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
love
Renée Trudeau
speaker. life balance coach. affection spiller.
Renée Peterson Trudeau is the author of the book Nurturing the Soul of Your Family. Thousands of women participate in Personal Renewal Groups based on her first book, the award-winning The Mother's Guide to Self-Renewal. [www.ReneeTrudeau.com]
Are we here to be productive or to give and receive love?
My mom died 13 years ago this weekend. A nurse and single mom, she died at age 60 from congestive heart failure as a result of a sudden, serious case of the flu. She left behind seven children ranging in age from 19 to 34.
A beautiful, artistic, sensitive, highly creative only child, she was plagued on and off for many years with clinical depression, a dark visitor that arrived after the birth of her second child.
And she was stingy with her love. I know she loved us and could be affectionate at times, but she doled out her love in small amounts—like precious squares of 70% organic dark chocolate. In retrospect, I realize it must have felt like a herculean task to try and outwardly lavish us with love when she had so little for herself.
Are you stingy with your love? I’ve noticed ways in which I can be. Like when I put “getting things done” over giving and receiving love. When I see fault before I acknowledge good. When I hear myself say, “I’ll give my son or husband my full attention as soon as I…(fill in the blank).” When I embrace someone I care for and then pull away a little too fast, already moving on to the next thing on my to-do list. Or when I see an inconvenient time or place when my love is being called forth—maybe at the grocery store, on the playground or in a business setting—and I sweep it aside, staying safe and playing it cool.
Routine, they say, lulls the brain to sleep. Most of us move through the day on auto-pilot—succumbing to our habitual ways of seeing and being. But I want to stay awake. I want to make sure that I’m not rationing my love, saving it for the right time or the right place or the right conditions. I want to keep nurturing and practicing loving kindness towards myself every single day-so that I not only have enough love to fill my well, but it overflows and spills out into my family, my home, the streets of my neighborhood, my city and beyond.
All the great philosophers and spiritual teachers say love is the most powerful force on our planet. But doesn’t its power only grow when we learn to freely and generously share it as often as we possibly can?
– Renée Trudeau
Explore More Meaning
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unique individual. differences encourager. life magician.
Katie McClain coaches moms and their boys to dispel thought-fueled angst and create radical self-acceptance. She finds home with her family and dogs, by creating magic with clients, and on visits to Paris. [www.katiemcclain.com]
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vice president. dynamic speaker. ticker tracker.
As HeartMath's Executive Vice President, Strategic Development, Howard Martin has been instrumental in developing the business. He's delivered HeartMath's practical, dynamic programs to thousands of participants worldwide. [www.heartmath.org]
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intuitive. writer. journey sharer.
Danielle is a writer, coach, and intuitive who simply must share her journey with honesty, love, and beautiful words. She's married to her best friend and has two delicious children. [http://danielleboonstra.com]
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consultant. potential unleasher. transformer.
Christine Grumm, formerly President and CEO of the Women's Funding Network, now heads the Chris Grumm Consulting Group. She's dedicated to helping her clients unleash their potential to transform the world.
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life coach. radio show host. truthteller.
Life coach Laurie Gerber, President of Handel Group Life Coaching, is passionate about personal development. She leads large groups, blogs regularly, and hosts a radio show. [www.handelgroup.com]
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dream awakeners. unifiers. evolvers.
Satya Narayani and Jon Love work with the Awakening the Dreamer Symposium of the Pachamama Alliance. They devote their lives to serving the greatest good by unifying home, community, their region, and the world. [www.pachamama.org]
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body-mind integration pioneer. relationship expert. mover and shaker.
Bestselling author Kathlyn Hendricks, Ph.D., A.D.T.R., has been a pioneer in the field of body-mind integration and body-centered relationship transformation for nearly forty years. [www.hendricks.com]
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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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