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
forgiving
Heide Banks
relationship expert. author. partnership rep.
Heide Banks is a nationally recognized relationship expert, a bestselling author, and a TV personality. She's the official representative to the United Nations for The Center for Partnership Studies. [www.heidebanks.com]
My life is about forgiveness. In the work I’ve done with myself and others over the last 20 years, I’ve found that unless we really understand forgiveness and are willing to do it, our lives are half-lived.
Life is a series of experiences. Some of them leave us wounded or less than whole. We’re told that time heals all wounds, but it doesn’t. It buries the wounds in our subconscious. Then we try to start a new business or create deeper intimacy in our relationships or be a better parent – whatever journey we’re on at the time – and we wonder why it’s not successful, why we don’t feel all the joy and fulfillment we know is possible. It’s because the places where we lack forgiveness hold us back.
We mistakenly think that if we’ve been wounded in love it only affects our love life. Since he broke your heart, you’re not going to get into another intimate relationship. Yet in your career, you’re only getting so far. I’ve seen over and over again that when people forgive in one area of their life, like love, other areas, like career, jump ahead. They go from being happy enough to being fulfilled in a much greater way. There’s a new sense of ease and grace. It’s because they’ve freed themselves from a load of judgment and that old weight lifts from every part of their life.
The other thing I really care about is redefining forgiveness. In my experience, forgiveness is a process, an intention. Once we start out to forgive, what often happens is that a lot of anger and rage surfaces. There’s a part inside that’s so in need of loving at that moment. That’s where the real work in forgiveness starts, in looking inside at the wounded places and loving the parts that hurt.
Once we start to do that, we reach a state of neutrality or equanimity. Then we can approach whoever or whatever is bothering us. Until we get to that place, we blame them rather than taking the gift of the wound, which is the ability to heal and love ourselves.
Often, we don’t enter into forgiveness because when we look at what’s hurting us or where we’re in judgment, we create a memory of lost possibilities. Having the courage to look at lost possibilities is not easy. But rather than hold our hearts hard to what might have been, when we look and forgive we heal our whole lives.
So love like you’ve never been hurt before. Forgive. And live.
– Heide Banks
Explore More Meaning
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tv diva. parenting coach. re-energizer.
Susan Segal has mastered the art of reinventing herself. She appeared on numerous television shows as an actress and as a lifestyle and fashion reporter. She runs her own parenting classes and combines various methods of child education.
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author. artful re-evaluator. hidden answer seeker.
The new book by Brian Solis, What's the Future of Business: Changing the way businesses create experiences, explores the landscape of connected consumerism and how business and customer relationships unfold in four distinct moments of truth. [www.wtfbusiness.com]
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environment harmonizer. author. clutter clearer.
Stephanie Bennett Vogt, MA, is an award-winning author and the founder of SpaceClear, a teaching and consulting practice dedicated to cultivating a clear home and a spacious life. [www.spaceclear.com]
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venture investor. creative adventurer. giver.
Tammy Camp is a venture investor, company advisor, and adventure traveler. She's taken part in numerous successful business endeavors, including facilitating over a billion dollars in sales. [www.tammycamp.com]
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teacher of good. honest marketer. lover of vegan cheesecake.
Corrina Gordon-Barnes is a Certified Professional Coach specializing in supporting women who want to turn their passion into a profitable business. [www.youinspireme.co.uk]
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education reformer. author. genius.
Sir Ken Robinson, PhD, is an author and internationally recognized leader in the development of creativity, innovation, and human resources in the new global economies. [www.sirkenrobinson.com]
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writer. creator. game maker.
Lynn Zavaro guides others to know themselves and create the life they want. She's a writer, painter, teacher, and the creator of The Game of You. [www.gameofyou.com]
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fearless lady. radio inspirer. challenge acceptor.
Fenesha Hubbard helps women use their innate intuitive abilities to create profound changes in their lives. Find her teaching Kemetic Yoga, facilitating group learning sessions, and serving up fuel for your mind and soul on her radio show. [fenesha.com]
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