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
family
Kern Konwiser
kin collaborator. judgement dropper. purity seeker.
Kern Konwiser is a writer, director, and producer who, along with his brother, has collaborated with the industry's most influential artists to create award-winning features in different media. [www.konwiserbros.com]
The only thing I consider consistent is family, whether it’s a family we were born into or one we make for ourselves. Everything else is temporal. It comes and it goes. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. Family is my baseline of what’s most important.
Family is about being a part of something bigger than myself. That helps me refocus my energies toward what’s most important and longest lasting. I don’t see that happening much in the rest of the world.
A big part of the reason my family and my kids are important to me is because of the purity they provide. I work in the entertainment business and there’s a huge lack of purity there. I work in a business and live in a city where everyone is focused on their own agenda. It’s a selfish society. Generally, people come to Los Angeles rather than growing up here. They come with a vision, a dream of what they’re going to do for themselves. It’s like crabs in a basket here. Everybody’s climbing over everybody else. I find it depressing. That’s why I take refuge in the simplicity of my children and the consistency of my family.
If I get off track, what helps is spending time with my children. They’re young – eight and five – so they still have a lot of innocence. Their world is small and pure. There’s just not a lot of stuff in it, and the things that are in it mostly make sense. Spending time seeing the world the way they see it reminds me and connects me. Simply by being themselves, they can clear away all the smoke and fog.
Our world views are shaped over time through a variety of influences, like the way we’re raised, the adversity we find along the way, and the lessons we take from it. I try to remind myself that there’s no good and no bad, no right and no wrong. There’s only what is. I try to not go into things with a judgment, with a story around it, but to deal with things in their basic form. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. It’s a nice sentiment, but it doesn’t always stick. What helps is eliminating distraction, finding silence, and being in that silence until I find clarity about what I need to do next.
– Kern Konwiser
Explore More Meaning
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friends alumna. folk singer. harmonic connector.
Maggie Wheeler is a mother, actress, voice-over artist, and co-director of the Golden Bridge Community Choir. Through her vocal workshop, Singing In The Stream, she invites people to step into to the joy of singing in community. [www.maggiewheeler.net]
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producer. human studier. tall tale teller.
Barrie Osborne is an Oscar winning producer whose body of work includes The Matrix and The Lord of the Rings trilogy. He is currently producing the movie, Syrup, and executive producing The Great Gatsby.
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unbinder. love giver. greek goddess.
Inspiring teacher and published author Agapi Stassinpoulos conducts seminars worldwide for men and women, empowering them to recognize their individual gifts and create the lives they want. [www.unbindingtheheart.com]
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story weaver. mystery buff. bull follower.
Author Kent Nerburn holds a PhD in religion and art. His most recent work completes a trilogy filled with spiritual and inspirational stories. His books have been Minnesota Book Award winners. [www.kentnerburn.com]
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music therapist. speaker. drum healer.
Christine Stevens is an internationally acclaimed author, music therapist, and speaker. She founded UpBeat Drum Circles, offering personal growth seminars and programs for corporate teambuilding and diversity training. [www.ubdrumcircles.com]
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ceo. heart-centric leader. human steward.
Robert Chapman, Chairman and CEO of Barry-Wehmiller Companies, is committed to people-centric leadership, continuous improvement, and disciplined growth to realize a vision of "Achieving Principled Results on Purpose." [www.barry-wehmiller.com]
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kid energizer. intake educator. action taker.
Stacey Antine, M.S., R.D. is the founder of HealthBarn USA, a leader in hands-on healthy-lifestyle education. She is also the author of Appetite for Life: The Thumbs-Up, No-Yucks Guide to Getting Your Kid to Be a Great Eater. [www.healthbarnusa.com]
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marketing expert. calfinder. community builder.
Gabriel Luna-Ostaseski co-founded CalFinder, where he directs global sales and operations. Before that, he managed Varsity Painting, one of the largest construction companies in California. [www.linkedin.com/in/gabelunaostaseski]
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