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
surrender
Susan Pohlman
writer. teacher. expert relocator.
Susan Pohlman is a freelance writer based in Scottsdale, Arizona. She's an award-winning author, published essayist, and short film wordsmith. [www.susanpohlman.com]
Surrender is a loaded word, conjuring up images of defeat. Growing up with five brothers, I learned early on that only the strong survive. Life was about winning. Our days were a series of board games, contests, and secret clubs in the attic where we had to prove our worth to belong. Surrender was unthinkable unless we were being dangled by our feet over the third floor stairwell, and even then we did it with our fingers crossed behind our backs. Surrender was for sissies.
This philosophy framed my thinking as I ventured out into the world. I would win at life, too. I knew the rules. I knew how to be nice to others and work hard. Winning was fantastic! That is, until I started losing. Losing sleep, losing interest, losing a sense of real meaning and purpose to life amidst all the frenetic activity and endless repetition that filled my days. Something important was missing.
My marriage and family began to fall apart, and I along with it. I was so tired of competing that I wanted to fling the game board across the room and turn my head so I didn’t see where the pieces of my life scattered. One bleak day, I raised my white flag and did the unthinkable. I gave up. I put my future in God’s hands. When I look back now, I see that it had nothing to do with weakness.
Surrendering was the strongest moment of my life.
Choosing surrender as a lifestyle is about letting go of shoulds and musts and embracing life as it unfolds. It’s about living in the present and accepting ambiguity as part of a divine process. Trusting in a greater power to teach, guide, and reveal opportunity for good works when the time is right. Accepting that each of us is a Helper Bee, not the Queen. The moment I stopped controlling outcomes and threw away the almighty checklist was the moment magic, grace, and profound peace found their way back into my days.
It’s difficult to let go of cultural expectations. From a very young age we’re taught, consciously and subconsciously, what happiness is supposed to look like. Surrender demands that we push our hand, palm out and fingers spread wide, against the seductive pull of a materialistic culture that promises a deep, lasting peace it cannot provide. Letting go of these limiting cultural myths and norms allows us the freedom to reach within ourselves and find out who we’re meant to be.
– Susan Pohlman
Explore More Meaning
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muralist. creativity inspirer. permanent inker.
London native Shelley Cassidy's artwork has been displayed in numerous private homes, offices, upscale retail spaces, and Los Angeles International Airport. She teaches budding painters and knows there's an artist within each of us. [www.shelleycassidy.com]
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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]
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magazine founder. conversation sparker. inner beauty queen.
Concerned with the media focus on unrealistic body ideals, Alexis Wolfer founded the glamorous site The Beauty Bean, a free online magazine and newsletter focused on health and inner beauty. [www.thebeautybean.com]
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education reformer. author. genius.
Sir Ken Robinson, PhD, is an author and internationally recognized leader in the development of creativity, innovation, and human resources in the new global economies. [www.sirkenrobinson.com]
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self explorer. non-judger. surface scratcher.
Dr. Leslie Carr is a psychologist who is reluctant to give advice, preferring instead to help people figure out their best course of action no judgement allowed. [www.lesliecarr.com]
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narrative therapist. question asker. listener.
Larry Zucker is a narrative therapist who believes in people's abilities to create and find support for many different and wonderful ways of showing up in relationships and community. [www.larchmontassociates.com]
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champion of insights. strategist. scribbler.
Strategist and champion of insights, Julie Stuart combines the right questions with well-placed scribbles to envision what's possible for her clients and map out how to make what matters happen. [www.makingideasvisible.com]
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publishing pioneer. novelist. dot aficionado.
William Gladstone is a bestselling novelist, a literary agent for exceptional authors, and a publishing pioneer. He contributed to the creation of the first print-on-demand book publishing company and the first eBook publishing company. [http://12thebook.com]
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