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
inspiration
Brenda Adelman
moving actor. encouraging coach. forgiveness advocator.
Brenda Adelman is the recipient of a Hero of Forgiveness award from the Hawaii Forgiveness Project. She facilitates workshops based on her ebook, My Father Killed My Mother and Married My Aunt: Forgiving the Unforgivable. [www.forgivenessandfreedom.com]
My father shot my mother in the head and killed her. Within a month he moved in with her sister—my aunt—and shortly thereafter they married. This was a defining point in my life. Was it an act of rage mixed in with undiagnosed mental illness, greed (divorce can be very expensive in New York), and lives lived without tools for coping? I think so.
This is the thing – I loved my parents. I was an adult when this happened, but they were everything to me. After plunging into a depression, thinking about taking my own life, as well as fantasizing about taking my father’s, I could no longer live with this hatred that was new to me. My first step to truly healing was honestly acknowledging how angry I was at my father (and that meant losing my relationship with him). I had to courageously uncover my self-hatred and change the behavior that went along with it.
By writing a monologue about these events for my acting class, I unleashed my creativity, vulnerability, and my strength. Looking at all the characters of my life as three-dimensional beings helped me to forgive the judgments I held against my parents. And with the release of the judgments, freedom came. I forgave my father and yet never saw him again. Then I went to school and received a Master’s Degree in Spiritual Psychology. I wanted to learn how to transcend this tragedy and no longer feel like a victim to my life circumstances.
What’s important to me now? Being present, being a loving partner, raising my son consciously, and acknowledging when I’m feeling down or upset. In addition to taking radical responsibility for my feelings and thoughts, I make sure to release any negative emotions and thoughts in a healthy way.
I feel privileged to use my life story and my journey as a way to inspire others to let go of the past so they can experience an amazing NOW.
– Brenda Adelman
Explore More Meaning
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me embracer. inner journeyer. wellness warrior.
Ava Sydney is the founder of Body Temple LA, a website created for everyone who wants to enjoy optimum health and happiness. She is also a life coach, producer and nature photographer. [www.BodyTempleLA.com]
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spiritual teacher. truth finder. peace achiever.
Guy Finley is the best-selling author of more than 40 books and audio albums on self-realization. He is the founder and director of Life of Learning Foundation, a non-profit center for self-study. [www.guyfinley.org]
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psychotherapist. author. age celebrator.
Sarah Brokaw is a licensed therapist specializing in relational dynamics. She's an accomplished photographer, author, and philanthropist skilled at helping people individually and communally. [www.myfortytude.com]
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celluloid visionary. abandoner of ordinary. awe seeker.
Television personality, filmmaker and philosopher, Jason Silva has been described as "part Timothy Leary, part Ray Kurzweil, and part Neo from The Matrix." He recently launched a series of non-commercial micro documentaries exploring the co-evolution of human and technology.
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knowledge seeker. perspective shifter. obsessive googler.
Ebony Utley, PhD, is an expert in popular culture, race, and romantic relationships. She's a public speaker, a professor, and the author of Rap and Religion: Understanding the Gangsta's God. [www.theutleyexperience.com]
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jokester. humorous healer. quick quipper.
Actor, comic, and writer, Teddy Margas, is co-founder of the Queers of Comedy. He's appeared in StreepTease, Margaret Cho's Blind Dinner Party, and The Women of Woody, An Evening of Iconic Woody Allen Women performed by an All-Male Cast. [www.teddymargas.com]
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listener. describer. activist.
Author Kirsten Olson is Chief Listening Officer at Old Sow Consulting. She's a founding board member of IDEA, a national not-for-profit that forwards democratic practices in education. [www.kirstenolson.org]
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author. spiritual transformer. teacher.
Jonathan Parker is an author and spiritual counselor with more than 30 years of experience teaching energy healing and enlightenment. He founded Quantum Quests International, Inc. [www.JonathanParker.org]
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