Diana von Welanetz Wentworth’s life is woven with threads of love, curiosity, and a relentless pursuit of connecting people. Born in Beverly Hills, her journey from aspiring young woman to a New York Times bestselling author, television personality, and influential community leader is marked by passion, perseverance, and an unwavering belief in the power of community and joy.
Diana’s literary legacy is expansive and impactful. She is the author of ten award-winning books, including the popular romantic memoir, Send Me Someone: A True Story of Love Here and Hereafter. This memoir tells the poignant story of love that transcends life and death, highlighting Diana’s ability to turn personal experiences into universal lessons of hope and resilience. Her significant contributions to the literary world also include co-authoring the third book in the renowned Chicken Soup for the Soul series with Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen, a series that has sold over 500 million copies worldwide.
Her career in television began with her late husband, Paul von Welanetz, with whom she hosted a long-running series on cooking and entertaining from 1983 to 1985. This series, The New Way Gourmet, aired on the Lifetime Network and brought people together around the table, embodying Diana’s heart’s path of connecting people through food and shared experiences.
In 1985, during the height of the Cold War, Diana and Paul embarked on a transformative journey to the Soviet Union as part of a documentary project with notable figures such as Dennis Weaver, Mike Farrell, futurist Barbara Marx Hubbard, and author Alan Cohen. This trip, aimed at fostering grassroots dialogue between Americans and Soviets, deeply impacted Diana and Paul, prompting them to shift their business focus toward community and personal development. Upon their return, they founded The Inside Edge Foundation for Education, a weekly breakfast forum in Southern California. The Inside Edge became a pioneering platform for transformative speakers and thought leaders, helping launch the careers of celebrated authors like Jack Canfield, Dr. Barbara DeAngelis, Dr. Susan Jeffers and Louise Hay.
Diana’s ability to ask profound, introspective questions—what she calls “Quantum Questions”—has been a cornerstone of her personal and professional journey. These questions, laden with anticipation and expectation, have consistently led to transformative answers and opportunities. One pivotal moment of clarity came when, amidst uncertainty about her future, Diana asked herself, “What am I supposed to be doing?” The answer, which struck her like a thunderbolt, was to write a cookbook. This epiphany led to her first cookbook, which won the “Cookbook of the Year” award and paved the way for a 15-year career in the culinary world.
Beyond her literary and television achievements, Diana continues to inspire and connect people through online courses, individual coaching, and hosting private and group sessions of “Tea With Diana.” Her philosophy of using joy as a compass in manifesting one’s greatest potential lives is a guiding principle she shares widely.
Recently, she became a spokesperson, alongside Tony Robbins, for NuCalm, an app she describes as the most life-enhancing tool she has ever discovered.
Diana’s latest venture is her forthcoming eleventh book, Expect Magic! which promises to share her wisdom, tips, practices, and insights on manifesting a magical and fulfilling life. At 83, Diana remains a vibrant changemaker, embracing life’s adventures with an open heart and an unyielding spirit of curiosity and joy.
Throughout her remarkable journey, Diana has consistently reinvented herself, navigating the loss of careers and the death of two husbands. Her resilience is a testament to her philosophy that beauty and growth often emerge from life’s darkest moments. Inspired by figures like Rumi and Buddhist nun Pema Chodron, Diana advocates for embracing difficult emotions fully, without judgment, as a path to wisdom and resilience and she always acknowledge the photographer, Mary Ann Halpin in her journey.
Diana’s life is a testament to the transformative power of surrender, joy, and deliberate inquiry. Her current “Road Trip to Surrender,” during which she gave away 90% of her possessions and sold her longtime home, exemplifies her belief in the magic that comes from releasing attachments and embracing uncertainty. Her mantra, “Joy is my compass,” encapsulates her approach to life, inviting others to join her in exploring the limitless possibilities that lie beyond comfort zones.
As Diana continues to share her passion for adventure and aliveness, she extends an open invitation for others to release their grip on familiarity, embrace uncertainty, and trust in the boundless possibilities that await. Through her fearless passion and inspirational journey, Diana von Welanetz Wentworth reminds us of all of the profound beauty and joy that can be found in living a life guided by love, curiosity, and connection.
