
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
light a lamp

There’s an old Buddhist teaching that says, “To light a lamp for another will also brighten your own way.” As a Buddhist in 21st Century America seeking to find my way through today’s chaotic world, I’ve realized that by selflessly helping others – with no expectation of reward – I’m able to find meaning in every encounter I have with people.
The Buddha talked about the separation we feel from others despite the underlying truth that we’re all totally and completely connected. This tendency we have to separate is a function of the innate darkness that exists in life. But the Buddha knew that this fundamental darkness, which manifests itself as separation, suspicion, prejudice, fear, hatred, and, ultimately, violence, could be overcome by manifesting the innate goodness, or Buddhahood, that’s also part of our original factory equipment.
Enlightenment, then, begins when, in the face of our own doubts, hesitations, suspicions, and fears, we commit ourselves to reaching out to others in ways big and small.
I discovered that there’s a moment of joy when I simply step in to lend a hand and offer to help. My friend calls it “The Boy Scout Buzz” – that rush of happiness we felt as Boy Scouts when we helped the elderly or did good deeds, not for a merit badge, but simply for the sake of doing good.
That buzz is available to all of us all the time (whether or not we were Boy Scouts). I know, because every time I reach out to help, to light a lamp for another, I make a new friend or a new connection that takes me towards the achievement of my own goals and dreams and brightens the way for everyone.
– Marc Sachnoff
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