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
redhead
Zara Larsen
leadership consultant. business coach. proud redhead.
Dr. Zara Larsen is a change leadership consultant and business coach. Her weekly radio show encourages us to create our own path by walking on it. www.thelarsengroup.com
My favorite children’s book is Elmer, by David McKee. Elmer is a brightly colored patchwork elephant known amongst the grey herd for his animated antics. His ideas are the source of the herd’s games, jokes, and happiness. One day, Elmer awakes unhappy and decides he’s tired of being so different, tired of being patchwork. In his quest to become ordinary, Elmer rolls in elephant-colored berries. He returns to the herd incognito, only to discover how still, silent, and sullen his family and friends have become without him. When a sudden thunderstorm reveals Elmer’s true colors, the herd responds gleefully to what they think was another of Elmer’s jokes. They laugh and laugh. An old elephant says, “Oh, Elmer, what would we do without you?”
In so many ways, we’re pushed and pulled to be the same as others, to live up to others’ definitions of success. I believe real joy and lifelong fulfillment come from going beyond allowing ourselves to be different and on to celebrating our uniqueness and helping others celebrate theirs.
An obvious way I’m different is that I’m a tall, lanky redhead. But I’m different in other ways, too. From early on, my parents cheered me on to be and do whatever I wanted to be and do. For me, that meant pioneering, maximizing my talents, always being on the lookout for a new challenge, and taking and learning from risks. Not until later in life did it strike me that fitting in is so expected of us and there are penalties for standing out. Though staying below the radar screen and following the pack bring some form of acceptance and comfort, they don’t help us as individuals or collectively.
My husband gave me the Elmer book when I was in the midst of guiding a cross-company merger ripe with business benefits yet troubled by a clash of cultures. As I read about Elmer I realized again that what equipped me most to guide the merger was being different and knowing that others counted on me to be different. Being different also allowed me to heal afterwards in my own best way and to press on to the next chapter in my career.
As Elmer’s story reveals, those around us – family, friends, colleagues, and the greater world – really do need us to be more of who we are, not less. So, whether you’re redheaded or patchwork or anything else that’s different, take pride in standing out in your own way.
- Zara Larsen
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adventurer. guide. life-lover.
Jen Whalen is an enthusiastic life-lover, guide, and the founder of True North Adventures – a soul-centered business with an experiential approach to fully engaging in the adventure of life. www.seektruenorth.com
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entrepreneur. author. philosophical adventurer.
Mike Dooley, a former PriceWaterhouseCoopers international tax consultant, is an entrepreneur, inspirational author, and founder of a philosophical Internet Adventurer’s Club with more than 350,000 members. www.tut.com
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unbinder. love giver. greek goddess.
Inspiring teacher and published author Agapi Stassinpoulos conducts seminars worldwide for men and women, empowering them to recognize their individual gifts and create the lives they want. www.unbindingtheheart.com
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art supporter. real dreamer. voice finder.
Justin Oswald is on the board of directors at p:ear, an organization serving disadvantaged youth in Portland, Oregon. He knows how to make big dreams a reality. www.pearmentor.org
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infant toddler development specialist. educator. educarer.
Elizabeth Memel is an infant toddler development specialist, adult educator, and author who studied for many years with Magda Gerber, founder of Resources for Infant Educarers. www.authenticbabies.com
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author. speaker. barefoot runner.
Through his books, lectures, and worldwide coaching, bestselling co-author Michael Sandler helps people reconnect with the earth, their inner child, and the joy and health of being alive. www.RunBare.com
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blogger. mother. possibility creator.
Claudia Pornaro is a mother, blogger, writer, and creator of amazing possibilities – now that she knows what she want to be when she grows up. www.facebook.com/claudiapornaro
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seahawk leader. sporty spirit. fun seeker.
Pete Carroll is the head coach of the Seattle Seahawks and inspired Winforever, a system of success for those who compete to maximize their potential in sports, entertainment, philanthropy, business, and life. www.winforever.com
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