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
tea party
Mike Meeker
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]
As I was thinking this morning about what’s meaningful to me, before talking on the phone about it, my daughter asked me to have a tea party with her. I said, “Gia, no. I’m going to be on a phone call soon and I need to prepare.” After a few minutes, I thought, “If I’m not prepared now to answer the question of what’s meaningful to me, I’m not ever going to be prepared.” So I stopped had a tea party with Gia.
What’s meaningful to me is spending time with family and friends and people who inspire me. I’m inspired by hanging out with my daughter. Children are such incredible teachers. They remind us of what it’s like to be naïve, in the best way possible, and peaceful. There aren’t often a whole lot of worries when you’re a kid.
What’s also meaningful to me is being able to identify thoughts and emotions as just thoughts and emotions. For so long, I was confused because I identified myself with my feelings and thoughts. They belong to us, but they’re not us. They’re energy in a particular pattern. Our bodies and emotions and thoughts are mini-models of the universe. Like using training wheels on a bike, we can learn to control them so they’re not controlling us.
In my daily life, I forget this about thoughts and emotions all the time and act otherwise all the time, yet there are moments every day when I remember. It’s in those remembering moments that I realize, “Oh, I don’t have to feel this way. I can feel any way I want.” Then I take steps in that direction and within minutes my whole vibration has changed and I’m in a completely different mood. Being able to do that is an ah-ha every day for me.
What’s meaningful to me is remembering this about thoughts and feelings and applying it in everyday conversation, whether it’s with someone I work with or with my daughter.
The next frontier is mastery, continuing toward a state of being imperturbable, holding a way of being that’s positive and inspiring to myself and others around me, all day, every day.
– Mike Meeker
Explore More Meaning
-
Author. Speaker. Empowerer.
Best-selling author Mary Morrissey has been a consultant for over 30 years. Her transformational talks and seminars have made her one of the world's leading teachers in the human potential movement. [www.marymorrissey.com]
-
life savorer. grandson. routine thrower-outer.
Ethan Greenberg is a 16-year-old who lives life with curiosity and ambition to find out how he can make his own impact on the world.
-
poet. photographer. lover.
Lynda Filler is a poet, author, photographer, and would-be public speaker who lives in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. She has two published poetry books and is currently working on two memoir/biographies. [www.thelovefix.com]
-
emoter. now chaser. crisis averter.
BJ Panda Bear is the natural blonde bombshell with the heart of gold entertaining through DJing, hosting events, and producing visual and audio works that shines light on the ups and downs of futurity. [www.BJPandaBear.com]
-
community maven. yoga instructor. living example.
Rita James is a community events expert who realized that if she didn't go within she'd go without. What resonates from within is teaching yoga and being an example to her children.
-
appreciative son. moment cogitator. lesson learner.
Jeff Semigran is a senior at UC Berkeley studying environmental and civil engineering. He is an alumnus of the Teen Insight Seminars and Leadership series. This piece is part of the Insight University and Life By Me week of giving back. www.givingtuesday.org/insight-university
-
education advocate. author. innovator.
Author Lisa Nielsen is an outspoken advocate of learning innovatively. She works to help schools and districts educate in real and innovative ways that prepare students for success. [http://theinnovativeeducator.blogspot.com]
-
melody maker. musical poet. aspiring artist.
Mason Summit began performing and writing his own songs at an early age. Since then, he's played all over, including playing regularly at the Rapp Saloon in Santa Monica. He recently finished recording his first CD of original songs.
- More
Comments