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
aliveness
Geneen Roth
kindness warrior. food demystifier. vitality spreader.
Geneen Roth wrote pioneering books that were among the first to link compulsive eating and perpetual dieting with deeply personal and spiritual issues that go far beyond food, weight, and body image. [www.geneenroth.com]
What’s important is living the life I have – being utterly here and present – rather than wanting a different life or thinking there’s something more or better to have.
What makes me aware that I’m not in that place (and there are many moments when I’m not) is some degree of what I’d call suffering: discontent, dissatisfaction, hurt, projection, lack of ease. When I start wandering off into those areas, I take that as a sign to bring myself back.
The first thing I do is bring myself back to my body, because my body is the clearest expression of this moment. I notice my breath and the sensations in my body. Usually, when I’m in a place of suffering, I’m in my mind, not in my body. If bringing myself back to my body isn’t enough to relax me and dissolve the suffering, I start gently asking myself what’s going on. I ask myself if I’m being mean or harsh to myself, which is a familiar and unconscious pattern for me. I notice what’s going on, with softness and gentleness, and become curious instead of dismissive. True attention and kindness change the pattern.
Most of us want a sense of aliveness, engagement, and joy. What we look to other things for, what a lot of people look to food for, is that instant feeling of lusciousness or excitement in the mouth in that moment; or we use food to numb and sedate. First, stop judging yourself. It’s important to become actively curious and allow what’s there. Then ask yourself questions about what you’re doing: Does this energize or exhaust me? Does it enliven or deaden me? Is what I’m doing now allowing me to trust myself or tilting me towards being frightened of myself? Do I feel closer to what really matters to me or further away? Does it open my heart or close it? When I get to the end of this hour or day or week or year or life, will this be something I’ll be glad I spent my time on?
This is about finding out what makes you come alive.
Howard Thurman, Martin Luther King Jr’s mentor, said, “Don’t ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive and then go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”
A vital person vitalizes everything they touch. Live as if you are enough and watch what happens. Live as if, walk as if, eat as if, talk as if … and see what happens when you start from the inside out, from what’s here inside right now.
– Geneen Roth
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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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composer. bliss follower. phoenix discoverer.
David Ari Leon is an Emmy-nominated composer and music supervisor. He is also music director of the Voice of Life project, whose mission is to elevate wellness with great music. [www.soundmindmusic.com]
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pre-healer. self seeker. innate clairvoyant.
Dr. Tiny Jaentsch is trained in Eastern and Western medicine. She created The Fear-less Sessions, an illness-prevention kick-start designed specifically for people who've battled cancer and are in remission but fear it might return. [www.tinyjaentsch.com]
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creativity facilitator. inspired dad. theater baby.
Kyle Hermans runs the West Coast division of Synecticsworld, a global innovation and creativity firm. He's deeply committed to releasing and enriching the creativity of others. [www.synecticsworld.com]
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angel of music. hypnotist. guide.
Daniela Torres-Mattus uses hypnosis, NLP, and her skills as an interviewer to empower people around the world. Her passion is guiding people to live extraordinary lives.
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playful educator. success redefiner. guy next door.
Philip Maher has travelled to more than 80 countries, working in some of the harshest environments as a communications professional and photographer. He asks one question in his work: How do we get people to care? [www.philipmaher.ca]
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professor. empowerer. encouragement entrepreneur.
Marcia Alesan Dawkins is an intellectual entrepreneur from New York City. She has written two books, including Eminem: The Real Slim Shady, as well as articles for Huffington Post and Truthdig. [www.marciadawkins.com]
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fisherman. tree surgeon. renaissance man.
John Schindler is a renaissance man. He served in the Army and he owned a natural foods grocery. He's a master butcher, tree surgeon, chef, baker, ?sherman, loving husband, and father.
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