
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
grace

This world is changing. People are tired of aggression and war, corporate takeovers and competition. It’s time for balance. It’s time for us to return to unity and harmony, to move from aggression to cooperation, from analytical to intuitive, from the head to the heart. When our hearts are open, we’re naturally drawn to Mother Earth, each in our own way. This is part of the shift taking place to move us forward as a human community.
It’s time we rethink what’s really important and come back to the basics. For example, I find myself wanting to be in nature more, to stay outside in my garden – and I’m hearing that from a lot of people all over the place.
I’ve been starting my day in the same way for at least 25 years. As soon as I wake up, I think of ten things I’m grateful for. That’s my first conscious thought. Then I think of who I can be of service to.
When something upsets me or throws me off balance, the first thought that comes to mind is, “Okay, what’s the gift here?” It’s taken a long time for that thought to come as natural reflex. When I was ill 40 years ago, I didn’t know enough to ask “What’s the gift here?” In looking back, though, being ill actually was a gift, because it put me on this beautiful road of mind-body-spirit.
We were each given a gift. What gives life meaning is to pursue it. Sometimes we create stories that get in the way of our gifts and talents. Take a look at any stories that stop you from being the greatness you were entitled to be on this Earth, because whatever it is, it’s just a story.
Mohandas Gandhi said, “We need to be the change we wish to see in the world.” That’s powerful for me. That’s the only way we’re going to clean up this Earth. Each of us, whatever our talents are, need to move forward and make a difference, and the only way we’re going to make a difference is to take action. It’s time we rediscovered respect for all life and relearned how to live from our hearts, to live from our gifts, and to be grateful.
Grace is what’s most important to me. Let’s give grace. Isn’t that beautiful?
– Sharyn Wynters
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