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
self-love
Anita Moorjani
near-death survivor. critic silencer. natural spirit.
Anita Moorjani is the bestselling author of Dying to be Me, the moving, true story of her near-death experience at the end stage of cancer. [www.anitamoorjani.com]
The most meaningful thing I’ve learned is that unless I love myself, nothing else in my life can function at its best. The amount of depth, meaning, and joy I experience in my life is in direct proportion to how much love I have for myself. The amount of love, kindness, and patience I have for others is also directly proportional to how much love I have for myself, because we can’t give others what we ourselves don’t have. Unsurprisingly, the amount of love, respect, support, and compassion I receive from others is also in direct proportion to how much I love myself.
Many of us are taught from a young age to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. But what if we don’t love ourselves? What if we’re our own worst enemy, our own harshest critic?
Learning to love others begins with learning to love ourselves unconditionally. This seems to be a well-kept secret, which no one taught me as I was growing up. On the contrary, I was encouraged from a young age to put myself last and told that it’s selfish to love ourselves or put ourselves first. I used to give and give of myself, without tending to my own needs, to the point that I became so drained it started to affect my health.
I constantly believed I needed to work on myself, because I wasn’t good enough as I was. I worked on being better, more loving, more spiritual. I was always judging myself because I never felt I made the mark.
And then I got cancer. I didn’t just get cancer, I nearly died from cancer. My cancer was the greatest gift I’ve ever had. Nearly dying taught me how to live. My cancer taught me the importance of loving and valuing myself unconditionally for who I am – a perfect being of the Universe, worthy and deserving of love, without needing to prove myself, better myself, or change myself in any way. I became aware that I have a right to express my uniqueness with abandon.
I now also understand that I don’t have to work at being spiritual. Being spiritual is who we are at the core, whether we realize it or not. It’s our true nature, so we can’t NOT be spiritual. Being authentic and being spiritual are the same thing.
– Anita Moorjani
Explore More Meaning
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community stretcher. flexible mama. simple doer.
Liz Eustace is a total yoga dawg who's savored hundreds of yoga classes throughout North America. She's a certified yoga teacher and the CEO and founder of an online community connecting people to yoga. [www.alignyo.com]
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singer. songwriter. masterpiece creator.
Chris Assaad left a promising career in law several years ago to pursue his dream in music. He’s been actively using his voice to enCOURAGE others to follow their dreams, express their creativity and live life to the fullest. [www.chrisassaad.com]
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writer. coach. inspired journeyer.
Bindu Wiles is a writer and a practicing Shambhala Buddhist. Through her creative coaching and online writing workshops, she supports people to heal, write, and create. [www.binduwiles.com]
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strategist. buddhist. light bearer.
Marc Sachnoff is a television producer, entrepreneur, marketing strategist, and a practicing Buddhist. He brings the Buddha to business, combining timeless wisdom and modern technology. [www.enlightenedent.com]
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Artist. Designer. Knitting Machine.
Joanne Abellera is the designer of KKIBO a collection of one-of-a-kind handmade knitwear creations. [www.kkibo.net]
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higher self guide. spiritual integrator. dolphin whisperer.
Matthew Joyce is a spirit guide. He founded Higher Self Guides to remind people that divine spirituality isn't just for mystics. It's for you, too. [www.higherselfguides.com]
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shadow reader. broken heart hugger. whole self lover.
Amanda Enclade is an unschooler, DIY educator, progressive parent, far-out thinker, non-conformist, foodie, lover, inventor, aromatherapist magic mixer, and healer of everyday things. [www.auntvis.com]
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heartfelt activist. truth detective. passionate space-seeker.
Bryant McGill is an internationally renowned author, essayist, speaker, and activist in the fields of self-development, personal freedom, and human rights. [www.bryantmcgill.com/vor]
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