authenticity

We Are 1 In Spirit Interview: A Special Message about Grieving You May Find Refreshing

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On this weeks Joyful Paws Jaunt blog tour, I was interviewed by author and coach, Yvonne Perry on her podcast, We are One In Spirit

Click here to listen to the interview.

Introduction from Yvonne about my segment 

Do you remember when you first began exploring your spirituality? What inspired you to seek answers to life’s greatest questions? For Barbara Techel, it was her dogs that helped her to live more authentically and more joyfully.
After her dachshund, Frankie, suffered a spinal injury, Barbara had her custom-fitted for a wheelchair that allowed her to be mobile in spite of being partially paralyzed. Barbara quickly realized the beautiful opportunity she had to spread a positive message that animals with disabilities can and do live quality lives if given a chance. This translated into also helping people see their challenges in a positive way. Today, she is a passionate advocate for special needs pets such as dogs in wheelchairs, and those in particular that are diagnosed with Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD).

From the inspiration she gained from her little wiener dog on wheels, Barbara has found her life’s purpose. She let go of her fears, and began doing hospice work with Frankie as a therapy dog team. She let go of her fear of death and began to appreciate each day of her life. She has a special connection with all her animals, but two of them have let her know they are still with her now that they have passed into the afterlife. In the audio below, she offers a special message about grieving that you may find refreshing.

Barbara is the award-winning author of the children’s book series Frankie, the Walk ‘N Roll Dog which are true, inspirational stories about her paralyzed dachshund. From 2008-2012, Barbara and Frankie made over 350 appearances to schools and libraries in Wisconsin, as well as many visits to classrooms across the US and Canada via Skype. They were also a therapy dog team visiting local facilities and logged over 250 visits spreading joy wherever they went.

In August 2012, she founded National Walk ‘N Roll Dog Day in memory of Frankie and in honor of all dogs in wheelchairs. She also started the Frankie Wheelchair Fund, which helps families who can’t afford wheelchairs for their disabled dogs. To date, this fund has helped thirteen dogs, who may not otherwise had the opportunity, to get a wheelchair.

In her newest book, Through Frankie’s Eyes Barbara takes you on a journey that led her to live her own truth and live with more joy, all because of what Frankie taught her along the way. Enjoy this interview as Barbara shares her story with Yvonne Perry on We Are One in Spirit Podcast.

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For more intuitive and inspiring podcasts with Yvonne, I invite and encourage you the visit her website today.

Don’t forget!  You can win a copy of my new book through Goodreads!  I’m giving away two copies, but hurry as you must enter by midnight on Monday, March 25th!  Good luck!

Are You Listening to Your Inner Voice?

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When I saw this quote it made me think, How many of us drown out that inner voice or stuff it down when it comes up?” I’m guilty of it. But I can also say that I have listened to that inner voice. And I’ve learned to do that more as I get older.  It’s part of the reason I love this getting older thing– lots of good stuff is coming from it. And I can say when I have taken the time to listen and then follow that voice,  the results have been life changing.

I talk more in depth about this in my upcoming book. I wrestled often with what my heart was trying to tell me. But I kept pushing it down. One of the reasons being is because the path I had been on, I was afraid what others would think of me if I jumped off that path.  Society seems to have a set of rules and regulations that is applied to all of us and how we should live our lives. While those rules may work for some, it does not work for all.

How come we don’t hear more about listening to that inner voice and following it? Why aren’t we taught to follow our heart?  Why aren’t we taught that it’s okay to try different things in the course of our life?  You also hear that it is great to be you, but yet we are swamped with all these images of perfection– or what seems to be perfection.

What if everyone today listened to that inner voice?  Can you imagine?  Imagine how different our society would be?  We’d all be living our dream and no dream would be too small or too big, and no dream would be right or wrong. And listening to our inner voices would by default create more happiness. How cool is that?

My inner voice started nagging at me when I was around 38-years older. Over the next few years it grew louder and louder.  There were some days when I just didn’t want to live in my head- it was not fun!  It began about a year before 9/11. Then the tragic event of 9/11 took place along with a personal event for me that  happened around the same time.  You can read more about that in this excerpt from my book if you haven’t already.  But that inner voice started to gain strength as the next few years would unfold. And it really started to sing from the lessons I was learning from the wonderful dogs in my life.  As I started to listen that is when my Joyful Paws moments really began to unfold.

Just before I hit the publish button for this post a wonderful article popped up in my email, so thought I’d share the link to “How to Live a Heart Centered Life.”

My Book Cover Revealed: “Through Frankie’s Eyes”–Let’s Celebrate with a Giveaway!

I’m so excited to share this with all of you! After months of giving thought to the best and right decision, I finally chose this cover for my book, Through Frankie’s Eyes: One Woman’s Journey to Her Authentic Self, and the Dog on Wheels Who Led the Way coming February 2013.  Thank you to Derek Murphy of Creative Indie for working with me and answering my oodles of questions until I felt comfortable with this final choice.  In tomorrow’s post I’ll share my reasons for choosing this as my cover and how “analysis paralysis” almost stopped me from picking one at all!

But now it is time to celebrate!!

I’ve got a wonderful giveaway to celebrate the release of my book cover. I hope you will take part, as well as share with your family and friends to not only help me spread the good news about my soon to be book, but also so they have a chance to take part in this awesome giveaway.

To enter the giveaway all you need to do is take part in answering the question below. You can answer in the comment section below, or head on over to my Facebook page and leave a comment on the post about my book cover giveaway.  On November 21st I will pick a winner at random with Random.org.  So here is the question:

What is the biggest lesson your pet has taught you and how has that helped you to grow or evolve in your life? (if you don’t have a pet, perhaps a previous pet you had or another pet that may not personally be yours is one that has helped you).

I’m really excited about hearing what all of you have to say about this question, so please do participate!

Now For the Exiting Giveaway Details:

~A signed copy of Through Frankie’s Eyes: One Woman’s Journey to Her Authentic Self, and the Dog on Wheels Who Led the Way plus one signed copy for ten friends.  The winner and their ten friends will also receive a one hour book discussion with me via phone or Skype (or in person if you would happen to be in my neck of the woods).  This will take place once my book is released and you and your friends have had enough time to read the book.

~An animal communication reading for the pet of your choice from animal communicator, Dawn Baumann Brunke.

Signed copies of the following books:

A Dog Named Leaf: The Hero from Heave Who Saved My Life by Allen Anderson with Linda Anderson

A Dog Named Boo: How One Dog and One Woman Rescued Each Other– and the Lives They Saved Along the Way by Lisa J. Edwards

 Heart to Heart Hand in Paw: How One Woman Finds Faith and Hope through the Healing Love of Animals by Peggy Frezon

Purrs of Wisdom: Conscious Living, Feline Style by Ingrid King (this is an ebook)

 Dancing Dogs Stories by Jon Katz

 The Animal Anthology Project: True Tails by Christine Catlin

All copies of the books with the exception of Dancing Dogs will be mailed to winner by respective author (Dancing Dogs will be mailed by me to winner).  Purrs of Wisdom is an ebook and winner’s name will be given to author, Ingrid King to get that to winner. A huge thank you to each and every author for their participation in my special giveaway! Also a special thank you to Dawn Baumann Brunke for the animal communication donation.

This giveaway is open to US residents only. When you leave a comment below in the post please be sure I have a way in which I can get a hold of you by email if you are the winner.  If I don’t have that information, I will need to pick another winner. If you answer the question on Facebook I will message you through Facebook if you are the winner.

The winner will have seven days to notify me they received the email stating they are the winner. If I don’t hear from winner in seven days, another name will be drawn and declared winner.

If you wish to be notified when my book is launched and available for purchase please consider signing up for my newsletter (left hand upper corner of this page) or following me on Twitter, Facebook or my blog (you can sign up for post updates on left hand side.  Scroll down until you see sign up box).