands of slaves. [www.freetheslaves.net]
mom. big dreamer. lady in red.
Sophie Chiche, lifebyme.com founder and curator, enjoys asking deep questions and living a life of meaning. Today she's launching Shape House, an urban sweat lodge, a place to melt away fears and fat. [www.shapehousela.com]
Writer. Entrepreneur. Daily Lover.
Entrepreneur and writer Mastin Kipp founded TheDailyLove.com, which merges pop culture with inspiration, and co-founded The Love Yourself Company, an apparel company that has started a global self-esteem movement. [www.TheDailyLove.com]
singer. musician. crier.
Liz Phair is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. [www.lizphair.com]
archbishop. author. peaceful leader.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu is Chairman of The Elders, a group of world leaders who address some of the world's most pressing problems. He works energetically for human-rights and in his ministry. [www.tutu.org]
author. ceo. humanitarian.
Zainab Salbi is the founder and CEO of Women for Women International, a group dedicated to helping women survivors of war rebuild their lives. [www.womenforwomen.org]
speaker. psychotherapist. life embracer.
Despite his physical challenges, Sean Stephenson has taken a stand for a quality of life that has inspired millions of people around the world. He's a professional speaker, psychotherapist, and author. [www.timetostand.com]
yogi. meditator. teacher.
Kia Miller teaches Yoga at Yoga Works in Los Angeles, leads teacher trainings, and runs retreats and workshops on meditation, chakras, pranayam, and mantras, and other practices. [www.kiamiller.com]
creator. writer. idea geek.
Simon Mainwaring is an ex-Nike/Wieden creative, former Worldwide Creative Director at Motorola/Ogilvy, branding/advertising writer, author/speaker/blogger, Australian, idea geek. [www.simonmainwaring.com]
Strategist. Writer. Life Coach.
Shannon Bindler is a style editor, life coach, and the co-founder of Get Up Girl, an empowerment company that inspires women to shine. [www.getupgirl.com]
Designer. Art Director. Passionate Creator.
Grammy-nominated art director/designer/photographer Mathieu Bitton has designed over 450 CDs and movie posters. He's a renowned collector of and authority on black films and their soundtracks. [www.candytangerine.com]
Agent. Producer. Photography Enthusiast.
Opus Reps founder and agent-producer Jorge Perez travels the world producing photo shoots with great photographers and celebrities. He's also very involved with Meals on Wheels in Los Angeles. www.opusreps.com
choices
Andrew Hessel
geneticist. life studier. reevaluator.
Andrew Hessel is an Autodesk Distinguished Researcher and Singularity University faculty member working to develop and deliver accessible design tools for molecular and living systems. [www.autodeskresearch.com]
I was always a little philosophical. When I was a teenager, I started asking myself, What’s really worth doing in life? What’s really worth getting out of bed every morning to do? I realized that, for me, the only thing that really matters is life and living things.
We humans are disassociated from life most of the time. We don’t think about it. Life just happens. Teaching people about the processes of life is like showing them what it looks like under the hood. The human body is the most complex machine in the known universe. It’s a computer that processes chemical bits of information. This computer is fault-tolerant. It runs on sugar. It runs 24/7 and never shuts off. It’s biodegradable and self-assembling.
When people start to realize how life works and how the building blocks of cells make up complex things like ourselves, it opens up a whole new perspective about life and how we can change our lives to be in sync with other living things. It touches on environment and health and energy. It prompts people to take a life-centric approach to existence and to the planet.
I’m a geneticist and microbiologist by training, and I’ve learned a lot about this amazing thing we call life. I want to inspire a new generation of people to come into life science and not only understand it at the organismal level, but to ultimately realize that we have the tools and capabilities to modify cellular processes … and that’s not necessarily a scary thing.
We have choices. I think most people forget that. It’s important to accept that we have choices. We get to choose so much of our lives. You can choose to listen to your inner voice, the one that tells you what makes you happy or unhappy and what you should be doing. You are where you are because of the cumulative choices you’ve already made. You always get a choice about how you move forward. That’s really powerful.
Life just gets richer and richer. I’m not so naive to think that doesn’t take work. It takes constant reevaluation of the path and the options and the resources. But there’s no reason for that work not to also be playful and fun and inspiring and healthy.
The fun thing is to have an attitude that everything’s going to work out.
– Andrew Hessel
Explore More Meaning
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author. theatre kid. laughing backpacker.
Poet, actress, and activist Judy Prescott lives in Los Angeles, where she works in film and television. She's the author of a just-released collection of poetry and art. [www.judyprescott.com]
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musical trio. hollywood implants. co-creators.
Nate and Ryan flew from Rhode Island. Jack flew from England. They landed in Los Angeles. Had a few laughs, had a few drinks, and hopped on a Cable Car. [wearecablecar.com]
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cultural exchanger. storyteller. connector.
Elizabeth Zerk founded Upon Return, an organization dedicated to supporting the alumni of high school exchange programs and promoting cultural exchange. She's also dedicated to the art of storytelling. [http://uponreturn.org]
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Author. Success Coach. Happy Guy.
Best-selling author Robert Holden's innovative work on happiness and success has been featured on Oprah, Good Morning America, and in two major BBC TV documentaries. [www.robertholden.org]
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director. producer. intersector.
Linda Goldstein Knowlton is a director/producer whose works have garnered praise from audiences around the world. She lives in Los Angeles with her daughter and husband. [www.somewherebetweenmovie.com]
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bloggers. meditators. partners.
Ed and Deb Shapiro are weekly bloggers on Oprah.com/spirit, HuffingtonPost.com/living and Care2.com, and are the authors of BE THE CHANGE: How Meditation Can Transform You and the World. [www.edanddebshapiro.com]
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book coach. peace truster. journey enjoyer.
Randy Peyser helps people get book deals with publishers. She is CEO of Author One Stop, a national publishing consulting firm. She is the author of Crappy to Happy as featured in the movie Eat, Pray, Love. [www.AuthorOneStop.com]
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spiritual pioneer. author. authentic empowerer.
As a bestselling author and pioneer of the new spirituality, Gary Zukav's gentle presence, humor, and insightful wisdom have inspired millions to realize their soul's greatest potential. [www.seatofthesoul.com]
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