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
awareness
Tara Stiles
yoga expert. author. couch yogi.
Tara Stiles is reinventing yoga practice, proving you don't need to call yourself a "yoga person" to make it part of your life. She founded Strala Yoga and is Deepak Chopra's personal yoga instructor. [www.tarastiles.com]
What’s meaningful to me is living consciously, being aware of how I am in the world, how I interact with other people, and how I treat myself on a day-to-day basis. That’s meaningful to me because when I live with conscious awareness, life becomes more exciting, I feel more connected, and I feel like I’m able to be of more use in the world.
When I have a series of moments when I feel connected with that awareness, it feels so good. Then if there’s a disconnection, if fears or insecurities rise to the surface, or if I’m tired, I notice it. What brings the connection back is simply taking a moment to focus on my breath rather than my thinking, because thinking gets in the way of tapping into awareness. With awareness, I see that everything is as it should be. The trick is to have enough awareness to notice when I’ve moved away from the connection. Once I become aware that I’m not where I want to be, I start to be more proactive about the situation.
Awareness feels like something I’ve had for a while. I was around nature so much when I was growing up in the country on a little farm in Illinois. In nature, it’s so much easier to make a connection and to be aware. Even though I didn’t know what I was doing at the time, I used to meditate as a kid. I’d sit and follow my breath for a long time. I’d also dance around in the forest and do poses I found out later are related to meditation practice. I felt good. I was aware of the world and my own creativity, and I knew that everybody has something very unique and special to give. I remember being really excited about life and how everybody is unique and everybody is essential to the world.
Even though it’s nice to surround myself with people who are doing similar things, like meditating, it’s also interesting to be around somebody who’s not, who’s living a more distracted life or going through a hard time. The contrast makes me remember times in my life when I was unconnected, and then I smile and find a connection with myself and with them. Everybody is inspiring, whether they’re enlightened or not.
When I connect with awareness, I’m excited to be alive.
– Tara Stiles
Explore More Meaning
-
Artist. Designer. Knitting Machine.
Joanne Abellera is the designer of KKIBO a collection of one-of-a-kind handmade knitwear creations. [www.kkibo.net]
-
children's author. conscious parent. blue sky thinker.
Nick Kettles' twin passions storytelling and the quest for self-realization have guided his career as a writer, spiritual teacher, coach, and, more recently, his experiences as a parent. [www.blueskyofhappiness.com]
-
former dieter. current helper. self acceptance discoverer.
Julie M. Simon, MA, MBA, MFT is a psychotherapist, life coach, personal trainer, speaker and author of The Emotional Eater’s Repair Manual: A Practical Guide for Putting an End to Overeating and Dieting, based on her 12 Week Program. [www.overeatingrecovery.com]
-
creative teacher. storyteller. kid sparker.
Lee is an actor, director, and a founding member of Story Pirates. He enjoys playing music and being a teaching artist. [www.storypirates.org]
-
director. producer. intersector.
Linda Goldstein Knowlton is a director/producer whose works have garnered praise from audiences around the world. She lives in Los Angeles with her daughter and husband. [www.somewherebetweenmovie.com]
-
neurotransmitter. sound innovator. yummy hummer.
Sound visionary and author Alex Theory draws upon extensive training in psychology, integrative medicine, and psychoacoustic music production to innovate new styles of music and media. [www.unifyearth.com]
-
Author. Motivational Speaker. Life Savorer.
Eli Davidson is a motivational speaker, internationally best-selling author, and executive coach who helps individuals and organizations re-kindle the zeal that fuels success. [www.elidavidson.com]
-
silent protesters. photographers. NOH8ers.
Celebrity photographer Adam Bouska and his partner Jeff Parshley founded the NOH8 Campaign, a photographic silent protest in direct response to the passage of Proposition 8 in California. [www.noh8campaign.com]
- More
Comments