
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
choice

What’s important to me is being in integrity and knowing that we create our lives in the way we want them to be created. We do this through the choices we make.
We come in knowing we’re a bright light and we learn through a series of things that happen and from the people who come into and go out of our lives what helps us shine that light or makes us turn it down, hide it, and be less than we are.
I’ve lost my light several times. Well, you can’t lose it. I stopped sending my light out into the world and it felt dimmed. After some of the things that happened, I forgot I was the one who had to turn it back up. Over 20 years, I became angrier and more of a victim. One night, I dropped to my knees and said, “I don’t want to be this way anymore. I want my light back.”
Choosing is a continual journey of staying the course, no matter what or who seems to be sabotaging us. We always have the choice to bounce back, to choose again, to think a higher thought, to shine our light.
When we get off track, the first thing to do is realize it and the easiest way to do that is through our feelings – like when we feel angry or sad or victimized. It takes being present and conscious enough to see what’s going on and realize, Well, this is poop I don’t want to step in and stay in. When we shut off our light, we don’t feel good. It’s a no-brainer. When we’re shining our light and our heart center is full and open, it’s really hard to feel those negative emotions.
Then comes the choice of shifting back into the light. It’s sometimes the hardest part, because we want to use our stories instead, starting with “Yeah, but ….” “Yeah, but they hurt me.” “Yeah, but she wasn’t honest.” “Yeah, but he didn’t do his job.” The place we get stuck is waiting for the world to give us something so we can shine our light. When I get the job. When I find the relationship. When I have the money. When my health is better. It’s really the other way around. It’s our joy that creates all those other things. It’s our light that creates them, but we’ve got to be the director of that light.
– Dee Wallace


Explore More Meaning
-
holistic helper. working mama. constant questioner.
Tara Hantske is a Board-Certified Holistic Health Counselor, a member of the American Association of Drugless Practitioners and Team Northrup, and, most importantly, a mom. She helps people, especially moms, create health and balance. [www.tarahantskewellness.com]
-
soul teacher. passionate writer. proud introvert.
Tamisha Ford, MBA, is a strengths strategist, assertiveness coach, and guide. She is the Founder of Strong & Soulful Living, which helps people embrace their strengths and spirituality in a socially saturated and distracted culture. [www.tamishaford.com]
- More
Comments