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. TED-talker. no-bullsh**er.
Sophie Chiche, founder of lifebyme.com, is the single mom of an amazing 16-year-old, Leah, and wicked step-mom of 22-year-old, Sarah. They all live in LA. You can find them boxing, cooking, collaging, hosting brunches, laughing their head off or bickering over who’s washing and who’s drying the dishes.
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
the loving
Jan Shepherd
transformational coach. writer. vision clarifier.
Jan Shepherd is a transformational coach and a featured blogger on The Huffington Post. www.janshepherd.com
Love is one of those wonderful English words that can be both a noun (a thing) and a verb (an action). For me, it’s best when it’s both at the same time, as in “Nothing is more important than the loving.”
Love is my guiding life principle. Whenever I have a decision to make or an activity to undertake, love is my reference. I use it as both my compass and my North Star. Love is not only what makes life sweet, but also what lights my way when I find myself in the dark. Love comforts me in the silence.
When I weighed 350 pounds, love is what I had to learn to give myself unconditionally in order to finally understand that the weight I was carrying was about self-abandonment and self-rejection. Once I poured acceptance and loving into myself, the radiance of that loving molded into one of the keys of my transformation. By learning to accept myself – fat and all, by learning how to make it okay to be me exactly the way I was, I also learned how to love myself and use that energy to become the 135-pound me I am today. Loving is the alchemy of transformation.
There’s certainly nothing new about the dream of a life that’s love-centric. Poets and spiritual teachers have been pointing the way for centuries, and we’ll all wake up to it in our own time. I’ve been blessed with wonderful children, remarkable grandchildren, and close, faithful friends and teachers who’ve helped me transform through the loving they’ve demonstrated. Thankfully, I’m now able to pay it forward.
The world has a way of reminding us that no one is exempt from what they’ve come to learn. Sometimes those lessons can seem daunting. At those times, nothing is more important than the loving.
- Jan Shepherd
Explore More Meaning
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filmmaker. writer. word maker-upper.
Stephanie Angel is the founder and Executive Director of Angelight Films, a non-profit production company that helps children with brain tumors express themselves by creating their own short films. www.angelightfilms.org
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journalist. advocate. godfather of slow.
Journalist Carl Honoré has written for The Economist, The Observer, and National Post, but he is best known for his advocacy of the Slow Movement. www.carlhonore.com
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bestselling author. transformative educator. creator.
Katherine Woodward Thomas is the bestselling author of Calling in “The One.” She’s a licensed psychotherapist, speaker, transformative educator, and co-creator of the Feminine Power Global Community. www.femininepower.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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music therapist. speaker. drum healer.
Christine Stevens is an internationally acclaimed author, music therapist, and speaker. She founded UpBeat Drum Circles, offering personal growth seminars and programs for corporate teambuilding and diversity training. www.ubdrumcircles.com
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musician. dad. digital renaissance man.
Mike Meeker is a father, musician, yogi, surfer, and digital renaissance man. His mission is to inspire his audience as he finds creative ways to affect the quality of the day. www.mikemeeker.com
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Photographer. Artist. Soul Revealer.
Alexandra DeFurio is a photographer who specializes in portraits that reveal women’s real beauty. www.defuriophotography.com
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nut butter aficionado. ceo. green visionary.
Justin Gold, Founder and CEO of Justin’s Nut Butter, says he can’t live without his maple almond butter, snow covered mountains, or moments that make his heart race. www.justinsnutbutter.com
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