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
silver-lined
Hollye Jacobs
medical burrito. practical patient. blogging healer.
Hollye Jacobs has been on both sides of the hospital bed. Via her blog, she's the girlfriend who tells you what to expect, holds your hand, and helps you find the silver linings of the breast cancer experience. [www.thesilverpen.com]
The absence of health sort of stops everything else in life. Very little can happen as effectively or efficiently without health.
For years, I worked as a nurse in different settings, mostly to do with hospice and palliative care. I also received three master’s degrees – in bioethics, social work, and child development. With that work experience and those degrees, I found myself in the position of being an interdisciplinary burrito, full of a little bit of everything.
In 2010, when I was transitioning back to doing clinical work after teaching for three years, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I’m a mostly vegan runner with no family history of cancer, so the diagnosis came out of the blue.
I didn’t panic (though I did drop a few F-bombs). The majority of the time, a cancer diagnosis is not an emergency. That’s a big thing to realize. Instead of treating it like an emergency, get your head together and get the broad perspective. In the next weeks, big clinical decisions will need to be made, but a cancer diagnosis is generally not something you have to react to today.
I coped with the initial diagnosis by putting on my clinical jacket. I said, “OK, what would I say to someone who was given this diagnosis? How would I help them?” I told myself, “Let’s look at the big picture. This is a huge bummer and it’s going to be a really, really tumultuous road; however, it can be traveled, and I know how to do it.” That was a great coping mechanism.
What really helped as I continued to face my health challenges was actively looking for silver linings. Finding silver linings didn’t take away the pain, anxiety, or sadness, but it did provide perspective and balance.
I also found myself writing a blog from the perspective of both a patient and a nurse. I wrote about what I was going through from both sides of the bed, in a way that would educate people. I also write on the blog about how to talk and be with children when someone in the family is diagnosed with a potentially life threatening illness, and how to be with a child and help them as they prepare for a death.
To help someone who’s dealing with a challenging health issue, first be present, then ask them what they need. Just ask. Take their lead. That’s simple, right?
– Hollye Jacobs
Explore More Meaning
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surfer. fashion designer. marine life crusader.
Lisa Burke is a surfer, marine life activist, and fashion designer who founded the swimwear line Lisa Blue. Lisa Blue donates 25% of its net profits to helping protect whales and dolphins. [www.lisablue.com.au]
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producer. political activist. brave new filmmaker.
Robert Greenwald is a producer, director, political activist, and the founder of Brave New Films, which uses moving images to educate and empower viewers to take action on issues that matter. [www.robertgreenwald.org]
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intuitive. writer. journey sharer.
Danielle is a writer, coach, and intuitive who simply must share her journey with honesty, love, and beautiful words. She's married to her best friend and has two delicious children. [http://danielleboonstra.com]
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spiritual teacher. modern mystic. ever-evolver.
Howard Falco is an international author, speaker, and spiritual teacher specializing in the power of the mind. His book on self-awareness and empowerment is titled, I AM: The Power of Discovering Who You Really Are. [www.howardfalco.com]
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moment savorer. recoverer. brave heart.
Once an overachieving executive, Noch Noch's life was turned upside down by depression. Recovering, she writes about living with depression and self-awareness, and is also developing Bearapy, a creative therapy project. [www.nochnoch.com]
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producer. human studier. tall tale teller.
Barrie Osborne is an Oscar winning producer whose body of work includes The Matrix and The Lord of the Rings trilogy. He is currently producing the movie, Syrup, and executive producing The Great Gatsby.
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conscious capitalist. author. connector.
Coach, teacher, writer, and speaker Pilar Stella helps individuals and organizations balance head and heart. Her gift is bringing people together in ways that honor both differences and commonalities. [www.pilarstella.com]
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father. entrepreneur. abc conceptualist.
Dmitri Leonov is an entrepreneur working to make the world a better place through technology at Sanebox.com. He spends his free time playing music and thinking about how to make the world a better place in general. [www.leonov.org]
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