
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
believe

My greatest sense of meaning is derived from the magic I feel when I believe in something with all my heart and soul. I feel blessed to watch this same wonder play out in the games my young daughters create in which they are fairies with special powers to control the wind. A chopstick becomes a magic wand, their breath can move a tree, and a kitchen towel becomes a magic cape.
The power of their belief in themselves and their ideas transforms something imaginary into a vivid experience that provides an element of joy and wonder in their lives. Children are masters of the art of believing.
The truth is, we all have special powers for creating our own brand of magic, but sometimes along the journey of life we lose the ability to believe in the most important thing of all – ourselves. Jaded by life’s adversities, setbacks, and the repetition of self-defeating words, we slowly start to lose our belief in the beauty that makes life worth living – our dreams, love, happiness, or our ability to find meaning and purpose in the world.
The words we use in our constant internal dialogues are powerful. They create thoughts and feelings which form the basis of our belief systems and, in turn, set the foundation for the kind of life we live.
While battling cancer, my friend ended our conversations with the simple words, “I think you’re amazing because….” This simple act of gratitude had a profound affect on me. Following her passing, I launched the global movement “I Believe She’s Amazing” to unite people around the world and to pay it forward by giving people a chance to recognize the amazing girls and women in their own lives. Contemplating what we believe to be amazing in another person serves as a mirror that reflects back to our own greatness.
I stay passionately engaged through the inspiration I experience in life’s little moments and through the unwavering belief that the work I do, empowering women and girls to believe in themselves and the power of their voices, makes a difference in the world.
Consider for a moment what you believe in.
If a chopstick can turn a girl into a fairy, and a simple expression of appreciation can inspire a global movement, then trust that whatever YOU wholeheartedly believe in can become YOUR reality.
– Kim MacGregor
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