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
practice
Jason Mraz
musician. songwriter. joy sharer.
Singer and songwriter Jason Mraz uses his voice to raise our spirits and his fame to raise awareness for charities, including the Free the Slaves organization. [www.JasonMraz.com]
My most meaningful moments are when I cruise down the street smiling for no reason other than joy. I’m always trying to get myself back to joy. How can I find my next joy? How can I share this joy so somebody else can experience the laughter, too?
In my shows and in my music in general, I want there to be a nice balance of sacred and silly so people feel comforted and joyous but also like they don’t have to take life too seriously. We can laugh at life. I can laugh at my painful experiences and know they were miracles that got me here.
From a very young age, the sacred and the silly were always there. In high school and college, my parlor trick was to make up songs about anything and make my parents and friends laugh. At some point, I realized there was more to it and I started making up songs about my emotions and experiences, my relationship to the sacred, ways I was healing myself, and things I was discovering. Then the parlor trick began to be of service in a way that called me into more power and into taking a greater leap of faith. Now, the minute I have a breakthrough or realization, I want to put that in a song and deliver it.
My current work has been just trusting and letting go, being grateful. Gratitude is usually what shifts my attention back to joy. Two practices get me out of a lot of situations. One is that I like to say – no matter what the situation, but particularly in traffic, “I choose traffic.” By choosing, I get my freedom. My other gratitude practice is to go straight for my senses. If there’s an annoyance, like a disturbing noise, I say, “You know, I’m grateful for my hearing.”
My greatest goal is to be able to see everyone and everything as God, and, in that, to be in awe constantly. Like, “Whoa, look at that. God just cut me off in traffic.” It’s been a new practice to solidify that and also to generate my own inner peace and radiate it outward so other people are affected. These tools I learn get me back faster to that place of peace and joy. It’s definitely a practice. We practice something because it isn’t easily mastered.
Charlie Bird Parker, sax player and co-founder of bebop music, said, “Practice, practice, practice. And then, when you finally get up there on the bandstand, forget all that and just wail.” In this I am moved.
– Jason Mraz
Explore More Meaning
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Writer. Linguist. Belly Laugher.
Sarah Samuel lives in a mouse-infested apartment in New York City with three best friends. She likes to draw comics, write, and talk about linguistics. Whatever the future has in store, she hopes it includes an exterminator.
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chairman. media mogul. nicher.
Jason Binn is the Founder and Chairman of Niche Media, one of the largest networks of exclusive, city-specific custom publishing companies in the country. [www.nichemediallc.com]
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educator. director of funding + outreach. life changer.
Laurie Grossman co-founded Mindful Schools, a public/private partnership program (one of the largest in the country), sponsored by Park Day School in Oakland, California. [www.mindfulschools.org]
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martial artist. manifestor. stuff relinquisher.
Anthony Capobianco is the founder of Zen Tea Traders where he shares his passion for tea with others through his company. [www.zenteatraders.com]
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intuitive healer. spirit medium. frequency changer.
With genuine warmth and gentle humor, Sandy Alemian is a messenger of hope, love, truth and healing. She is the author of two books, Congratulations...It's an Angel, and international bestseller What was God Thinking?! [www.sandyalemian.com]
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juxtaposer. course corrector. chicken soup maker.
Alan Cohen loves to extract lessons from the practical experiences of daily living and find beauty in the seeming mundane. He's an inspirational leader, author, and contributor for the Chicken Soup series. [www.alancohen.com]
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author. columnist. creative strategist.
Ayn Carrillo Gailey is a published author and creative strategist who uses words to power ideas, companies, and movements. [www.ayngailey.com]
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coach. black belt. clarifier.
Tristan Truscott is a Sensei (martial arts black belt), mindset coach, speaker, entrepreneur, and traveler who loves helping people create vibrant health, abundant wealth, and beautiful relationships. [www.satorimethod.com]
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