I’m Fine Just the Way I Am

Hitting Milestones with Signs of Support from the Universe

Posted by Barbara Techel

Snow heart I discovered on a walk

Part of my day on Tuesday was preparing and addressing envelopes to send out complimentary copies of my new memoir to all the wonderful people who supported me along the way. 

Each time I hit a milestone like this I feel a whoosh of love run through my heart – and I know it’s Gidget. While she may not be here physically, I have felt her presence every step of the way, and I’m so grateful.

The books are now in the mail and on their way to the recipients. While writing is such a solitary endeavor it truly takes a team to bring a book into the world.

Writing a memoir for me has also meant that I have to first live my experiences before I share them. And then re-live them again as I write them. There is so much personal growth involved in the process for me.

In many ways, I’m welcoming this new phase as it is more linear, left-brain thinking as I am in preparation mode of getting ready to release it. And just an FYI that pre-ordering my new book, along with some bonus gifts is coming soon. 🙂 I hope you’ll stay tuned!

I also appreciate how the universe supports us with confirmation nudges along the way. Just recently I shared here on my blog about my story and an encounter with a snake that is included in a new book by my friend, Dawn Brunke, called Awakening the Ancient Power of Snake.

Reading Dawn’s book I learned about another author, Tera Thomas, who wrote a book called, Opening My Wings to Fly: What Animals Have Taught Me.

I read it in two days. It was hard to put down! Tera’s book is about how animals in the physical and non-physical have been some of her greatest teachers. She also shares her many experiences in communing with them, whether in dreams, meditative journeys, or in real life and how they have helped her become a better human being and live in harmony with them.

At times in my own life, I’ve thought I was losing my mind with how animals were showing up and trying to guide me – especially snake! It’s not something society often talks about and honestly not something many are even open to – this way of communing with animals that bring us messages we most need to hear and understand.  Reading Tera’s book, on the cusp of releasing mine, felt like connecting with yet another kindred spirit.

I’ve worked through much darkness to get to this point. Discovering other’s who have walked similar paths and their encounters with animals have been welcome validations. So to all the other authors (and animals!) who have walked before me, I say a big thank you! Just another welcome reminder that we never walk alone.

xo,

Barbara

 

 

Revealing the Cover of My Next Book: I’m Fine Just the Way I Am

Posted by Barbara Techel

I’m so excited to finally share with you the cover of my next book! 

As I’ve been reflecting on the past year, it will likely not come as a surprise that I’ve often been moved to tears.

Gidget’s spirit has been so strong around me of late, and while I feel some sadness she is no longer with me physically (and this is my first Christmas in 35 years without a pet), I continue to feel this deepening of utter gratitude for her. This is such an exquisite gift because of the healing she guided me through.

There was a time I didn’t believe I was going to make it through that dark night of the soul that began in the summer of 2015, but now on the other side, I continue to swim in this magnificent gratefulness and see clearly that Gidget knew all along I could do it. My dear devoted sweet one I say thank you from the bottom of my heart…always.

I don’t have an exact release date yet, but I hope you will stay tuned as I’ll be announcing in early 2020 when pre-orders will be available!

Thank you for being here, for allowing me to express my thoughts, and for pondering and growing along with me. I hope you know how much I appreciate your support of me and my work.

What this Book is About:

I’m Fine Just the Way I Am takes you on a deep, intimate and powerful journey as I explore the significance of a painful, recurring vision that plagued me for over two decades. To do so, I must call upon every ounce of courage, faith, and commitment, or be swallowed by the depression and anxiety that has consumed me.  
 
Like a metaphysical detective, I employ a myriad of tools, each of which serves as a building block to self-knowledge and healing. I learn to tap into my intuition and the insight from oracle cards on a level I’ve never done before; I also examine my dreams and embrace the power of ceremony and life-enhancing breath work. Most importantly, perhaps, I learn to accept help from others and trust in the process, understanding that the turmoil in my life is truly happening for me, not to me.
 
As in my previous two memoirs, I also draw on the profound teachings I received from animals—from my special needs dachshund, Gidget who served as a reflection of the darkness and what needed to be healed, to a snake who helped me shed what I no longer needed, a wolf who encouraged me to keep my heart open, and a horse who empowered me to stand in my strengths.
 
All were integral to help me transform my pain and accept it as both a gift and the path I was meant to walk in order to finally understand that I’m worthy just as I am.

xo,

Barbara

The Final Page and Canary Spirit’s Perfect Message

Posted by Barbara Techel

The editing and the cover of my book, I’m Fine Just the Way I Am have been completed for a few weeks now and the manuscript is in the hands of those I reached out to for endorsements. It’s the final tidbits of book publishing I need to yet complete before it goes off to the design team who will put together the interior layout.

The past few days I’ve been working on the very last page of my memoir. The page I’m working on? The acknowledgments. I’ve been writing a little each day. Trying to find the most appreciative and heartfelt words to express to those who have walked this journey with me.

I’ve done this so many times before and yet again I find myself in this stuck place. I know it’s because I feel a depth of gratitude for those that have supported me, but then how do I truly convey that in words?

And so I did what I often do when I’m feeling stuck. I pulled some tarot and oracle cards. I received Guardian of Water (from Gaian Tarot – Healing the Earth, Healing Ourselves by Joanna Powell Colbert) and Canary Spirit (from The Spirit Animals Oracle by Colette Baron-Reid). 

Guardian of Water was part of a New Moon reading I did for myself on Sunday and Canary Spirit is my animal for the month of December from a year-long spread I did for myself at the beginning of 2019. Interesting their appearance again.

Right away I understand these cards as reminding me to continue to go with the flow and not against the current. The turtle on the card symbolic of the fact I can’t rush this, and the fish swimming upstream I see as trusting my own flow. I can’t force this, but allow it to unfold naturally. Water is symbolic of emotions and I’m swimming in them right now, though not quite sure how to express them. The shell I see as if holding to my ear, and to listen and tune in to my heart, and then let it flow.  Flow seems to be the theme here, now doesn’t it?

Canary Spirit reminds me that no matter what, this whole journey of writing this book has been about singing my own song. Tears actually pooled in my eyes when I pulled the Canary card as it is packed with so much meaning for me. The writing of this book has set me free in boundless ways – and no doubt will continue to as it goes out into the world.

And in the end, no matter what, I know I put my heart and soul into this and grew in ways I never imagined I would. This allowing and not forcing has been something I continue to hone. And so what a lovely reminder from these two cards to come forth as the needed reminder to allow the flow with gentleness and graciousness…and trust that it will all come together, just as it always has.

And so with this message of truth, I now sign off and head out for a walk, which always proves good medicine too…

xo,

Barbara