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
reach out
Tessa Williams
ivy leaguer. playwright. core friend.
Recent Yale grad Tessa Williams has written numerous award-winning plays. Currently, she's working as a writer's assistant on an ABC television show. [www.facebook.com/tessaleighwilliams]
Life after graduating from college was a tough transition for me. I was lucky to have a strong support system during that time. I found out who my core group of solid friends were.
Even though I don’t get to see a lot of those friends, because we don’t live close to each other, we keep in touch through phone calls and emails. I’ve discovered that they really are the world to me. One of my girlfriends even got me to finish writing one of my plays. There was a time when I didn’t want to keep writing because I was a mess emotionally. She got me through it. That core group is absolutely the most meaningful thing in my life right now.
If I’m down, it often has to do with sitting inside too long, so I force myself to get out of the house. Sometimes I stay cooped up at home and it becomes a downward spiral. At that point, the best thing I can do is get dressed and go outside. Walking helps a lot. Even doing little things around the house helps. Today I fixed a doorknob and that spurred me on for the rest of the day!
Sometimes when I’m having a hard time I’ll call my sister. She’s inspires me and has since I was younger. It’s important to reach out and know that there’s solidarity out there. Everyone goes through weird times, but for some reason people don’t seem to be that vocal about it. Knowing that others have gone through the same problems or felt the same way lets me know it’ll get better.
I’m in a place right now where I’m just discovering the kind of person I am, the kind of person I want to be, and the impact I want to make in the world. I heard a John Campbell quote yesterday, which I’ve not stopped thinking about since: “If you can see your path laid out in front of you step by step, you know it’s not your path. Your own path you make with every step you take. That’s why it’s your path.”
If I see the roadmap of my life laid out in front of me, chances are that’s not what I’m supposed to be doing. It’s comforting to know not to be afraid of the unknown. If I take it one step at a time, great things will happen.
– Tessa Williams
Explore More Meaning
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author. columnist. creative strategist.
Ayn Carrillo Gailey is a published author and creative strategist who uses words to power ideas, companies, and movements. [www.ayngailey.com]
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writer. director. filmmaker.
J. Mackye Gruber is a writer/director who lives in Los Angeles.
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business and success coach. designer. expansionist.
Anney Smith is fueled by creativity, invention, and intuition. She's an executive and entrepreneur coach, designer, wife, and mom who blends left- and right-brained tools to ignite major transformations. [www.thesmithconnection.com]
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mind resetter. motivating blogger. sabotage dismisser.
Seth D. Cohen is a real estate executive, aspiring motivational speaker, and the founder of Stop.Breathe.Action, a motivational blog utilizing creative motivation techniques and dedicated to promoting action as a habit. [www.sethdcohen.com]
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author. actress. health enthusiast.
Mariel Hemingway is an author and the founder of Mariel's Kitchen, a company she created to help people discover health and happiness by treating themselves well. [www.marielhemingway.com]
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author. spiritual transformer. teacher.
Jonathan Parker is an author and spiritual counselor with more than 30 years of experience teaching energy healing and enlightenment. He founded Quantum Quests International, Inc. [www.JonathanParker.org]
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educator. director of funding + outreach. life changer.
Laurie Grossman co-founded Mindful Schools, a public/private partnership program (one of the largest in the country), sponsored by Park Day School in Oakland, California. [www.mindfulschools.org]
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melody maker. musical poet. aspiring artist.
Mason Summit began performing and writing his own songs at an early age. Since then, he's played all over, including playing regularly at the Rapp Saloon in Santa Monica. He recently finished recording his first CD of original songs.
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