WHEN Noj Hinkins was exploring the forces of nature as he wrote his new life coaching book, he never imagined falling into the path of a natural disaster himself. But the 38-year-old from St Albans was caught up in last month s devastating Madeira floods

WHEN Noj Hinkins was exploring the forces of nature as he wrote his new life coaching book, he never imagined falling into the path of a natural disaster himself.

But the 38-year-old from St Albans was caught up in last month's devastating Madeira floods with wife Liz and narrowly missed a potentially fatal mudslide.

Noj, whose real name is Jonathan, was taking some time out after completing his book One: Changing the World from the Inside Out, an extension of the leadership business, Iceberg Coaching, that he and Liz run from their home in Prae Close.

After reading about Noj and Liz's Madeira ordeal in the Herts Advertiser, the manager of Waterstones in St Albans decided to stock the book, recommended it to customers and advised other stores in Herts to do the same.

Due to the interest it has generated, Noj was invited down for a talk and book signing on Saturday (March 6) and will be doing the same this weekend.

He said that the kind of one-in-a-million series of events that has led to the book taking off in such a way was exactly what the book, which was largely written in Starbucks in St Albans, aimed to help people create to reach their full potential.

Noj's love of variety and adventure has taken him to all the world's continents - from trekking in the Himalayas to kayaking in Antarctica - and he has come face-to-face with nature and indigenous people along the way.

It is the links that he discovered between such diverse habitats and people that have formed the basic principles of the book, which was co-created and edited by Liz.

One: Changing the World from the Inside Out explores the downsides of living in the modern world and sets out to offer positive and pragmatic alternatives to help readers be the best they can be.

Noj, who has two young children, explained that the World Health Organisation (WHO) had predicted that by 2020 the second highest contributor to disease burden would be stress and depression, despite material wealth increasing.

In the book he delves into the reasons behind the growing problem and offers a fresh perspective on how the world works, while highlighting the imbalance of modern lives compared to the natural roots of humans.

Noj then makes his paradigm relevant to the individual reader to help them to redress the balance.

He said: "Whilst we know that the way we live in the modern world has a negative impact on the environment, it is now starting to have an impact on our own physiological health.

"I wrote this book to enable individuals to lead a happier more fulfilling life and to enable us as a species to adopt a more balanced, sustainable perspective on how we co-exist together on this planet."

Ironically, Noj, who has seen the force of nature first hand, had explored the subject in the book. He said: "The book talks about the incredible powers of nature that are unleashed when people get clear on what they are here to do as an individual. It talks about the fact that everything is related, everything is connected and coincidences tend to sky rocket when you live your dreams."

A percentage of the proceeds from the book will be put towards what Noj refers to as "Oneful" projects across the world, such as charities. He added: "The book aims to be the difference it wants to see in the world."

For more information visit http//:theoneperspective.com, or to pick up a signed copy of the book head to Waterstones in St Albans early Saturday afternoon.