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
respect
Don Jose Ruiz
author. musician. shaman.
Don Jose Ruiz dedicates his life to combining and sharing new insights and ancient Toltec wisdom. He teaches and lectures around the world. [www.miguelruiz.com]
The most meaningful thing to me is respect. I respect myself. I respect myself enough to not put myself into situations that will bring me suffering or require me to sacrifice myself for a life I don’t want.
When I ask myself what kind of messenger I am, the answer is that I choose to be a messenger of respect. With respect, all doors open, you can talk with anyone and they understand. Without respect, doors close. Without self-respect, we don’t receive respect.
We think love is sacrifice, but in love we tend to disrespect ourselves so much. I see human sacrifices being made for love everywhere, out of guilt or disrespect. That’s not love. Love begins with respecting ourselves.
For me, the most meaningful thing is to take care of Jose. That is my responsibility. I know myself. I know what I react to, and every time I react to the things that are meaningful to me, I respect myself and my life.
Something important I’ve learned in my training with my father is that if I don’t judge myself other people’s judgments of me will die inside my mind. Of course people are going to judge me, because that’s what they do. But people who speak the language of judgment, a language I used to speak before I started respecting myself more, only bring pain and suffering onto themselves.
When we fall, when we experience heartbreak and pain, we forget to be aware of our self-respect. But that’s perfect, because when we step into awareness from that position we learn something new and so we pull ourselves out. We become aware that we don’t want to live like that anymore and we let our self-respect lead us to something better.
One of the ways I help myself stay on track is to use a recording device: I press the record button and state my truth or express gratitude for my happiness, then I press play and listen to it over the next few days. Every time I feel heartbreak or pain, I push the play button and listen to the real me. I respect the part of me that knows best.
The important things are to respect ourselves, to have integrity, to always be truthful with ourselves, to never pretend, to do the best we can, and to be grateful to be alive.
– Don Jose Ruiz
Explore More Meaning
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life coach. radio show host. truthteller.
Life coach Laurie Gerber, President of Handel Group Life Coaching, is passionate about personal development. She leads large groups, blogs regularly, and hosts a radio show. [www.handelgroup.com]
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self transformer. former addict. gratitude visitor.
Frank Ferrante is a fifty-four year old Sicilian from Brooklyn whose journey to reclaim his life and fall in love again was the subject of a recent documentary. [May I Be Frank]
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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]
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Songwriter. Painter. Dreamer.
Songwriter, novelist, and painter Pol Serge Kakon was born in Mogador (now Essaouira). He founded The Drunken Boat, in Paris, which became a mecca for poetry and song. [www.polsergekakon.com]
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mindful midwife. inner peace seeker. be-er.
Nancy Bardacke is the founding director and leader of the Mindfulness-Based Childbirth and Parenting program, and an assistant clinical professor at the University of California, San Francisco, School of Nursing. [www.mindfulbirthing.org]
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early riser. mystic identifier. self opener.
Bob Walter is an editor and executive with several not-for-profit organizations, including the Joseph Campbell Foundation, an organization that preserves, protects, and perpetuates the work of influential American mythologist Joseph Campbell. [www.jcf.org]
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self explorer. non-judger. surface scratcher.
Dr. Leslie Carr is a psychologist who is reluctant to give advice, preferring instead to help people figure out their best course of action no judgement allowed. [www.lesliecarr.com]
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curator. young artist fueler. calling listener.
Art is Kipton Cronkite's life. Every day he does his best to live with no regrets, to treat others with respect and surround himself with positive people who inspire others. [www.kipton.com]
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