
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
live

About eight years ago, I took a major turn – I stopped drinking and doing drugs. I said to myself, “Come on, man, get it together.” As I was getting sober, I was so happy to have found some kind of relief, because it had seemed like there was no end in sight. Then, seven months later, one of my closest friends died of a drug overdose. We were both 22 at the time. He was my running buddy. He’d ask me, “Dude, how are you not drinking? What are you doing?”
He was an amazing guy. I dream about him often and think about him every day. I go to his gravesite. I’d love to speak to him. I could easily have taken a turn for the worse when he died – picked up a drink to not have to deal with it all. Instead, his death added fuel to my fire. It became even more important for me to move forward.
What’s most meaningful to me at this point in my life is staying out of my own head. If I’m walking around thinking — What do I need to do? What do I need to get? What do I need to fix? What’s wrong with other people? What’s wrong with me? – I miss opportunities to be of service. We can feel when people are having a bad day or are wrapped up in fear. I try to smile or wave or let someone go in front of me when I’m driving – even little things can make a difference to someone.
It’s a constant challenge and an opportunity for me to see what I’m made of spiritually. What helps me stay on track and get back on track is bringing my awareness to the situation and focusing on the first line of the “Serenity Prayer,” by Reinhold Niebuhr: “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change.” By doing things like meditation, prayer, exercising, being kind to myself, and saying nice things to myself throughout the day, I find that place of serenity.
I’d like to thank my friend who died for giving me one of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned in my life, one that’s allowed me to continue to learn more lessons. He taught me to live.
– George Resch


Explore More Meaning
-
possibility enthusiast. forward mover. creative renegade.
Using her psychology background and experiences in settings as diverse as jails, middle schools, and boardrooms Michelle Welsch founded Project Exponential, a series of curated networking experiences delighting people into personal growth. [www.projectexponential.com]
- More
Comments