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
great day
Drai
designer. conscious brand manager. wild redhead.
Drai is a priestess, song keeper, mother, wife, and artist. As founder of Wild Redhead Design, she loves to partner with folks who are making a difference. [www.myspace.com/wildredheaddesign/blog]
Years ago, my dear sister and friend Kelli was diagnosed with cancer. We were all devastated. A three year journey began, one that changed her life, and mine, forever. One day, unexpectedly, things changed. It was like she suddenly knew it was the end. She gave her things away. She laughed. She told her employees how wonderful her experiences with them had been. She quieted. That night, with family and friends by her side, she sighed and announced, “I’ve had a great day!” We tucked her in and began planning for the next day, but out of the clear blue, Kelli died.
“I’ve had a great day!” was the last thing Kelli ever said. That changed my life. Until then, I’d lived a life full of adventure, activity, and success, but also terrible challenges and pains. Life seemed very hard and unfair. Some days, my life felt like an unbearable struggle.
The day Kelli died, I went home and took a giant black marker and wrote on my bedroom wall in great big letters “I’ve had a great day!” I pondered. For weeks, I stared at that statement as I lay in bed, mystified. I couldn’t understand how a dying woman could feel so happy and pleased with such a day, a day when she knew she was leaving the planet, her life cruelly stolen by an unwanted cancerous invader. I couldn’t understand, but I decided she’d given me a gift and it was my duty to unwrap it.
Every day, I made myself write down five things I was grateful for that might constitute a great day. I discovered I mostly had very difficult days, days I had to dig deeply to find five things. To my surprise, I managed to find five things on every kind of day. Often, they were the simplest of things, such as the wonderful smell of my daughter’s hair.
Through that activity, I “got it,” deep in my cells, and everything shifted. I realized that, nested among the messy bits, beauty surrounds me all the time and every day actually IS a great day! Imagine that?! Now, wonder, joy, and delight come to the foreground and I recognize that everything, good and bad, is an integral part of my journey and the making of ME. This life I’ve been given is truly a miracle. I’m grateful and filled and sated. It feels … well, great.
When asked what’s meaningful about my life, I answer: life itself.
Thanks, Kel , you made all the difference in the world!
– Drai
Explore More Meaning
-
actor. re-inventor. mind wrangler.
Sarah Taylor is an actor, comedian and meditation teacher who continues to discover daily how to get in and out of her own way while helping others with the same. [www.sarahtaylor.org]
-
Writer. Former Political Aide. Identifier.
Roger Wolfson is a television and film writer who's written for four different hit TV series. A former political aide, he was staff to Senators Lieberman, Kerry, Wellstone, and Kennedy. [www.rogerwolfson.com]
-
glamour giver. secret sharer. slumber party hotshot.
Accomplished beauty expert and author, Elizabeth TenHouten has devoted her career to bringing out the best in women, naturally. Her book, Natural Beauty: Homemade Recipes for Radiant Skin & Hair features recipes for homemade topical treatments and skincare remedies. [www.elizabethtenhouten.com]
-
story weaver. mystery buff. bull follower.
Author Kent Nerburn holds a PhD in religion and art. His most recent work completes a trilogy filled with spiritual and inspirational stories. His books have been Minnesota Book Award winners. [www.kentnerburn.com]
-
loss educator. transition encourager. hope infuser.
Carole Brody Fleet is a popular motivational speaker, helping people touched by the pain and challenge of loss, regardless of age. She's been a regular guest on local, regional, national, and international media programs. [www.widowswearstilettos.com]
-
new thought minister. author. emissary of peace.
Michael Bernard Beckwith is the founder of Agape International Spiritual Center and a celebrated author. [www.agapelive.com]
-
lover. performer. card shark.
Tiffany Michelle broke records at the World Series of Poker for largest field ever conquered by a female in live tournament history. She also competed as part of the only female team on the fifteenth season of The Amazing Race. [www.tiffanymichelle.com]
-
narrative therapist. question asker. listener.
Larry Zucker is a narrative therapist who believes in people's abilities to create and find support for many different and wonderful ways of showing up in relationships and community. [www.larchmontassociates.com]
- More
Comments