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
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
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singer. musician. crier.
Liz Phair is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. [www.lizphair.com]
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filmmaker. connection cultivator. creative architect.
George Meeker pursues his passion by cultivating deeper connections between humans through filmmaking, which he considers the most influential art form of the 21st Century. [www.interrogate.com]
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focused fashionista. go-getter. miracle creator.
Erin Norton is a director at JBrand Jeans, a leading Los Angeles based fashion brand. She is a friend enthusiast, appreciates a good glass of wine, and is slowly learning to love squats. [www.jbrandjeans.com]
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reinvention catalyst. white canvas embracer. believer.
Nancy Sherr is the creator of A Zestful Life, coaching brave hearted women through Big. Life. Change. She is an inspiring reinvention catalyst, supports graceful navigation of life transitions, exuberant living, fully expressed. [www.nancysherr.com]
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magazine founder. conversation sparker. inner beauty queen.
Concerned with the media focus on unrealistic body ideals, Alexis Wolfer founded the glamorous site The Beauty Bean, a free online magazine and newsletter focused on health and inner beauty. [www.thebeautybean.com]
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coach. adventurer. that confidence guy.
Rich Litvin is an expert in developing deep, inner, natural confidence. He founded The Confident Woman's Salon. [www.richlitvin.com]
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strategist. innovator. fire starter.
Inspirational speaker and business strategist Danielle LaPorte is the creator of WhiteHotTruth.com, which helps entrepreneurs rock their careers with integrity, audacity, and their truest strengths. [www.whitehottruth.com]
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venture investor. creative adventurer. giver.
Tammy Camp is a venture investor, company advisor, and adventure traveler. She's taken part in numerous successful business endeavors, including facilitating over a billion dollars in sales. [www.tammycamp.com]
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