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
great day
Drai
designer. conscious brand manager. wild redhead.
Drai is a priestess, song keeper, mother, wife, and artist. As founder of Wild Redhead Design, she loves to partner with folks who are making a difference. [www.myspace.com/wildredheaddesign/blog]
Years ago, my dear sister and friend Kelli was diagnosed with cancer. We were all devastated. A three year journey began, one that changed her life, and mine, forever. One day, unexpectedly, things changed. It was like she suddenly knew it was the end. She gave her things away. She laughed. She told her employees how wonderful her experiences with them had been. She quieted. That night, with family and friends by her side, she sighed and announced, “I’ve had a great day!” We tucked her in and began planning for the next day, but out of the clear blue, Kelli died.
“I’ve had a great day!” was the last thing Kelli ever said. That changed my life. Until then, I’d lived a life full of adventure, activity, and success, but also terrible challenges and pains. Life seemed very hard and unfair. Some days, my life felt like an unbearable struggle.
The day Kelli died, I went home and took a giant black marker and wrote on my bedroom wall in great big letters “I’ve had a great day!” I pondered. For weeks, I stared at that statement as I lay in bed, mystified. I couldn’t understand how a dying woman could feel so happy and pleased with such a day, a day when she knew she was leaving the planet, her life cruelly stolen by an unwanted cancerous invader. I couldn’t understand, but I decided she’d given me a gift and it was my duty to unwrap it.
Every day, I made myself write down five things I was grateful for that might constitute a great day. I discovered I mostly had very difficult days, days I had to dig deeply to find five things. To my surprise, I managed to find five things on every kind of day. Often, they were the simplest of things, such as the wonderful smell of my daughter’s hair.
Through that activity, I “got it,” deep in my cells, and everything shifted. I realized that, nested among the messy bits, beauty surrounds me all the time and every day actually IS a great day! Imagine that?! Now, wonder, joy, and delight come to the foreground and I recognize that everything, good and bad, is an integral part of my journey and the making of ME. This life I’ve been given is truly a miracle. I’m grateful and filled and sated. It feels … well, great.
When asked what’s meaningful about my life, I answer: life itself.
Thanks, Kel , you made all the difference in the world!
– Drai
Explore More Meaning
-
Writer. Performing Artist. Educator.
Camille Maurine, author of Meditation Secrets for Women and Meditation 24/7, and creator of Moving Theater, gives performances and workshops worldwide. [www.camillemaurine.com]
-
social/spiritual activist. forest preserver. bridge builder.
Jes Richardson is a social/spiritual activist whose issues change protesting the Vietnam War, working with Cesar Chavez's Farm Workers, building a bridge of hearts to Iran but who always comes from a place of love. [www.BridgeofHearts.org]
-
hand model. artistic explorer. inner excavator.
Adele Uddo is a super hand model, but please don't judge a girl from the wrist down. She's also a writer, determined to contribute more to society than nice nail beds. [www.adeleuddo.com]
-
singer. songwriter. musician.
Glass Pear is Welsh singer/songwriter Yestyn Griffiths, whose songs are about the fragility and transience of life and love. His songs have been heard on Grey's Anatomy, Bones, and other popular shows. [www.glasspearmusic.com]
-
writer. single mom. awakened soul.
Dawn Garcia is a writer, screenwriter, editor, single mom, believer of dreams, beauty, truth, and hope. Since the moment she could put pen to paper she knew she had found her purpose. [www.atodmagazine.com]
-
therapist. conscious chef. wave balancer.
Chef and Culinary Coach Caspar Poyck's business, Consciously Culinary, is well-known throughout the central and southern California coastal regions. [www.consciouslyculinary.com]
-
depression overcomer. potential pusher. scoutie girl.
Tara Gentile is a business strategist for entrepreneurs making a difference through commerce. She specializes in guiding businesses towards people-focused development and service. [www.taragentile.com]
-
awakened director. inner-net listener. real food chooser.
Tom Shadyac is one of Hollywood's most prolific comedy directors. His latest project, the documentary I AM, takes a serious look at what's wrong with our world and examines what we can do about it. [www.iamthedoc.com]
- More
Comments