
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
children

My big commitment in life is children. I’ll do anything for them. One of the things I do is help parents consider their decision before they have a child, to look at how they’re going to raise their child and what kind of education they’ll give them. Being conscious about issues like education can completely transform the world.
Though I’ve always loved kids and have worked with them since I was a teenager, I didn’t become a teacher because I didn’t believe in our educational system. Then, when I was in my 30s, my whole life changed. I started asking myself What’s really important? and What’s meaningful to me? Through those questions, I found a way to become a teacher, by going through the one-year training and becoming a Montessori teacher.
What’s bursting out of me now is designing a new model of education, a model people can duplicate all over the world. One aspect of that model is bringing in leaders from the community to meet with the children, to share their passion and vision with the children and create with them.
The path I’m on now was deeply affected by losing my son two and a half years ago when he was almost four years old. He had an inoperable brain tumor. It’s alright. I’m alright. He’s an angel now, guiding my life, so I’m very grateful. He’s taken me to places I never thought I could go, so it’s been more of a joyful journey than a sad one.
When my son was ill, it took about eight months for him to transition and up until the very end I expected a miracle. We had hundreds of people around the world praying for him and I kept believing he was going to heal. Near the end, I had to surrender. When I got to that place, I felt like either life wasn’t worth living or I was giving up my little boy for the highest good, for something bigger. At that time, with my entire being, I had a feeling I was saying, “Here I am. Show me what I must do so I can see the higher purpose, so I’m completely in service to the highest good, whatever that may be.” Now, being in service feels like it spreads the gift I received from my son.
Every day when I wake up, I ask, “Okay, what am I to do today? What’s the next step? And what’s the next step?” That’s my life.
– Anna Krajec
lifebyme.com would like to congratulate Anna on a successful Third Annual Green Valentines Festival. The Festival’s mission is to nurture a global, caring community. You certainly inspire us, Anna! www.GreenValentines.net


Explore More Meaning
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shona tribe member. rooted achiever. happiness chooser.
Moleen Madziva was raised in Zimbabwe, in the village community of Macheke. Having witnessed her community sink further into poverty, she founded the Macheke Sustainability Project. She is studying for a PhD in Sustainability Education. [www.machekeproject.org]
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