Be Part of the “SOULution” An Interview with Donna Maltz

Anita Adams: 00:00:04

Welcome to the joyful journey podcast. If you're looking for more clarity in your life, clarity of purpose, or how to activate that purpose, and you are someone who wants to operate from your highest self to be a force for good, you know this world craves, then this is the show for you. I'm Anita Adams, your host and guide to finding clarity and creating a life you love. Let's tap into our inner wisdom, access our highest self, and unleash joy. As we do this, we raise our vibration and heighten the collective consciousness. And that, my friend, is the joyful journey. Let's dive in. Hey, joyful journey or I'm Anita Adams, your host and today I'm so pleased to introduce you to Donna Maltz, who was known as a planet advocate, and a voice for nature. Donna has been a soil to soul entrepreneur, and social and environmental activist since 1980. She is particularly passionate about mentoring eco entrepreneurs to become conscious leaders. Donna is an author, a coach, and a podcast host of a dose of positivity, where she interviews thought leaders, changemakers, and health and wellness experts who strive for social and environmental justice. Welcome, Donna. I am so delighted to have you here with us today.

Donna Maltz: 00:01:35

Oh, I am so excited to be here. And I love your enthusiasm. When you introduce people. That's how I mean the world needs more NHS in the world are positively amazing to the positive people who are doing the best to bring social and environmental justice to the surface.

Anita Adams: 00:01:57

Yeah, yeah. And I loved learning about you and all the work you're doing. I think we connected through the evolutionary Business Council. And I'm like, wow, Donna's cool. She's doing all sorts of really neat things. And I'm just excited to be in your presence to learn about the things that you're doing, how you are serving the world and and making a difference in the lives of others. So very cool. Very exciting to have you here. So I want to I always love starting with how did you get to where you are today? Like what is your personal story, your personal journey that brought you to this moment where we are.

Donna Maltz: 00:02:42

Now I got to be really careful, because I love this story that so much that I wrote a whole book about it. Oh, okay, so this is, this is a big topic. Topic, because I think it's really important topic. So I'm going to keep it really short. And if you guys are intrigued, you can read my book, and I can send it to you even for free the free ebook. But you know, when I when I was a little girl, okay, my mom was sick with cancer. And we had a nanny who moved in with us when I was five from the Deep South. And it was 1962 Right before Martin Luther King was assassinated before John F. Kennedy was assassinated, and so forth. And she taught me from a very early age, that you may not like someone shot, but you have got to love them. Yeah, and there's so much hatred in this world, there are no more. And that struck me like that was my first spiritual awakening. I was five years old. And then from that day forward, you know, I realized, whoa, I better not ever say the word hate again, get my mouth washed out with soap. But which never happened, by the way, it was a threat, but near him. And then by the time I was 16, you know, and in Chi school, I realized, hey, there was some little off about me. I was always pretty much happy and loving life. And I was riding my bike everywhere refused to get my driver's license, because it was polluting the air. And, and this is back in the 70s guides out there. Something like struck me like lightbulb, lightning, whatever. And I became a voice for nature at a very early age. And I ended up when I was 16, doing a bicycle trip to Europe, where I was camping every night, never camped a day in my life before that. It was a Jewish American princess growing up right outside of Manhattan. And it was so incredible like to be in Europe, where there were no malls, and that was my main form of recreation in the 70s was going to the mall into the movies. There were no movie theaters, at least the ones that I didn't see. And everything was small business cottage industries. My favorite place was the belong to raise the bakeries. The watchmakers, all of this was in whole new world, and then we go and we camp under the stars. And it was a, there was 12 of us. And I never got so close to people in my life as I did on that trip. And then I realized, well, mountain

Anita Adams: 00:05:10

nature. Yeah, the closer of being in nature. Right. The closer

Donna Maltz: 00:05:15

you get to nature. The closer you

Unknown: 00:05:17

get to yourself, right, Joey? Yeah.

Donna Maltz: 00:05:21

In my book Oh, right. Yeah, so that. So that was another lightning bolt after Mother dear taught me to love everyone. I realized that it wasn't just every one I needed to love. It was all of life kind, not just mankind humankind, but it was all of life kind. And so when I came back from that trip, that my whole new life started different, you know, you're graduating from high school, you know, all the things that go along with that. But anyway, brought me on a career path, where I became a soul to soul entrepreneur. And I started my first business when I was 22. I had my own organic farm. And in 1978 79, I started that by 1980, I was actually in business for myself. And it was very cool to that was another awakening, not being afraid of worms, and realizing that they, like Darwin said they are they're tillers of the Earth as stewards of the land the true. So I started almost like, like propagating worms and plants and feeding my community. And the rest really, that kind of answers, how it started for me. And then since then, I've had 10 social and environmentally responsible businesses, all very successful. I'm retired now, I retired at a very early age. But I haven't retired from doing business, all my businesses moving forward are philanthropic all the money goes to support land trusts, and to producing land in the name of soil to soul. Why retire when I can inspire? And that's why I'm here today to answer your audience. Hi, everybody out there. I'm so happy to meet you. And thank you so much for asking that question. And having me here.

Anita Adams: 00:07:11

Yeah, it's wonderful. And I love this soil to soul idea, that that concept that the closer you are to nature, the closer you are to yourself and understanding yourself. And that's so important. And that's what the the joyful journey is, is about that it's that inward looking journey to our highest self. So I feel like we're, we're speaking the same language in many ways, we're going down the same path or, or were part of me, we're going down similar path that leads to the same the same destination, if you will. And that's all about tapping into that greatness with them. Right. So

Donna Maltz: 00:07:54

in the thing that I love about you, and analysis that we're propagating the seeds of change. And it's about seeking each other out and collaborating, not competing with one another. This is this is an opportunity for everybody. Everybody in every business in every sector of life, to jump on board and transition and evolve into being soil to soil entrepreneurs going on this beautiful journey, like you bring people to a NIDA and the opportunities are endless.

Anita Adams: 00:08:31

Absolutely. And when you start putting yourself out there more earn having these conversations more comes to you in this way, which is what I find really exciting. And I love having the conversations around around this stuff about our personal evolution and change and growth and spiritual development. It's just It's fascinating. There's so much there's so much to talk about. Now you have developed what you call your nine principles to being, I guess, a soil to soul entrepreneur. And I thought we could take some time to go through those nine principles. Are you up for that?

Donna Maltz: 00:09:07

Oh, I would love to do that. And you know what I wanted to share with people who are on this call who might not be entrepreneurs, these principles apply to everybody. Because since the Ice Age, business has changed the world faster than anything. And it's ethical businesses and business leaders with the moral responsibility to have the ability and the responsibility to change things the fastest. But I close that quote with it's your business what you do with your life. Because once there's an exchange, you're in business, right? You're in business, if you're a stay at home, mom, it's your business, how you raise your children. These principles apply to everybody, every time we go to the store. You don't have to have your own company to use these principles. But if these principles aren't applied in our everyday lives and in business in general, we continue the spiral of Deger irrigation that's happening in our economy, the environment, our political system, all the way down trickling down the line. And so I really hope and I so appreciate you having this conversation. I think this is such a great conversation. Awesome. And yes,

Anita Adams: 00:10:18

I love, I love that I love I what I like to say is that this show is for leaders, be it leaders of many are leaders of self, and we are ultimately all leaders of ourselves, yet, we have to be conscious leaders, awake leaders, to be the best leaders. And if we want to have the best possible life, we really need to tap into that awareness. And I think you know, going through your your principles, you do your your drawing attention to some key elements of the way we need to be to create that life to be a great leader to be a great entrepreneur to have a beautiful life. So let's start with principle number one, be part of the solution. Talk to me about that.

Donna Maltz: 00:11:04

Well, if you notice, it's spelled s o u l.

Anita Adams: 00:11:08

O it is I did not notice that actually, thank you for pointing that out.

Donna Maltz: 00:11:12

Always be part of the solution. And, and I just want to before I go off on on that because the number one thing about being part of the solution is and being a leader is that the greatest leaders help others become leaders

Anita Adams: 00:11:33

100%

Donna Maltz: 00:11:36

That is a Soulution. Right there. So that is the difference between a not so good leader and a good leader at his would be a Soulution. And important. Unfortunately, most leaders, especially who are controlling a much of what's happening in the world, don't think like that. They think the opposite. I'm the king, I am the god, especially the patriarch society. So and that goes back to that collaboration thing, which again, is a solution. And we'll get to that when we get to the final principle. But to make it really clear for everybody to be part of the solution, I always like I tell this story, because it's very potent, and you'll never forget it. So you have a screaming child and and and you're you're exhausted, maybe you've drank too much, or you're just not a very good person, a solution would be to comfort and love that child. But a solution is taking that child putting duct tape on their mouths and throwing them in a closet. They're they're quiet. We're duct taping everything these days because people aren't vulnerable and not looking at long term solutions that will make the world a better place. Enough of the solutions that we keep hearing in the media and all of the things that were promised and told the vaccines gonna cure COVID or and I don't want to go down that rabbit hole whether you're vaccinated or not, or had a problem or not. But the solution is that everybody needs to build their immune systems. But without building the immune system of the Pachamama, the Mother Earth, we're gonna have a hard time doing it. So a Soulution SRU L is we need to take care of the earth and ourselves to build the immune system of life kind, not just humankind or mankind, all life on the planet. So that is being part of the solution, taking it from the soil, to our souls.

Anita Adams: 00:13:37

Beautiful. Wow, that so we can do a whole short show on just that. Just the soul. Lucien, thank you for that. I lots to think about there. Thank you. Principle number two is health is your greatest wealth. That sounds obvious. But you have read a little bit on that for me.

Donna Maltz: 00:13:56

You know, it's so funny because I wrote this, I started writing this book, but I just published it a couple years ago, right at the beginning of the pandemic. And but I started writing the book 10 years before I published it, so if anybody out there wants a burning desire to write a book, and you started it, don't give up. Don't call me. I'll be your accountability. You get it done. But and I am dyslexic, and I managed to write four books so that when I wrote health is your greatest wealth. That was like, probably 12 years ago, and I thought, well, it's just so clever. It rhymes, because I'm all into rhyming, because that's how I learned because I was dyslexic. And the way I learned was rhyming and chiming and it really, you know, rap is the greatest thing for dyslexic people. So and now it's become more of a thing. health is your greatest wealth. And so when I went and I thought, well, maybe I should change it. It's so cliche then and then I thought to myself, no, it's something can people can relate to. But who cares if you have billions of dollars or millions or even $100,000 In the bank, how wealthy really are you if you're dying, and suffering. And when you have your health, you have healthy relationships. When you have your health, you have a healthy relationship to your physical surroundings, you take care of things when you take care of yourself. And a lot of people today have sacrificed their health in so many ways, but they have given into the conventional way of doing things. They listen to their doctor, one soul person like a God saying you take this meds and not realizing that that many of the pharmaceutical companies are tied in with the medical professionals and instead of researching, oh, I'm a pre candidate for Parkinson's disease or Alzheimer's or diabetes, that there are alternative ways to always like everything in nature, diversity, and having a diversity diversifying and taking control of your health, listening to people who have stories, who have healed and cured themselves from uncurable things.

Anita Adams: 00:16:19

Yeah, taking I think you hit it on the nose, you taking responsibility for your own your own health. I had a really interesting interview with another podcast guest a few months ago now, Melissa Daly, for anybody that's listening, might want to check that one out. If you're interested in exploring this a little bit more. It's about lifting the lid and looking under your own hood and being really aware about your your health and not not relying on on your GP to give you what you can find out for yourself by tuning into your body and understanding what you really what you really need. Sure, get some professional advice. That's important too. But don't just go for the quick drug fix necessarily. It's not always not always the best solution. And I know I'm guilty for doing that. And I'm changing my ways after having my meeting with our my interview with Melissa. She's She's opened my eyes to a better way of looking at at health and you're absolutely right health is our greatest wealth. So hopefully

Donna Maltz: 00:17:25

I put an exclamation on that. And it's just so funny that this is sitting right here. This is a tincture made by a one of a local producer who produces mushrooms, which is one of the most anti cancer anti viral. things we can do just in no go figure where earth Mom was right that Mycelium is what holds the planet together. We're not getting enough mycelium and this is a texture that is antiviral, anti cancer. And it also is a brain stimulant, and so preventing Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease or something. And so I didn't just buy it, I researched it. And sure enough, there is scientific evidence. And that's a thing taking responsibility for our health. You said it You nailed it. Look under the hood of our own our own system, go to a medical doctor, get get a diagnosis from bloodwork is is is good but it's not always completely accurate. Maybe it's hair, urine, whatever analysis, take it to the next level and find yourself and now an allopathic physician that you trust and a holistic whole a slew of holistic practitioners who can tackle whatever it is whether it's fatigue, or just Eczema is huge right now. All these skin disorders are huge right now because the skin is the largest organ in our body go figure. The epidemic like the skin of the Earth is so infected right now our soils and we only have 60 years of farmable soil left I look at our bodies and our skin like the soil of our bodies and detecting that so when you start seeing those things on your skin, or under your the bags and your eyes or the darkness,

Anita Adams: 00:19:15

your body telling you something right so pay, we gotta we gotta pay attention to what our body is trying to communicate with us absolutely, usually is a

Donna Maltz: 00:19:24

direct reflection of what we see happening right? We're right outside the air, the water that we're drinking and so forth. So

Anita Adams: 00:19:31

again, it's you know, it's that awareness like it's right there in front of you tune in to the awareness of your body and what is right in front of you trying to communicate to you alright, I want to move on we've got principle number three is live in harmony with nature. Now you're talking my language big time. I believe in this full heartedly. Now tell me your your take on exactly what you mean living in harmony with nature.

Donna Maltz: 00:19:57

That is the solution as So you our solution. And everything that I teach everything that I write about in all my books is all interconnecting business and humanity to the systems and cycles of nature for our survival as a species on the planet. Other species like rats and cockroaches and ants will be here long after the Pachamama has her way. If we don't smarten up. Thank you. Very good. Yes, smarten up. And when we look back in the timeframe, just for reference of whoever's lives might be listening to this, I turned 65 This year, so I'm an elder, senior, whatever. I feel like I'm 25 and on fire, and then that's good. But the reality is the reason why I feel this way and the way I the why I have so much energy is because I am a voice for nature, that I do believe that the closer we get to nature, the closer we are to our true nature. And if people aren't living in harmony with nature, you all you have to do is like look at yourself right now even go look in the mirror and then go look outside. And if you're not seeing a similar image, you're not seeing your true nature.

Unknown: 00:21:16

I don't understand what you mean by that.

Donna Maltz: 00:21:19

It's important like, like people say, you know, I have the God within or I see God within myself. Well, Team nature is everything God is in everything in nature's, okay. And so we look outside, and we respect and we see nature, and we see it her for all it is or it for all it is, we realize that we are made up of 90% of all of our body mass and everything is elements of the Earth, we are made about 70% Water, something like that, and so is the earth. I mean, we are just like a cell of the whole game of the cosmos and of being in the world. But media and in in the skewed economy has. And it's so interesting. We called Mother Nature, the patch Amaya the Gaia all feminine things. And what do we do what's happened to women, thank goodness for like the metoo movement. But we have raped and pillaged and abuse, the feminine and the divine. And we're doing it to the earth. And we've done it to women since for long enough and it's time for women to come into their power and to realize we are in and I'm not saying not men to I mean, I love men who have that the feminine that balanced is that yin yang. So, nature we are nature. Don't anybody out there, forget that we are nature and not forget that. We have the ability and the responsibility to help our children especially start from the very get go because when they come out of the moon, they are a product they are they are nature. Yeah, nothing more natural than giving birth.

Anita Adams: 00:23:05

Yeah. It's interesting I, I've been writing about this concept. From this personal awareness. It's happened over the last couple of years, about how spending time in nature investing time in nature, you begin to appreciate and fall in love with with nature, the more time you spend in it, the more the more you fall in love with it. And in the process, you deepen your love for self. Yeah, totally deepen your love for self because what you're saying and I hadn't heard it quite expressed like this is you see, when you look outside, you are looking at a reflection of yourself. Yes. And I've never thought of it quite like that. And that's exactly what I'm experiencing. And I'm, I'm deepening my love for myself because I'm investing time in nature and falling more and more in love with my environment. You cannot not love yourself when you invest time in nature. And it's just it's a beautiful harmony in connecting with nature in that way. And it's just I challenge people to experience that for themselves by investing more time in nature, you know, if you want to boost your confidence, get outside.

Donna Maltz: 00:24:23

Right? Fresh air. I know it's hard because people live in the inner city. So I say move or help clean up your cities.

Anita Adams: 00:24:34

Yeah, well even you know what, even just going into a park you know, there are parks that are around I mean, I know that you and I both we have nature in our backyard so we're extremely blessed. I haven't always lived on Bowen Island. I lived in a city before moving out here and I would go I would go for walks to the park and and just sit on a bench and Look at a treaty. Like there's, it's there.

Donna Maltz: 00:25:03

And I think what what what is equally as important is not everybody has the opportunity to do what we do, but they can jump on the bandwagon and clean up their cities. It's happening all over the world right now. They're sponge cities, people are planting vertical gardens, rooftop gardens, community gardens, and become an activist in wherever you live, because there's so many studies and I'll have to get them to you. You can listen to them on the Bioneers station, which is one of my favorite podcasts to listen to be i o n, e Rs, the Bioneers. But we people are doing incredible things in this in once they start putting their hands in the soil of getting in touch with the mycelium, they become part of that solution. It wherever they live, and God knows we need that. And I just love that how you do how you do you bring people out there and you take people out there. And having that opportunity for more people to create economies of scale based on bringing people closer to nature and giving them those those tools and creating a career around it. Right. So bringing picky people to nature, what is wrong with that. I really am really, really grateful that you and I have connected on this. And we're going to be spreading this ripple effect through people's consciousness. Because once it gets into your blood, I just have to tell you guys a story that happened the other day. We you know, we live and I'll take you afterwards, I'll take my life, you know outside show you where I live on the Big Island of Hawaii. And you know, some we live in a pretty much a glass house and all the doors are open and I'm outside all the time. Even my my front doors open up. So the whole house feels like you're on the Titanic, you know,

Anita Adams: 00:27:00

that's awesome. When the either way, I'm coming for a visit sometime, you know, I can't wait.

Donna Maltz: 00:27:08

So we had we have these these glass windows and when they're open all the time, and the birds fly in and out of our house. Not not lots, but some and we've gotten to know some of them. But one bird it was a young bird the other day hit the we have to close it because it was so windy here and hit the glass and it got stunned and my husband and I sat out shine he picked he picked her him up, I think it was a heat because the colors were bright, getting more bright for a young bird. And we held it in our hand. Like he held it and I credit the sort of we're and we thought oh my god, it's gonna die, it broke its neck, it looked like its beak was a little tweaked. And we sat with this bird for looking outside, sitting outside and praying for the bird and just realizing that, hey, if you need to go, it's okay, because you'll fly back in another spirit. And we were sorry for our human windows. And we acknowledged this bird is it's like a spiritual act. And then it came time you know, with it pooped in his hand and it kind of standing up and and and so we went and we put it up high enough because we have three big dogs and a cat high enough in a very safe place and checked on it every five minutes. And it was there and was there and then the next time it was gone. And we know putting that love and that attention and honoring this. It's honoring just as little bird but it wasn't like just this bird. It's just that is what is a symbol. For us recognizing all of life kind it was the power of prayer might you might say or the power of intention of acknowledging another life that isn't maybe human. Because, you know, we don't know if we're going to come back as bird or not. We don't know, do we really know?

Anita Adams: 00:29:05

I mean other conversation or conversation?

Donna Maltz: 00:29:07

Well, it's about this kindness, right? I

Anita Adams: 00:29:11

was just gonna say that's the way of being in the world. And you're you are exemplifying a way of being which is kindness. And we can there's all sorts of ways to be kind in our every day. And look, we need to look for those opportunities, you know, might be just holding the door open for somebody that's an act of kindness or smiling to a stranger, you know, and picking up a bird that's hurt. You know, these are acts of kindness, and they have a ripple effect. We are putting out good energy into the world and it's important that we find these opportunities to share acts of kindness even with the littlest creatures, you know, like night I help ants outside. You know, my I'm in at 1937 house. My husband likes to kill the ants in here and I'm like, let me just help them outside.

Donna Maltz: 00:29:59

Oh, No, that is so great because I want to share that this tube. Amp story is really good because I have a mosquito story too. I really don't like mosquitoes, right? I mean, I really don't. But

Anita Adams: 00:30:13

I actually will kill a mosquito I think that

Donna Maltz: 00:30:17

you end up killing less mosquitoes by not being out in mosquito hours which are like, there's certain times or after rain but more importantly, you wear the right clothes like I wear. I wear linen pants and, and long sleeves. And and so I've I occasionally when I'm sleeping, we'll do in a one of them gets on me. But that's what citronella oil oils for that's what tea tree oil is for. In with the ants. I don't have to kill ants anymore because I don't leave food out anymore. And I don't if the answer are trying to get into my house, you know, put put stuff out that that attracts them to go the other direction. So, you know, that's living in harmony that's living with the systems and cycles of nature, seeing what they need. If I'm having food on my counter, I'm inviting them in. If I have pools of water right outside my front door, I'm inviting more mosquitoes into my home. Shame on me. Once ability, right,

Anita Adams: 00:31:15

right. That's great. I love that awareness. All right, we need to move on to principle number four, know your truth.

Donna Maltz: 00:31:24

Know your truth. Well, we've been talking about that. I think that really, yeah, we have and knowing your truth. The reason why this is probably more important than ever, in the time of history of anybody who's alive, you know, been alive since the 50s. And 60s, especially when all this self help stuff started coming in. And everybody started going to shrinks and reading self help books and even those gurus is great, as some of that is you start reading it and you're start thinking, Oh, I should think this way or be this way. Yeah. But really, when we think about it, and knowing our truth is again, going back how the Buddha knows truth. You know, like going back, going into going out into nature is the best way to get to know our true nature. Totally. But if we don't know, our truth, how are we supposed to tell the truth?

Anita Adams: 00:32:24

Yeah. And we're, we're very easily influenced when we don't know our own truth, right? So we're not making choices that are aligned with who we really are, or what's best for us in our life. We don't know our truth.

Donna Maltz: 00:32:39

Like Brene Brown said, you know, it's none of your business, what I what somebody else thinks of me. Yeah, none of my business, and what we think of ourselves, and it's how we show up in the world and how, you know, I wake up every morning, the first thing I do is like, hug myself hug my animals. And then, you know, just say how I'm so grateful. In I think that if everybody all day long. Well, this is what I challenge my clients to do, making a choice that everything that they charge is this living like the future matters, it or these living like the future matters, or doing so I don't have anything toxic around me, because that's how I choose to live. But, you know, every once in a while, I'll reach for a pint of really good organic ice cream. It's just living like the future matters. And I say You bet it is. This is good. dryers are some really bad stuff. You know, you can't be perfect all the time. But, um, you know, that the truth of the matter is, are we living like the future matters? For our own self help?

Anita Adams: 00:33:44

Is that living the truth? Living it for us? The future matters? Is that what you're saying?

Donna Maltz: 00:33:48

Yeah, yeah, you know it. If you're like, when you think about Nietzsche all these in everything you read from Darwin's theories, all all of it, it's all like they're all these species are here. And they have meeting seasons, because they're, they, it is to, for the next generation to survive to continue this species. They're thinking about the future. It's a little anxious when you live in the future, though. So you want to live in the present because it's a gift, and you live in the past and you're depressed. But at the same time, when you're living like the future matters with each of your decisions that you make. That's why the subtitle of my book, right? But when you're living like the future matters, and you're making these truth, truths, then you are living your truth. What is true for me, is this true? Am I Am I truly doing this? Because I care that I'm an authentic genuine human being who is making a difference. Unlike a rabid I want to copulate so I my children so that they can continue to live right. I mean, that is this fundamental thing in nature. When you think about it. We are here You're, but if we're here, and we're not living like the future matters, and we're propagating just for the heck of it, and we have drugs in our system, and we are coming in with highly medicated and trying to think that we're going to avoid the fetus being that way. We're not living like the future matters. And we're creating a bunch of generations moving forward that are more out of the chest to because of what we're ingesting, whether it's chemical foods, whether it's toxic thinking. We're not living like the future matters. So when that gets back to health is our greatest wealth. And we want to continue on as a species being healthy, serving one another serving life kind.

Anita Adams: 00:35:43

Absolutely. I see how all these principles are really inter woven interconnected, aren't they? Yes, they are. Beautiful. Principle number five, mentors are essential.

Donna Maltz: 00:35:55

Who here we are anybody listening, you got to nature loving moments, you understand these principles of world, we want to inspire you. And we are here for you. I mentor a lot of people I do I do give away tons of information and free stuff on my website, wherever. Anyway, I can get this sunk in to people's consciousness, these pinch principles in general. But I also have my own mentors, like, I need a she's a mentor to me, because we soul sister on on concepts like this. Okay, I am a mentor, hopefully to you as well. You bring me here to whatever we're doing. And the cool thing is to realize that each one of you who are listening or watching this, you are mentoring somebody else. Yeah. Because people are always looking to other people, whether it's a judgment call, or or a conscious love, attraction. We are all mentoring and mentoring, ie each other. It doesn't matter how old you are. It doesn't matter what social economic class you come from. Some of the poorest people and the people who will say the lowliest life, people in these third world countries have become my greatest mentors, because they live with dignity and integrity. And they survive and they have resilient and have endured storms of political crisis as well as ecological crisis as yet they stand proud in their heritage or in what they're doing. So it's up to you to find mentors and to be a mentee for for others how we want to show up do show up as living like the future matters show that you understand everything from the source of the soul is interconnected, show that everything from the the systems and cycles of nature, like these are the values that I bring in these principles. Nobody like this whole, being like in with all the employees, I've probably had 1000 People who have worked with me, not one person ever worked for me. And all the almost 40 years I've been in business. This is showing up. This is being a mentor. This is this is what I taught all those people who worked with me, not for me how to treat people. You know, the best in my restaurant that I had for 37 years in Alaska. The pearl divers were the dishwashers we call them pearl divers. Without a pearl diver on staff, the restaurant closed.

Anita Adams: 00:38:50

Everybody's contributing in a significant way.

Donna Maltz: 00:38:52

That's right.

Anita Adams: 00:38:54

It's part of art of the fabric. Absolutely. You're clearly very passionate about this. And I see how that's woven in, in what you're doing. Like you are a mentor, you are walking that path of guiding people to their, to their best.

Donna Maltz: 00:39:15

That's right. That's my that's what we're all here to do.

Anita Adams: 00:39:17

Yeah, every action has,

Donna Maltz: 00:39:19

you can look at me and say that's what I'm here to do. But I'm challenging everybody out there. That's what we're all here to do. And, and that is how we do the last principle, you know, how do we show up right in the world? It's so important. You know, I'm no better or no, you know, I know more about certain things, but you know more about other things, people who are listening. And if you know that what you're doing isn't solution oriented or soulful oriented. Please don't mentor someone to do it the wrong way. Figure out the right way. way to do it and show up and be that genuine self, that that, that that who we are meant to be. sit under that tree and find that self that knows that they are here to be part of propagating a future generation that are stewards of the earth and stewards of all life kind not just, that's the mentors we're looking for. And mentees who are looking to learn that seek people out like us right here, we're right here and, and if it's not our personality you resonate with or not that, you know, get a get a group just like we talked about health is your greatest wealth, find those alternative health practitioners. But make sure you you you realize you are the the one that the world's been looking for. You have your unique gifts, absolutely be influenced by all these beautiful people. And let them bring out the best in who you are. Because there is no one snowflake like

Anita Adams: 00:41:06

so beautifully put. Thank you. Beautiful. Alright, principle number six, the past history is no mystery.

Donna Maltz: 00:41:14

Yeah, well, you guys, tell me about your trauma, Lay it on me thick, I'll give you five minutes and then we move forward. Because the faster you take care of a wound, the sooner it heals. The faster you take care of a wound, the sooner it heals. And we don't have time for baggage and trauma moving forward, if we're going to be a mentor. Yeah, it's really important to acknowledge it, it's really important to birth it out and cry it out and and come to peace with it.

Anita Adams: 00:41:47

And then move on. That's that's a surrender pieces and letting go surrendering the past and moving learning from it and moving forward.

Donna Maltz: 00:41:56

You stop the craziness, and you know how to do that. Really, really simple. Now, you ready? I'm ready, you stop the craziness. You add in positivity. You add in nature. You add in mentors, who genuinely see you for your greatness. I mean, you might be amazing on the piano or an incredible artist. You use that trauma to express yourself in a positive way. The best thing you can do is go out and help someone else stop the craziness. The best therapists are ones who have suffered the most trauma because they have empathy. Don't sit around and wallowing in in and drink yourself or snort yourself to death in dull people are doled more especially since COVID. We've got an increase of 50% of narcotics and drugs alcohol medication, you can read this statistics it's it's just criminal who's making money off of this. We need to I'm not saying go cold turkey from destructive things. But it is very, very important to find that mentor that counselor, somebody just just say it right now if you are dealing with old baggage if you are not allowing yourself to achieve your greatness. Right now say it to yourself. I'm stopping the craziness now. I'm stopping the craziness now. Because it is it's crazy. And people out there want to keep other people down if they're in a position to push whatever services or drugs that they have take care of your health health as your greatest wealth and that includes your mental health. Absolutely Enough is Enough is enough. There's a really hilarious it's a Bob Newhart video and it's it's not called stop the crazy. I

Anita Adams: 00:44:02

know that I know the one you're talking about where he's the the counselor or the Yes. Oh my gosh, it's so good. We gotta I gotta find that and see if I can add it. Yeah, yeah. Oh, so So funny. We're just somebody comes in with a complaint about their life. And he just says Stop it. Stop it.

Donna Maltz: 00:44:24

Well, I'm, I'm really in alignment with that. And let's, I mean, sure people I mean, obviously, some people have way more crisis than others. But those people I mean, when you look at how Michael Jordan was raised, and Oprah Winfrey, I mean, just to name a couple or people who the trauma that these people experienced and there's some of the wealthiest most influential people in the world. Tony Robbins Yes, meals in the bathtub something like crazy like that. It's dropping. So you know, it shouldn't be put the whole psychological world and all this money collation and going to psychotherapy and doing all this in bio therapy. And I'm not saying it's not any of it's bad, trust me, a little bit good. Like those people have the ability and the responsibility. I tell people when I'm coaching them, if you're not cured, or you're not on to the next thing in three months, go find somebody else. I'm not here to take your money. I'm not here to rob you. I'm here to help you move on and carry on. And if you're ready to get down to business, I'll work with you for another three months. But if we can't break this point, I got a therapist. I know. You know, those are your vampires. To me that burned me out. I want people who are shakers and movers who are really ready to mentor other people

Anita Adams: 00:45:38

come to me to the next level. Yeah, they're

Donna Maltz: 00:45:42

just a reminder of you know, not who we are. It's the past is not who we are. The past is the past, who we are as who we choose to be who we choose to show up right now. You need right here.

Anita Adams: 00:45:56

Brilliant. I love that. It's so so powerful. And I mean, it sounds you when you say just stop it. It's kind of funny. And yet it's so true. And it's not easy. But it's the beginning. It's the beginning recognizing that, yes, stop the crazy. And if you can say that, then you can take the next step.

Donna Maltz: 00:46:16

Absolutely. So you know, and I'm not suggesting but if anybody out there is in an abusive relationship right now, get the hell out of there. Stop it. If anybody is drinking too much, go to a meeting now. If anybody is out there, who is living in a toxic work environment, quit, go to job service right now, or create your own business, call me whatever. And I'm not saying quit this second, but maybe in a few minutes after you think about what your next step is. But you know, there isn't enough time. Yeah, your life, we only got it, or whoever universe gives us this precious time. That was then now is now it's time to turn the page. It's that easy. And that really is, and I'm just telling you, I've worked with enough people help them through this transition. And it's just like you sometimes you just need someone to tell you to stop it. And sometimes you really, really need to go into an institution. And you really need to detox. And you really need much greater support than what I'm saying. Yeah, so I'm not saying like, prescription, right? Should you choose what you do, you go deep into it, or you just have the courage and you can stop it. And if you can't, then go back and not back backwards, but just say, hey, I need serious help. You can go to the state, you can go to your family, friends, your parents or whatever and say, Look, I need some help.

Anita Adams: 00:47:40

Yeah, it's making the choice. You know, like, I want to make sure we're clear. It's not it's not easy. And it but it's not. It's not hard. If not, let me rephrase that. It is it is hard. But the first step to say I'm going to stop it, that's that's not hard. And then you can, you can start looking at the action steps to take to get you out of a situation to get the support that you need. But it's first making that choice that you are going to stop it whatever stopping

Donna Maltz: 00:48:11

it is that and I think that even in the AAA meetings, I one of the first things is acknowledging is 50%

Anita Adams: 00:48:18

Oh, awareness and acknowledgement is is it's huge with everything we do in life, we need to be aware of what is going on.

Donna Maltz: 00:48:27

I'm done being in a hole I'm done being a disservice to humanity, I'm done having pity parties on my myself and drinking my whatever it is. Because you know and the thing when and I'll just show the cover to the book Living like the future matters the evolution of soul to soul entrepreneur. And the reason why I'm so smart about all this stuff and I'm not so smart is I lived it you know I became addicted to food and work and especially sugar I got up to 205 pounds I was fat nearly perfect didn't nearly the fat Sick and Nearly Dead and whatever the you know, the combination. So I had to really fight my way up. I had to say stop it. I'm not just saying this because I mean, I was bad. I was this close, you know, to just like, I wasn't gonna because I have a kid. But I was this close to like lie or something and you wrote it? I do. I sat under a tree and the stories in my book and it's really great. And I had I had an awakening that was just awesome. And I was in my mid to late 30s And it took me three three and a half years to really come back and rise like a phoenix. Yeah. So

Anita Adams: 00:49:39

it's so that you know that stopped. Like I just want to presence that like it took three and a half years to make the transition. So it's not like you say stop it and boom, you are you are healed. It is a journey. You just have to make that decision. And then you take the steps to get there and it might take many years to to come out the other end or not. It could be a lot a lot quicker, and like you, my journey to healing and loving and creating a life that is aligned with who I am started with, sitting in the forest, you know it is again, it's that connecting with nature to know Know thyself, know thyself. And when you know thy self, when you make time to know thyself, then all sorts of things become in your consciousness, you become aware, and then you know, and understand how to move forward, even if you don't see all the steps, you might, you'll just see the first step, the first thing that you need to do and that's all you need to get is that first step, and then you'll get the next step and the next as you lean into and trust that you have that wisdom within yourself that is released by being by yourself in in nature, you know, I think nature is the sacred portal to our highest self, but we don't necessarily need to be walking in the forest to get that. So just want to present that you and I can clearly talk forever about this stuff, and I want to be mindful of your time. So let's, let's move on to principle number seven, which is the present a gift receive it in the Now that sounds like an Eckhart Tolle belief, and I

Donna Maltz: 00:51:21

tell him, No, it isn't an Eckhart Tolle belief, it's going to be way before Eckhart Tolle, Oprah Winfrey made that I had a hard time viewing reading that book. But not that I'm not I'm not putting it down. I'm just a reader. And I just thought, you know, anyway, the President received it, and now goes way back. I mean, that's Buddha sitting under a tree. That's, you know, that's Nietzsche. If you look at nature, that is where nature's present all the time. It uses every single sensory perception that you can ever have. And it's that awareness knowing when an earthquake is going to happen. Storm, you know, if you really listen to nature, when an earthquake right before an earthquake, everything goes completely silent, giving you enough warning, I mean, literally minutes before it happens, because I've been in an earthquake, and I've experienced that. And any any catastrophic storm nature will warn us first, how do you think most animals not all, but they know when to the exit strategy. So being present in nature does that and I want to just step back on about what with that with the past with me, it took me three and a half years to totally get out of it. But once took me 90%, I got out of almost immediately out when I sat under that tree, when I made the choice to change. And it was because I chose to be present. I told to live like the future matters. But that meant being present. In the moment. That was what happened for me, I started spending way more time back in nature, because I realized what was lacking in my life, taking walks, being by myself being quiet being still, and I'm telling you, it was that stop it, it was almost instantaneously, it took three and a half years to lose the weight. It took me three and a half years to get a knee that had been surgically slaughtered, to so I could walk better. But it didn't take me three and a half years to get over that emotional abuse that I was traumatizing myself with. It took me very quick, once you made the decision once I made the decision, but that

Anita Adams: 00:53:29

decision, just to be clear, that decision was to be present, though, right? That was part of your decision to be here in the now. And by and correct me if I if I'm if I'm going off track on that. But when you're present here in the now then you're you are able to let go of the past the pain of the past. And you're also letting go of the worry about the future.

Donna Maltz: 00:53:55

Yeah, yeah. Here's the thing about that. Absolutely. Yes. But it isn't only just letting go of the past. It's more about being aware of the past and using it as a tool to not only help yourself heal, but to help others. Just like I'm here telling you my story. Because storytelling is so important. And these are real things. So I'm sharing my past with you as part of my healing journey. So it's not to not acknowledge it and it's not to not realizing that I'm one of the things that I did and I do that's a physical recognition, you'll notice that my hair is very long. I decided that I wasn't going to cut my hair until there was world peace and hunger was eradicated. Oh, wow. Part of my healing journey to make a statement to myself is that I have a bigger person purpose in life. I don't tell everybody that story. I mean, it's real obvious that my hair is very long, and it's very big and very thick. But it's something I see in the now I look in the mirror and it's just a reminder every day, it's in the now it's just part of that, okay, I acknowledged that this hair was here. This hair was here, this bottom part, when when maybe I was in having trauma, it's like a tree has rings. You can know when there's a drought, and you can know when there was such an exorbitant amount of sunshine, you could see the growth marks in the tree. So you don't have to grow you're here until this world peace and are you think on that this is my part of my being here now. fix something that you can really relate to. And that's why I like saying looking in the mirror every day and saying I am here, I am present pick a mantra every day, I'm living like the future matters. Our I am beautiful. And here to create whatever that works for you. I am here. When you are here you are here you are present. So Fine. Everybody had like a snowflake. We're all different fine. Just, you know, just because I'm saying this. That's not your authentic self, maybe, but crazy. I'm not gonna grow my hair Besides, my hair doesn't grow, right all falling out, or my ears do frizzy. So why not? Now thing that keeps you aware everyday present? What am I working towards? I'm working towards will world peace and eradicating hunger. I'm working by doing that through the systems and cycles of nature. And using that as my main teacher and my guide to help others realize these principles, all these nine principles, right.

Anita Adams: 00:56:37

Well, that takes us to our last two principles principle number eight, the future, the future live, like the future matters, which we've kind of covered. But that's a obviously a really important principle.

Donna Maltz: 00:56:50

Yeah, you know, it's so it was hard to either put that at the very beginning or the very end, it is being the solution. So you l living like the future matters to me and my phrase in my words people can come up with or whatever they choose. But at that living like the future matters, yes, we, we definitely covered it. And I want to make sure that everybody it's a choice, what that means to you. But there are guidelines. And these principles lay out with much of what those guidelines on when you really read there's little captions for each of them. It is a study, because we have, we have to undo a lot of what we've learned. Because there are so many corporations out there that have greenwashed us to purchase their products and their services that are actually maybe good. You think it's good for you, but they're at the expense of exploiting other people, other countries. There's children growing the majority of the cocoa coffee in the world. There's you know, buying organic buying Fairtrade really, really knowing the source of we look at the whole food and drug in the whole agricultural system because they say you are what you eat, I say we are what you digest. We want to digest information that is accurate, and want to go to one source, we if we are truly going to live like the future matters. It's important to educate ourselves, it's important to invest in ourselves invest in our education, to learn from the right masters from the right mentors, that are going to make sure that the world is a habitable place. For all life kind. Think like your child is or your grandchild or your great grandchild. What kind of future do we want to have for them? We need to educate ourselves. Not from commercials not from media, not from social media. From people who are really really

Anita Adams: 00:59:02

honoring by these these nine principles.

Donna Maltz: 00:59:04

Yes. Yeah, we cuz otherwise, we're just like part of the problem not a solution for them.

Anita Adams: 00:59:13

Soulution Beautiful. Alright, principle number nine connection is sacred.

Donna Maltz: 00:59:19

Nurse connection and stay tuned, collaborate, non compete, right? Oh, create. The only time really nature has a super compete is when it's being disturbed when it's being threatened, when it's not when there isn't enough abundance. So, community building is more important than ever. First, we have to build that community within ourselves with all our cells and all the mycelium of them are the microbial organism, the microbiome in our gut without the community. We have to get healthy health is our greatest wealth. When we have our health. Then we can reach out to our families, and to our communities in a healthy way, we don't show up to a city council meeting and say, excuse my English, you know, we say, hey, let's look at this. Let's, let's figure out figure out how we can educate ourselves living like the future matters. So we're coming from these things like if we continue to fish, the rivers like this, or we continue to, to build with these permits that are acceptable of these toxins, how it's going to affect future generations, if we whatever it is, and I'm not saying just a city council meeting, I mean, just showing up in general, is unity in community. Build immunity. scalable, in community, it's my one of my favorite quotes. Thank you. Unity, and community builds immunity, it builds our personal immunity, and it builds the other immunity. I mean, like there's nothing worse than going into a room of people and feeling that toxic energy, and that, how that immediately affects our self esteem and our self worth. It's up to all of us to be if we're healthy, and we're kind and we're loving, and we're generous, and we're overflowing with solutions. They might not all be perfectly right. And you're not like this is the only way this is the sole solution. I heard it on this podcast. No, you look into you and look into these principles. You look into these things, you educate yourself, just because it came out of my mouth to through this podcast doesn't mean everything I'm saying take it as a gospel. No, this is the challenge to ignite people to have the conversation like I'm just saying you didn't include immunity build immunity. That is my quote, I learned that I came up with that, quote, somebody wrote a song about right. So I, which which is really great. So but but it's not mine. It's not it's only good. If I don't share it. Hopefully you'll quote me on it. But if you don't let it go viral. And I just I think that that is the most important thing. How can we all inspire each other to become the best version of ourselves? How can we all show up, interconnected with the systems and cycles of nature and not do things for just ourselves but for the higher good for future generations to live? Like the future may matters? Like the euro, Koi Indian sat down? Can you not do that, Kevin? Seven generations? How do we come back to the indigenous ways? How do we become back to a way that we are serving each other? Serving life kind, not humanity? Humanity falls into life kind? And how do we think of everything? Is that a solution? Or is that a solution?

Donna Maltz: 01:02:56

Do we want kids in the closet with duct tape on No. We want kids who have the self esteem, who have the competence who have the DND endurance because their health is their greatest wealth to that they can rise, wise up, rise up, take responsibility for their actions stop the craziness don't even look the craziness in because we are mentoring. We are teaching these children to live like the future manners. We are teaching them to be self reliant. We are teaching them to be stewards of the Pachamama, we are teaching them to honor love the divine feminine in themselves, if they are masculine body, the balance the yin and the yang. I love men, I have the best husband in the world, even though he was running the water, cuz we're running a little long, and you were so hungry. To hear sorry about that. But you know, that's a good part of it, you know, like he is the most, I mean, just like your husband when we give, you know what, because we open our hearts to the partnership. We are open our partners, our hearts to the unity and community that builds our immunity. So we're strong and healthy. Why retire when I can inspire? I'm here because I care about you, because I care about my granddaughter and her children. Who else is going to teach a lot of the great old indigenous people are dying off a lot of this old wisdom we have. We have the responsibility and the ability to keep this alive. The Pachamama Alliance is a great resource for everybody on this call. The Bioneers is a great resource for anybody on this call, Mama Donna, which is my personal pen name, Mama Donna is a great resource and that I need I'm sorry, you are an incredible resource. We're getting older. So teaching this this these legacies of the bastards that I stand upon their shoulders are the ones that understand life kind. They understand the four legged friends they understand the wind and the rain and the floods and the droughts and the volcanic eruptions in the storms are all part of the building. of who we have become as humans today, we're trying to build dams. And like Mother Nature's we're supposed to live in certain places. Not supposed to change and alter the ecosystem to accommodate us. I mean, all of those cities will be devoured as they should. So I just want to encourage all of us to be educated to look at these seriously, look at all these principles, read them all and add to them, share them share your additions to these principles. Yeah, create your own. That's great. You know, what they creating your own? Always? Yeah, but look at the wisdom of what has been created?

Anita Adams: 01:05:55

Absolutely. You have offered so much in this conversation. There's a lot to unpack here. And and I My sense is people are going to have to come back and maybe listen to it again, maybe take some notes. You at the beginning, you mentioned a free ebook. Is that something that we could offer our guests or our premier listeners? Yeah, maybe I can. I've got something on our websites called the toolbox. And it's a resource place for people to go and find tools that will help them on their journey. Would it be okay, if I add that ebook to our toolbox?

Donna Maltz: 01:06:36

Absolutely. And you see, you guys, this is the book and it's 400 pages in the most exciting thing about this book. Okay, talk about toolbox. And that is so awesome that you offer that I need a I have probably 100 resources in the back of the book of people that I have vetted, and we were talking about education. My goal is to get a shortcut to the wisdom of ancestral people, organizations that are doing things like to better humanity and better to become better stewards, slow foods throw money, all so many valuable researchers in their conscious capitalism. But like I said, Bioneers Pachamama Alliance different Wildlife Federation's, that are doing truly doing great work and not just taking people's money, because I vetted them. And, you know, my place in the world is to become a conduit to help you like you're doing with your toolbox. So there's several reasons even if you don't read the book, to get these resources out of the book, and find the ones that resonate with you and reach out to me, I do discover, I would be glad to talk to any of your listeners, if they have any questions about anything that I spoke with, and they can go to my website and book a call. My schedule is very busy, it's hard to get a call with me, but to go on there, and if, if you would like to, and also show up for a dose of positivity every week, and you put that in your toolbox to me, yeah, we'll

Anita Adams: 01:08:04

put it we'll include contact information in our show notes as well. So but just give us give us the website that people should go to to learn more about you.

Donna Maltz: 01:08:15

It's Donald's dot com.

Anita Adams: 01:08:18

That's easy. Donna mouths.com

Donna Maltz: 01:08:21

TZ malts with more chocolate more like more Z.

Anita Adams: 01:08:26

My favorite I love chocolate malt. I haven't had one of those in a long time. I'm gonna think of you like chocolate malts from now on. sweet and yummy and comforting. Yeah, yeah, I'll take it. Alright, Mama Donna. love it so so

Donna Maltz: 01:08:46

much. And I really enjoyed this time with you so much, and what you were doing, and bringing out to the world is amazing. And I can't wait to have you on a guest on my show called a dose of positivity.