
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
walking love

My husband always says to me that I’m a walking love. I walk around, and I just spread love. What provides meaning in my life, in every interaction, is the opportunity to see how I’m loving myself and how to share with others how to love themselves.
My father was very hard on himself and consequently very hard on us. He moved to the states from Europe at the age of seventeen. He always knew that it was up to him to make it or break it because there was no one he could fall back on. He constantly told me, “You can’t rely on anybody,” and “You have to do it all yourself.” I thought the only choice I had was to be in control of everything. To be right. To be the smartest.
I always felt like I was proving to my father that I was worthy of his love. I tried to be something I thought he wanted me to be. I also felt disappointed because he wasn’t what I thought my father should be. That was my projection onto him. I wasn’t giving myself what I needed. My disappointment in others directly correlated to how I was judging myself.
In my master’s program I had to create an extraordinary relationship. The teachers tell us that, to the degree that we can admit to ourselves that a miracle is possible, then such a miracle is actually possible. I thought my relationship with my father was always going to be the way it was. After a year of really looking at myself and that relationship, I saw that who he wanted to be was actually coming from a place of contribution and love. He was doing the best he could, not having parents that showed him how to be really loving. I had to come into a place of forgiveness for the things I thought I wanted him to be.
I could now actually accept that this is the way he loves me, and this is what his love looks like. I can either choose to love being loved that way or not. Now our conversations are just beautiful and very heartfelt and very deep.
If we’re good listeners and at turning things in on ourselves, asking the questions that are sometimes hard questions to ask, then we have the opportunity to make new choices, so that we can create entirely new relationships with people.
– Monika Zands


Explore More Meaning
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multicultural leader. laureate poet. inspirational transformer.
Lucia De García is the founder, president, and CEO of Élan International of Newport Beach. She founded the Multicultural Institute for Leadership and has been recognized for her achievements in international business and multicultural advancement. [www.luciadegarcia.com]
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shoeologist. meaning maven. ted x'ers.
Shannon Bindler describes her pal, Soph, as a bridge, connecting countless people. Sophie Chiche describes her pal, Shan-Shan, as the sunshine that enters the room. In December of 2012 they presented their TEDxMalibu talk. [Happy Parents of Children who Live Out Loud]
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big picturer. former linebacker. current give-backer.
Ryan Nece's community influence has lasted long after he finished his career as an National Football League player. He created The Ryan Nece Foundation, which provides physical, financial, and spiritual assistance to those in need. [www.ryannece.com]
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