
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]

Arianna Huffington is the co-founder and Editor in Chief of the Huffington Post and the author of twelve books. [www.huffingtonpost.com]

Seth Godin is a prominent author, blogger and speaker. [www.squidoo.com/linchpin]

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]

Norman Lear has enjoyed a long career in television and film. He is also a political and social activist and philanthropist. [www.normanlear.com]

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]

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]

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]

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]

Liz Phair is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. [www.lizphair.com]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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
well-being

Ever since I can remember, I’ve dreamt of feeling at peace. Not feeling peaceful for a while, for a week or a month or a year, but having a constant inner peace that nothing and no one can damage. Raised in a family with an alcoholic father, I was more familiar with feelings of fear and tension. The difference between my dream and the reality was best described by the word imbalance. That experience of imbalance marked the beginning of my search for peace and well-being.
After many years, hundreds of books, hundreds of big and small experiences, and many meaningful conversations, I finally found it. Well, I didn’t really find it, I re-connected with it. It’s always been here. The most meaningful moments of my life have been learning that amazing fact and discovering the nature of thought. At first, I resisted. It all sounded so unrealistic. I was used to thinking of well-being as being determined by external factors – a good job, x amount of money, a great partner. The idea that nothing has to be done or achieved and no one has to do or not do anything in order for me to feel happy and at peace seemed crazy. Yet something about it also made sense. Understanding how my thinking shapes my experiences has completely transformed my life. Nothing’s really changed, but everything looks completely different. My dream of peace and well-being is real.
Now, when I get irritated or stressed, I know those are just thoughts. I don’t dwell on them. I let them pass by. Stopping for a moment and knowing that right now I’m fundamentally fine allows me to quickly reconnect with my well-being anytime I need to.
I’ve now dedicated my life to sharing this knowledge and facilitating the process for others so they can experience it for themselves. Meaningful life is created from the inside and I’m always looking for a twinkle in someone’s eyes. That’s how I know they’re here and that’s how I know I’m here J. And when they’re here and I’m here – miracles happen!
– Maggie Gilewicz
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