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. TED-talker. no-bullsh**er.
Sophie Chiche, founder of lifebyme.com, is the single mom of an amazing 16-year-old, Leah, and wicked step-mom of 22-year-old, Sarah. They all live in LA. You can find them boxing, cooking, collaging, hosting brunches, laughing their head off or bickering over who’s washing and who’s drying the dishes.
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
engagement
Bridget Pilloud
professional life shifter. intuitive advisor. authenticity aligner.
Creator of the Life-Shift series, Bridget Pilloud works with people all over the world to help them enact positive change in their personal and professional lives. www.bridgetpilloud.com
Engagement is a willingness to show up for life. The word engagement comes from a 15th Century French word meaning to pawn or to pledge. It’s putting your skin in the game. To me, engagement means committing to presence, committing to living this life no matter what I experience and being present with others no matter what we experience together.
From engagement and presence come co-creation, whether in a moment (with my barista in the morning) or through a lifetime (with my partner and my children), whether with God or friends or strangers. The act of co-creating a moment or a project teaches, informs, and expands us.
Although I come from a family of people who try to engage, my mother is not a natural engager. Growing up, I saw how that affected her life and knew it wasn’t what I wanted. I didn’t want to ever be afraid of experience. Many of the experiences I’ve had started out being frightening or uncomfortable, but turned out to be beautiful things.
I try to cultivate a sense of whether I’m engaging or not. When I’m not connecting, it’s not always obvious. It’s a slippery thing. Usually, I notice the symptoms: I’m watching too much TV or craving sugary snacks. Often, I’m acting on a child’s need to be comforted and I’m not engaging because I don’t want to feel something. So I ask myself questions like, “What am I afraid of feeling?” and “What feeling am I avoiding?” Then I stop and feel it. I don’t put a story to it or try to figure out the why of it. I just stop and feel the emotions coming forward.
The body is such a wonderful tool. As humans, we tend to be very cerebral. We tend to be way up in our heads. When we let our big, beautiful brains take a backseat and let our body or spirit drive a little more, or at least share the decision-making, our experience shifts. Our bodies allow us to engage. We can feel engagement in our bodies. There’s a physical reaction to it.
When I was thinking about the word engagement, I looked it up in the dictionary to get a better understanding of it. One of its meanings is to go into battle. So, when do we go into battle with life? How do you engage? How do you want to engage?
When I engage with life or myself or others, I commit to living this life. That commitment brings presence.
- Bridget Pilloud
Explore More Meaning
-
bestselling author. speaker. intuition integrator.
Best-selling author Laura Day teaches people how to integrate intuition into their personal and corporate lives to achieve greater success and community. www.howtoruletheworldfromyourcouch.com
-
avid meditator. awareness expander. soulmate.
Brian Hilliard has developed, managed, and invested in commercial real estate, telecommunications, publishing, and entertainment. Currently, his primary focus is on humanitarian projects and assisting non-profits with fundraising and hands-on participation.
-
nurse vietnam veteran. healer. conscious percussionist.
Sarah Blum is a nurse Vietnam veteran, nurse psychotherapist, life coach, energy healer, spiritual guide, author, activist, African drummer, and has a black belt in aikido. www.sarahshealinghaven.com
-
musician. activist. artistic mentor.
John March is a musician, teacher, producer, writer, activist, Buddhist facilitator in training, and single dad. He mentors artists and develops modern rites of passage for fathers and sons. www.zenguitarguy.com
-
public speaking coach. charisma illuminator. well-spoken woman.
KC Baker founded The School for the Well-spoken Woman. She’s a public speaking coach, keynote co-creator, and charisma illuminator devoted to unleashing voice, truth, and the raw power within. www.kcbaker.com
-
Author. Relationship Expert. Upper Limit Eliminator.
Gay Hendricks has served for more than 30 years as one of the major contributors to the fields of relationship transformation and body-mind therapies. www.hendricks.com
-
community maven. yoga instructor. living example.
Rita James is a community events expert who realized that if she didn’t go within she’d go without. What resonates from within is teaching yoga and being an example to her children.
-
higher self guide. spiritual integrator. dolphin whisperer.
Matthew Joyce is a spirit guide. He founded Higher Self Guides to remind people that divine spirituality isn’t just for mystics. It’s for you, too. www.higherselfguides.com
- More
Today's Poll
What do you do to expand your consciousness?
Comments