Jack Canfield Jack Canfield 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]

 
Arianna Huffington Arianna Huffington 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]

 
Seth Godin Seth Godin author. speaker. linchpin.

Seth Godin is a prominent author, blogger and speaker. [www.squidoo.com/linchpin]

 
Krishna Kaur Krishna Kaur 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]

 
Norman Lear Norman Lear 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]

 
Leilani Münter Leilani Münter 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]

 
Kevin Bales Kevin Bales 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]

 
Sophie Chiche Sophie Chiche 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]

 
Mastin Kipp Mastin Kipp 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]

 
Liz Phair Liz Phair singer. musician. crier.

Liz Phair is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. [www.lizphair.com]

 
Desmond Tutu Desmond Tutu 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]

 
Zainab Salbi Zainab Salbi 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]

 
Sean Stephenson Sean Stephenson 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]

 
Kia Miller Kia Miller 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]

 
Simon Mainwaring Simon Mainwaring 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]

 
Shannon Bindler Shannon Bindler 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]

 
Mathieu Bitton Mathieu Bitton 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]

 
Jorge Perez Jorge Perez 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

 

berries

Elissa Kravetz Elissa Kravetz pr maven. bully stopper. lillee lover.

Elissa Kravetz and her sister co-founded Kravetz & Company Public Relations. Elissa also founded The Farley Project, dedicated to putting a stop to bullying. [www.kravetzpr.com]

My family and friends are very important to me. I love connecting with them, but I also like connecting with strangers on the street. If I see someone on the street who looks sad, my heart goes out to them. I look them in the eyes and smile and often I get a smile back. That’s meaningful to me. I feel that in my heart.

Someone recently put into words something I hadn’t quite realized about myself. They said, “You always want to be there for the underdog.” Maybe because I was bullied, I developed huge compassion at a young age. When I wanted to open my own PR firm, I said to my mentor at the time, “I’m going to do this for the nice girls. I’m going to do this and be nice.”

Before I learned the difference between being reactive and proactive, which I learned through Kabbalah, I’d say, “I’m tired. I’m bitchy. That’s just how I am today.” Now I say, “Elissa, you’re being reactive. Just stop. Take a minute. Take a deep breath. Come back.” Being reactive can snowball – we take how we’re feeling in one situation into another situation and it snowballs throughout the day. It can be hard to pull out of that, but we have to. It’s worth it.

Having a dog like Lillee helps. I’ve grown up with and been around dogs my whole life, and Lillee is a creature from above, an angel living on this earth. I get so much joy from her. She could be a therapy dog. When people see her from across the street, their hearts smile.

Lillee used to be a little chunky. When the vet said Lillee had to lose weight, I started playing ball with her after work every day for 20 minutes. No matter how I feel, no matter how crazy stressful my day has been, those moments fill me with joy. Seeing Lillee’s face as she runs to me, seeing her smile with the ball in her mouth, her tail wagging so fast it goes around in a circle – I live for those moments.

There’s so much good here for us. I look at a bowl of berries and think, “These are so beautiful. They taste so good. They smell so good. They’re so good for me.” That attitude – that there’s so much good here for us – only requires a simple switch in our thinking. It’s not always easy, but it is simple.

– Elissa Kravetz

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