
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
space

As I sit here staring at my blinking cursor, I search for the perfect words to the none too daunting question “What is the most meaningful thing to me at this phase of my life?” Words like success, achievement, love, and contentment all spring to mind, and indeed are quite important. However the one word I want to use most, despite a plethora of great options, is space.
What do I focus on most these days? The truth is I focus on my career. I have an amazing girlfriend who I love with all my heart. I have a crazy family who will surely give to the funnier parts of my memoir. And I have great friends who make the day-to-day bearable.
But still I’m restless. My career isn’t exactly where I want it to be. I’m not yet creating the type of impactful projects that inspired me and that I hope will one day inspire others. I have not yet achieved my goals. And like many in my generation, I constantly worry about the financial state of things.
I go back and forth between being inspired to push harder, try more, do something different to get where I want, and being crestfallen that I am not there yet.
However, when I’m working, I forget all of this and get lost in the magic of creating something I’m passionate about. When I’m with my girlfriend, I sometimes get lost in the beauty of being in love and forget to worry. And when I’m with my friends, I get caught up in the laughter of the moment and forget that there are goals I have to achieve! The thing is, in those moments I am happy.
So I ask – what is it in those moments that, in essence, help time stand still and keep the pressure of a passing life and unachieved goals at bay? I think it is space. Caught up in the present moment, a space opens up where previously there were obsessive thoughts, or the constant checking of emails, or worry, or, or, or. Instead, there is just enough room to be aware of what’s exactly in front of me. And usually what’s exactly in front of me is more beautiful than anything I can imagine in the perfect future that I am, and will continue to be, chasing.
– Ron Eli Cohen
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