
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
being myself

Living my personal bliss is my main focus these days. It’s not only blissful, but practical. This is when I feel most alive, connected and grateful. My bliss really just comes from being my true self, full-time. Still working on the “full-time” part.
I schedule in what I call the ingredients for my bliss day. I look at what brings me the most bliss for the buck. I invite others to do the same…to really look at what brings them the most joy and to schedule those things into their day as they would any other essentials, like brushing their teeth. I feel blessed because my “work” is very much part of my bliss day. In fact, if I notice I need a bliss boost, I actually look to schedule in more clients!
Connecting is also a big part of my bliss. Whether it’s connecting to myself, others or spirit, it’s really all the same. I call it the “connection three-fer”. When I connect to one, I connect to all. It’s quite a bargain!
I’ve also found the simple act of acknowledgment to very powerful. When we acknowledge whatever we’re feeling in the moment (no matter what it is “good” or “bad”), we’re actually practicing unconditional love and acceptance. Isn’t that what we all want?
One of the simplest ways I believe I impact others is by expressing my enthusiasm for whatever it is they’re feeling in the moment. This is often a very foreign experience for most…to actually hear enthusiasm about something they’ve perhaps been hiding their entire lives or have felt shame about.
Why am I enthusiastic? Because what they’re voicing is their true, authentic experience. What could be better than that? It would actually be insane to voice or believe anything other. Plus, this exercise is pretty much guaranteed to invoke laughter. You can imagine a person who was just previously terrified to even acknowledge their truth to themselves, a few minutes later, is expressing it out loud with full acceptance and sheer enthusiasm. The truth really does set us free.
I also remind people to have compassion for themselves. Facing old wounds can feel terrifying, even like death. Because often, at the onset of those wounds, it actually felt like death. So we put on armor to stay safe. Of course, now the paradox is that it’s our armor that’s causing our deepest wounds. Not to mention just how cumbersome it is to walk around in that heavy armor all the time!
True safety comes from dropping our armor. True strength comes from exposing our vulnerabilities. And to truly become “somebody” in this world, we must truly be ourselves.
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