Dear Readers:
I can't think of a better way to start my holiday week by sharing a story with you on being grateful. Often, we overlook the simplest things around us and forget our gratitude. No matter what, when I come home from the store or vacation, my cat greets me and wants me to pet her. Sometimes she meows at me or she purrs. I love it, but I don't think I've thanked her for owning me. Yes, owning me. Anyone who has a cat knows what I'm talking about because cats own their owners.
Then I look around and notice all of the small things that my husband does for me because that is the way he is. He cooks for us, takes us out on Friday Night Date Nights, does his own laundry, maintains the pool, feeds the cats and so much more. I am blessed to have married this man and I am grateful for him.
I can go on and on, but my message for the day is....
Don't overlook those in your life who make a difference. Say thank you to them, say you love them, and most of all do something nice for them.
This brings me to today's author, Donna Maltz, and her book, Living Like the Future Matters~The Evolution of a Soil to Soul Entrepreneur. Right now, it isn't about her book, rather, it is about something she did for me. I have never met Donna and we have never spoken. We communicate through messaging etc. Late last night, she reached out to me to leave a message not knowing that I was still awake. Wait! It was 2:00 a.m. She instantly said that I should be sleeping and sent me a link to some very tranquil music to help me sleep. I am grateful for that. So, doing something nice for somebody doesn't mean you have to spend money, it could be a simple gesture or suggestion, a smile, helping them clean their house to get ready for the holidays, visiting a shut-in, and so forth.
Enough of that! I can't wait to introduce you to Donna and her book.
Happy Thanksgiving week!! Be grateful!! Be Thankful!!
Best regards,
Dr. Mel
ABOUT THE BOOK
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Since the Ice Age, nothing has changed the world faster than business. It is ethical businesses, led by morally courageous people, that have the ability to rapidly change our world for the better.
There once was a time in my life when I thought the American Dream was attainable. I was raised as a Jewish-American Princess, in a quaint, suburban middle-class town in the height of the baby boom. Like most people, I wanted everything material with no awareness of the consequence to the planet.
My counterculture college years turned me on to alternatives, which catapulted me in a new direction. I rebelled from my past and imagined a different dream. My passion was unstoppable, and I became a voice for Nature and evolved into an Eco-Bohemian, Soil to Soul Entrepreneur. My first business was an organic farm and home bakery, which planted the seeds for me to become an ethical businesswoman. It was 1980, and I was twenty-two. Three years later, I ventured to Homer, Alaska, and pioneered the first natural foods café in the state serving organic food. My insatiable appetite to heighten awareness of how our food choices impact the rest of the world led me to start a national company. In 1992, AH!LASKA — the first organic cocoa and chocolate syrup in the nation was born along with my son. Several other eco-businesses followed.
A low point soured these high times when I came face-to-face with addiction. Being a workaholic and foodaholic was no way to live. After four years of moral and physical agony, my defeat hit me like a ton of chocolate chip cookie dough. It took courage and perseverance to change. My greatest successes in life followed as I rediscovered my purposeful passion for being a voice for Nature and helping make the world a more just place for all sentient beings.It's your business what you do with your life ~ but what each of us does matters.
I wrote this book as a means to heal, and to help awaken all generations to the urgency to live like the future matters; because it does. Full of relatable life and business lessons, my story will take you on a journey regarding your own evolution. From New Jersey to Vermont, up to Alaska and down to Hawaii, my memoir-of-sorts is a call to action that will inspire you to pursue a better world for yourself, for humanity, and our precious Earth. Enjoy! Donna Maltz
My counterculture college years turned me on to alternatives, which catapulted me in a new direction. I rebelled from my past and imagined a different dream. My passion was unstoppable, and I became a voice for Nature and evolved into an Eco-Bohemian, Soil to Soul Entrepreneur. My first business was an organic farm and home bakery, which planted the seeds for me to become an ethical businesswoman. It was 1980, and I was twenty-two. Three years later, I ventured to Homer, Alaska, and pioneered the first natural foods café in the state serving organic food. My insatiable appetite to heighten awareness of how our food choices impact the rest of the world led me to start a national company. In 1992, AH!LASKA — the first organic cocoa and chocolate syrup in the nation was born along with my son. Several other eco-businesses followed.
A low point soured these high times when I came face-to-face with addiction. Being a workaholic and foodaholic was no way to live. After four years of moral and physical agony, my defeat hit me like a ton of chocolate chip cookie dough. It took courage and perseverance to change. My greatest successes in life followed as I rediscovered my purposeful passion for being a voice for Nature and helping make the world a more just place for all sentient beings.It's your business what you do with your life ~ but what each of us does matters.
I wrote this book as a means to heal, and to help awaken all generations to the urgency to live like the future matters; because it does. Full of relatable life and business lessons, my story will take you on a journey regarding your own evolution. From New Jersey to Vermont, up to Alaska and down to Hawaii, my memoir-of-sorts is a call to action that will inspire you to pursue a better world for yourself, for humanity, and our precious Earth. Enjoy! Donna Maltz
Living Like the Future Matters
The Evolution of a Soil to Soul Entrepreneur
Donna Maltz
Tell your readers a
little about yourself, where you grew up, where you live now, where you went to
school etc. Let them get to know the personal you.
I am going to get you
an updated bio later today... I just lost my updated bio, during a computer
shut down, and I am burning out on the interview now :-) I will send in the
same gig...
From a young age, I was sensitive to what I saw happening to our beloved Earth. Because of this, I chose to live my life in harmony with the systems and cycles of Nature. This helped me to gain insight into the origin of our problems. Prompted by this wisdom, I set out on a lifelong quest to implement the Solutions. I shifted my attitude to gratitude and returned to the roots to awaken my passions for healing myself & the Earth. Now at 62 years old, my motto is “Why Retire When I Can Inspire,” I live a life filled with abundance and love. My mission has become to heighten people’s awareness so that we may all share this connection. My book and the principles, found within, have laid out the foundation for the start of my new business Soil To Soul Solutions offering coaching and retreats.
From a young age, I was sensitive to what I saw happening to our beloved Earth. Because of this, I chose to live my life in harmony with the systems and cycles of Nature. This helped me to gain insight into the origin of our problems. Prompted by this wisdom, I set out on a lifelong quest to implement the Solutions. I shifted my attitude to gratitude and returned to the roots to awaken my passions for healing myself & the Earth. Now at 62 years old, my motto is “Why Retire When I Can Inspire,” I live a life filled with abundance and love. My mission has become to heighten people’s awareness so that we may all share this connection. My book and the principles, found within, have laid out the foundation for the start of my new business Soil To Soul Solutions offering coaching and retreats.
The wisdom I gather
from listening to the Earth. Nature truly speaks to me. It is where I get my
news and inspiration to live like the future matters.
Where did you get the
inspiration for your book’s cover?
It is from a photo, my
husband took of me by our Zen pond while I was connecting deeply with the
Earth. I put the photo on my growing twitter account and one of my regular
followers, who is a superb artist, turned it into a masterpiece. She did the
art rendition for the front and back cover from photos that really resonate
with the book title.
Who has been the most
significant influence on you personally and as a writer?
The voice of Nature is
truly number one, especially as a writer. I get my strength, courage, and
wisdom from the bold vision and intention of the diversity that Natures voices'
brings to me — the sound and feel of the wave~ the wind and the bird songs and
frog barks. Yes, the music of the birth of a lamb in the middle of the night
and what her mother most be experiencing, all life influences me. Ah! I am
mesmerized by all the language I do not speak yet understand. Personally, part
of the reason I wrote this memoir was to honor those who have influenced me: My
grandparents, mother, father, husband son, granddaughter, Mother Dear, and my
dearest of long-lasting friendships. Yes, the voices of intergenerational
wisdom have supported and influenced me.
What were your
struggles or obstacles you had to overcome to get this book written?
My insecurities around
being dyslexic and an author could get the best of me. For 30 years, I wrote
marketing materials and menus for our café, but taking on writing a full-length
book was nothing like that.
It was also a struggle when to know and how to end the book. As I dove deep into the research that went into writing this book, it could get depressing. I also dug for solutions to the problems which uplifted me. Trying to bridge the solutions with the pressing issues was rewarding and could also be daunting when I looked at the current state of affairs happening in our rapidly changing world. Staying current and writing a memoir at the same time could create obstacles or it could create new genera, or whatever. I'm still insecure about what people might think of this controversial body of work, but so be it, it's my time to speak my truth and do more to help others live like the future matters.
It was also a struggle when to know and how to end the book. As I dove deep into the research that went into writing this book, it could get depressing. I also dug for solutions to the problems which uplifted me. Trying to bridge the solutions with the pressing issues was rewarding and could also be daunting when I looked at the current state of affairs happening in our rapidly changing world. Staying current and writing a memoir at the same time could create obstacles or it could create new genera, or whatever. I'm still insecure about what people might think of this controversial body of work, but so be it, it's my time to speak my truth and do more to help others live like the future matters.
Tell your readers
about your book.
Living Like The Future Matters is a business,
self-help, memoir, of sorts. It is a call to action, to inspire innovators,
entrepreneurs, and to awaken people of all generations to connect soulfully and
discover solutions. Inside, you’ll find relatable life lessons I learned
throughout my journey of creating numerous ECO-businesses.
It
all started at birth.
There once was a time in my life when I thought the American Dream was attainable. I was raised as a Jewish-American Princess, in a quaint, suburban middle-class town in the height of the baby boom. Like most people, I wanted everything material with no awareness of the consequence to the planet.
There once was a time in my life when I thought the American Dream was attainable. I was raised as a Jewish-American Princess, in a quaint, suburban middle-class town in the height of the baby boom. Like most people, I wanted everything material with no awareness of the consequence to the planet.
My counterculture college years turned me on to alternatives, which catapulted
me in a new direction. I rebelled from my past and imagined a different dream.
My passion was unstoppable, and I became a voice for Nature and evolved into an
Eco-Bohemian, Soil to Soul Entrepreneur. My first business was an organic farm
and home bakery, which planted the seeds for me to become an ethical
businesswoman. It was 1980, and I was twenty-two. Three years later, I ventured
to Homer, Alaska, and pioneered the first natural foods café in the state
serving organic food. My insatiable appetite to heighten awareness of how our food
choices impact the rest of the world led me to start a national company. In
1992, AH!LASKA -- the first organic
cocoa and chocolate syrup in the nation was born along with my son. Several
other eco-businesses followed.
A low point soured these high times when I came face-to-face with addiction. Being a workaholic and foodaholic was no way to live. After four years of moral and physical agony, my defeat hit me like a ton of chocolate chip cookie dough. It took courage and perseverance to change. My greatest successes in life followed as I rediscovered my purposeful passion for being a voice for Nature and helping make the world a more just place for all sentient beings.
It's your business what you do with your life ~ but what each of us does matters.
I wrote this book as a means to heal, and to help awaken all generations to the urgency to live like the future matters; because it does. Full of relatable life and business lessons, my story will take you on a journey regarding your own evolution. From New Jersey to Vermont, up to Alaska and down to Hawaii, my memoir-of-sorts is a call to action that will inspire you to pursue a better world for yourself, for humanity, and our precious Earth.
A low point soured these high times when I came face-to-face with addiction. Being a workaholic and foodaholic was no way to live. After four years of moral and physical agony, my defeat hit me like a ton of chocolate chip cookie dough. It took courage and perseverance to change. My greatest successes in life followed as I rediscovered my purposeful passion for being a voice for Nature and helping make the world a more just place for all sentient beings.
It's your business what you do with your life ~ but what each of us does matters.
I wrote this book as a means to heal, and to help awaken all generations to the urgency to live like the future matters; because it does. Full of relatable life and business lessons, my story will take you on a journey regarding your own evolution. From New Jersey to Vermont, up to Alaska and down to Hawaii, my memoir-of-sorts is a call to action that will inspire you to pursue a better world for yourself, for humanity, and our precious Earth.
Who is your target audience, and why?
There we go ... Who is
your target? Well, if I have to go down that rabbit hole, I would have to say
18-30-year-olds, and also 40-100. I see my book more like a Disney film, good
for the whole family with a profound message that brings the family together.
Yet, Disney targets its films to children so I think it might be best to aim
for 18-30 as the target... I see my books in all the university books stores,
and also kids giving their marked-up version of the book to their parents ...
saying... "read this, now you will understand me better." Or my peers
read the book, and give their marked-up version to their kids.
Our society has done an excellent job of dividing us. Division only makes us weaker as a species. Having a greater understanding of the systems and cycle of Nature, we all understand that the healthiest ecosystems have the most diversity. So, a genre of books or classification is useful to a point. Still, it has also prohibited vibrant creativity in the traditional book industry, hence, self-publishing took off like never imagined. I'm grateful to be part of the revolutionary India Author movement, especially alongside those writers who are sharing their words and making a ubiquitous difference in the world for the present and future generations.
Our society has done an excellent job of dividing us. Division only makes us weaker as a species. Having a greater understanding of the systems and cycle of Nature, we all understand that the healthiest ecosystems have the most diversity. So, a genre of books or classification is useful to a point. Still, it has also prohibited vibrant creativity in the traditional book industry, hence, self-publishing took off like never imagined. I'm grateful to be part of the revolutionary India Author movement, especially alongside those writers who are sharing their words and making a ubiquitous difference in the world for the present and future generations.
What do you consider
your greatest success in life?
Basically, like the
title of my book, actually living like the future matter is my greatest
success. This includes being a mother to my extraordinary son and passing these
essential values on to him and my granddaughter.
I'm also pleased to share the essential reasons why we must steward Mother Earth and bring more love, acceptance, and diversity back to humanity. Throughout my life's work, my greatest success is seeing others affected by my work. Seeing others start to live like the future matters, inspires me to do more. Living like future matters has never made more sense.
I'm also pleased to share the essential reasons why we must steward Mother Earth and bring more love, acceptance, and diversity back to humanity. Throughout my life's work, my greatest success is seeing others affected by my work. Seeing others start to live like the future matters, inspires me to do more. Living like future matters has never made more sense.
What one unique thing
sets you apart from other writers in your genre?
Many of my beta readers
suggested that my book is like a new genre. A self-help business "memoir
of sorts." It has inspired many of them to start writing their own
"memoir of sorts." As you can see in my book, I have done an immense
amount of research and have pages of source notes at the end. Not something you
see in memoir genre writing.
Since I am dyslexic, it is not easy for me to read and retain other books, so I basically taught myself to write and created something from scratch. I decided to self-publish as traditional publishers wanted to box me into one specific genre, and one targeted age group --- well, my book is meant to be intergenerational, meant to bridge the growing gap of our youth and elders. We all have so much to learn from one another.
Since I am dyslexic, it is not easy for me to read and retain other books, so I basically taught myself to write and created something from scratch. I decided to self-publish as traditional publishers wanted to box me into one specific genre, and one targeted age group --- well, my book is meant to be intergenerational, meant to bridge the growing gap of our youth and elders. We all have so much to learn from one another.
www.donnamaltz.com
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/40944963-donna-maltz
https://www.facebook.com/dmaloha
https://twitter.com/Soil2Soulutions
https://www.instagram.com/soiltosoulsolutions/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/donna-maltz-~-eco-bohemian-entrepreneur-b6b47b8/
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/40944963-donna-maltz
https://www.facebook.com/dmaloha
https://twitter.com/Soil2Soulutions
https://www.instagram.com/soiltosoulsolutions/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/donna-maltz-~-eco-bohemian-entrepreneur-b6b47b8/
