
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
love it all

“Simply Human” by Eric Lumiere
What is meaningful to me? The moments that fill me up, overflow me, teach me, move me. These can be joyous, fun, sad, depressing, frustrating, loving, painful, or euphoric. It’s often the challenging moments in my life that have the potential to move me and teach me the most. In the human experience, learning is a constant, and I’ve found that the most fulfilling perspective is one of love and gratitude – because everyone and everything is teaching me, growing me, and assisting me in living a higher, more joyful and purposeful life.
In this way of living, life starts to become a gift and a blessing rather than a challenge to get through. Long periods of sadness, frustration, and darkness shrink from months to weeks, weeks to days, days to hours, and even from minutes to seconds. That’s because choosing to love it all reinforces itself. It always works, but I have to choose it for it to work. Choosing to love it all doesn’t mean ignoring emotion and putting on a smiley face. It means letting the emotions do their dance and expressing them the best way I can. Then I move on. I move on to loving. I move on to the truth that I will be OK (and probably laugh about it later).
Why not be OK and laugh now? Even when I can’t convince myself to laugh, even when everything seems down, I keep persisting, keep reminding myself that I am here to learn, that everything is a mirror and every experience can be a stepping stone – and it’s my choice to use it as one. That’s my power and our power as human beings.
When I’m upset or sad, frustrated or hurt, I know there’s something inside me that can be strengthened and looked at, something honest and (probably) vulnerable … and I know that this moment, even if it holds nothing else positive, is for healing, for growing, for learning, for loving. This moment is a gift. And I am powerful enough to see it and receive it. We are all powerful enough. Like any skill, learning to love it all takes a little practice and a willingness to let go.
Loving it all is the skill of skills. When we master this, we master the largest aspect of life: our inner experience. What we go through is ALL for us.
– Eric Lumiere
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