Perfect Gift for the Holidays!

I thought it was the perfect time to put out a plug for my book - Lucky For Me, A Journey of Healing and Self-discovery. Given that many folks are still trying to wrap up their holiday shopping, this might be the ideal present for folks on your list (Or even a nice gift to yourself)  :-) 

Is there anyone on your list who is:

- A huge animal lover?

- On a healing path (physical or emotional)?

- Trying to find themselves and discover who they truly are? Or love themselves more fully?

- Wanting to better understand themselves and their innate gifts?

If so, Lucky For Me could be the perfect gift for them this holiday season. 

Here is a link to the publisher, if you would like to make a purchase and below that, I have included some reviews of my book to give you a better idea of the content, from the perspective of other readers, to help you decide who on your list might really enjoy this book as a holiday gift. (Or a "just for the heck of it" gift).

https://riversanctuarypublishing.com/shop/lucky-for-me/

Reviews: 

Like the boy on an expedition who seeks wisdom by attending to omens in The Alchemist, author Maureen Burkley listens intently to signs she receives from Lucky, her adopted German Shepherd. What she learns couldn’t help but propel her on a quest for personal healing and self-discovery. 

Searching to understand the root causes of Lucky’s illnesses, Maureen gingerly and lovingly assists her companion in overcoming deep-seated traumas. Through the unraveling of Lucky’s knotted wounds, Maureen shows us how we can be alchemists of our own pain and transform whatever shackles us from being our best selves. 

Lucky For Me is an intimate portrait of two friends who discover when one of us evolves, everything around us evolves. The hard-earned lessons Maureen imparts throughout her story are poignant and timely, told with extraordinary honesty and regard for the reader. This is not only a must-read for animal lovers, but for anyone who could use a reminder of the preciousness of every life.

Paula Francis – author “Ten Pair Of Shoes”

******************

Maureen Burkley has written a book that any dog lover will find engaging, instructive, and transformational. Her experiences gained from adopting an abused and traumatized puppy greatly illuminate the canine/human relationship. And in doing so, illustrates the profound connection and exchange of learning that is possible between a person and any living creature. 

Maureen’s journey with her German Shepherd, Lucky shows how approaching a challenging task with self-awareness and openness leads to profound discovery and healing growth. The story presents a lesson in compassion while revealing insights and training methods that made me a more loving and responsible dog parent and gave me clues about my own mental-emotional patterns. As a specialist in Emotional Intelligence, I found the book to be a consistent primer threaded with behavioral practices and keys to personal awareness that span the spectrum of relationships. Curiosity, openness, and compassion open us to deeper connections and reveal new paths. And it’s just a great dog story!

Steve Whiteford – Applied Emotional Intelligence Consultant 

*****************

It has been a long time since I resonated with and was moved by a book. “Lucky For Me” resonated with me and I was definitely moved by it. As a longtime dog lover and parent, I truly believe that dogs have souls. It is truly a gift to have a special emotional connection with an animal. They save us and we save them. Thank you for saving Lucky and I am glad she was able to help save you as well.

K.C.

****************

Maureen's book is so inspiring and very interesting to read. She showed so much strength and perseverance during her special journey with Lucky. There is so much of her heart and determination to help Lucky with her challenges. You truly see the power of unconditional love.  The connections Maureen made to guide her were almost unbelievable or magical since many came in strange ways and at just the right time.  

So many stories in the book that I could relate to or felt the same way at times. While reading her book it triggered many of my own memories. My favorite stories were her many fun times with Lucky. Although Lucky had some struggles she never gave up either and actually help to guide Maureen on her path. Lucky brought so much joy to so many people of all ages.  They were such gifts to each other and also to so many people, myself included.

Maureen's book taught me several things that could help me in my life as well. 

L.B.

**************************

A summary of the book can be found on the book purchase link but for those who prefer not to have to do so much "clicking" I have pasted a copy of the summary below:

From the time Maureen was a little girl, all she wanted was a German shepherd. Then one day she is inexplicably drawn to a news story about a shepherd puppy that had been used in a dog-fighting ring and then heartlessly discarded in a dumpster. Was this the German shepherd she was meant to have? An adoption lottery could answer that and change her life in unimaginable ways.

Lucky For Me takes us deep into the lives of Lucky, the severely abused German shepherd and Maureen, her adopter. Assuming the role of rescuer, Maureen set out on what felt like an insurmountable mission to help Lucky heal from her physical and emotional wounds. Along the way she was catapulted into her own healing journey. Will Lucky and Maureen be able to overcome the obstacles that life has dealt them? 

Maureen gives us an honest and introspective look at their quest to regain their confidence and find their way back to whom they are meant to be. As they endeavor to accept, heal and release the past, Maureen realizes how disconnected she is from her true self. 

While attempting to answer the question “Who am I?” pieces of the puzzle begin to reveal themselves in synchronistic and magical ways. Discovering the hidden gifts in her extreme sensitivity and empathic nature, Maureen’s bond with Lucky grows even stronger and more powerful. As the process of self-discovery unfolds, a new way of life emerges—one that finally feels like home. 

Lucky for Me is a true story about second chances and new beginnings. It follows Lucky and Maureen as they navigate the ups and downs of the somewhat rocky terrain to self-acceptance and self-love. Ultimately, their inspiring adventure shows us what is possible with love, courage, forgiveness, and trust.

Lucky For Me - Interview

I had the absolute pleasure of getting interviewed by Steve Whiteford this past week to talk about my book, Lucky For Me - a Journey of Healing and Self-Discovery.  

Steve and I worked together a decade or two ago when I was working full time in the corporate world as a consultant (training, coaching, facilitating). Steve and I both contracted with the same consulting group and the first time we met, we hit it off immediately. 

We lost touch for a while but reconnected when I published my book. He read it and loved it and after having some wonderful email exchanges and chats about the book and about our lives, he thought it would be fun to interview me about the book. We set out to create a video-podcast and managed to do that this past weekend.

We had a great time making the video and we both felt it gave a more in-depth look at Lucky For me. I am sharing a link to our chat / interview about the book in the hopes that it will give you some more information about the book and the type of work I do. (the video is about 35 min. long)

You can access the link to our interview here: Maureen's interview with Steve

Given that Steve has a wide breadth and depth of knowledge about Emotional Intelligence (and has written lots of articles on the topic) we were excited to see how much overlap there was between what I learned on my journey with Lucky and what he knows about E.I.  We discussed the possibility of doing further video-podcasts like this where we dive into these topics in more detail. Given that we have both learned so much over the years . . . about the emotional intelligence of humans AND animals - we think people might be really interested in hearing more. So stayed tuned - if we put some together, I will be sure to post about them here. 

If you are interested in learning more about Emotional Intelligence, a great resource for you are Steve's articles, here is a link where you can find them: Steve's articles on E.I

And if you haven't bought a copy of Lucky for Me yet, here is a link to purchase my book: Lucky For Me

Lucky For Me - A Journey of Healing and Self-Discovery

It's hard to believe that it has almost been a year since my book, Lucky For Me, was published. Time certainly does seem to be flying by this year. Feedback so far has been wonderful (and a few folks have been kind enough to let me know where a typo snuck through so I can get those all fixed in the near future). :-) It has been so fun for me to hear all the different ways that people have connected with different parts of our story or insights we gained throughout our journey.

In the prologue, I mention that part of the reason that I felt so compelled to share our story was because I felt deep inside my heart that it would somehow be of assistance to others. 

I wrote: I know I am not the only person who has had an intense bond with their animal, nor am I the only one who has gone to extremes to help an animal recover from the abuse they suffered or heal their own trauma. My intention in sharing our journey is to light the path for those who find themselves with similar challenges. Whether you are someone who is extremely sensitive and feels things very deeply or you are trying to heal the past or you are in the process of self-discovery, my hope is that you'll experience some "aha" moments and points of connection through this book that can assist you on your own journey, and maybe even inspire you to find your way to a deeper understanding and appreciation of all you have to offer too. 

It is truly gratifying when I receive feedback that lets me know that the book has done what I hoped it would for some people . . . giving them their own AHA moments, seeing things in themselves and/or their relationship with their pets that they hadn't noticed before and in some cases even helping them unravel pieces of their childhood that have had more of an impact on them than they realized. 

While I trust that the book will end up in the hands of people who it can serve, I also know that it is ok to ask for support.  :-)  

The odds of me reading a book often increase dramatically if someone personally recommends it to me, especially when the person knows me well enough to know that it will speak to me and to my heart. So I welcome those of you who have read my book to recommend it to others if you feel it can be of assistance. Whether it is an animal lover / someone who has a strong bond with their pet, or a very sensitive soul, or a person trying to untangle who they are from who they thought they were "supposed" to be or someone who is on their own healing path. There are so many little nuggets in the book that others can relate to and it would make my heart happy if I knew that our story was helping even more people along their own paths. 

Maybe it would make a great holiday gift? It could possibly provide encouragement to someone you know who is struggling right now. So if you feel inspired to recommend my book to others or purchase it as a gift, I would be extremely grateful! 

Link to purchase the book: Lucky For Me - A Journey of Healing and Self-discovery

Endless gratitude for your support!

My Chat With Todd

Todd Medina is someone I have followed for years. He has a show called Soulspeaks 5D where he brings people on - in his words "to just chat." People from all over the world come on his show to share their experiences, their insights, etc. as a way of supporting others who are on a similar path. It's like a giant library of information that is shared from people's hearts and their souls - all for the purpose of assisting others who are growing and learning and trying to navigate this crazy world we are living in right now.

Initially, I was drawn to his shows because he is someone who isn't afraid to be honest, real and vulnerable - which was like music to my ears. Through his shows he gives people a platform to share their gifts and knowledge with others and he has this amazing ability to hold space for people - which allows them to step more fully into who they authentically are.

Last week, I had the absolute pleasure of getting to have one of those chats with Todd Medina on Soulspeaks 5D. In the first half of the show, we talk about my healing journey (which basically is a synopsis of my book Lucky For Me that came out earlier this year) and the second half of the show we talk about what I do and how I work with people and animals. We also discuss what I've learned from animals over the years and how our pets can play a pivotal role in our personal transformations if we are open to their guidance. 

If you are interested in listening to our chat, below I've shared the link to the show. 

If you are on a spiritual path and looking for some inspiration to "keep on keeping on" you might want to check out some of Todd's other chats, which can be found on youtube on his channel: Soulogyonestudios. 

For those of you who are interested in learning more about my book Lucky For Me - a Journey of Healing and Self-discovery, I have also included a link to the publisher's website, where you can read the book summary and/or make a purchase.

Finally, if you'd like to learn more about my work with animals and people, I welcome you to check out my website, Healing Animal Truths.  (link provided below)

My chat with Todd

My book - Lucky For Me

My website

Another Bit of Synchronistic Magic

I had the pleasure of experiencing some more of that "synchronistic magic" connected to my book and am excited to share it with all of you in the hopes that it helps you recognize these moments when they are showing up in your life too. It was particularly magical because I wasn't seeking anything at the time - just following my inner-guidance. 

There is someone I "know" from a few on-line communities I am a part of who invited me to attend a zoom call she was putting together with a few other like-minded souls that are friends of hers.  I knew instantly I would participate. No hesitation, no questioning . . . it was an immediate yes for me. 

*This is often a component of "synchronistic magic" - when you feel the "yes" immediately, almost as if it bypasses your mind completely and you just KNOW you're in. You may also notice that you have zero expectation of what will come about as a result. You're just saying "yes!" because it feels right.

While on the call, I felt very drawn to the peaceful energy of one of the other participants. I couldn't help noticing the way she held space for everyone while others were talking. Her energy was gentle and supportive but very strong and grounded as well. I felt nudged to send her a note the next day to tell her how much I appreciated her energy. (Something I am often too shy to do.)

*This is also a common component of "synchronistic magic" - when you feel an inner nudge to do something, even if you aren't sure why. You just know it feels "right" in your heart, even if you are a little nervous to do it.

I sent her an email and after a little back and forth, I found out that she (Paula) is also an author who, like me, published her first book this year. We decided to buy a copy of each other's books - again another "immediate yes" - no "thinking" required. :-) 

I had just started another book when her book arrived so some time had passed between when I ordered/received her book and when I got started on it. After the first few chapters, I felt inspired to email her and tell her how much I was already enjoying her book. I randomly decided to mention that my delay in starting it was because there was another book that I wanted to finish reading before I started hers. 

*This is another common component when you are riding the wave of Synchronistic Magic. You observe yourself saying or writing something that you hadn't previously intended - it just kind of pops out of your mouth or springs from your fingertips. 

As I continued to soak up and savor the beauty and insights of her book, I was in awe of how many similarities there were between her book and mine AND the one I had just finished. While they are different stories and very unique in their own way, they somehow all seemed to dovetail together. It was as if they were all woven together into the same tapestry. 

Three different people, writing three completely different books from three different perspectives. One was fiction, the other two were memoirs and yet there was so much in these three books that were the same . . . insights - nuggets of wisdom, etc. The "main characters" experienced different challenges, followed different paths, the authors used different terminology to describe the journey and yet they revealed so many of the same discoveries. I was amazed by the fact we were all finding a way to share our understanding of such similar concepts.

Once she finished reading my book, she emailed me to tell me how much she enjoyed it. Excitedly I told her about how I could feel these threads of connection between her book, my book and the one that I had read right before hers. It was then that I shared what the other book was . . . 

And that was the next jaw dropping moment of the Synchronistic Magic . . . the book at the top of HER reading pile that she planned to start next was the SAME BOOK . . . . The Alchemist by Paolo Coelho. I'm telling you, you just can't make this stuff up!  This is what Paula refers to in her book as PFM's - Pure Freakin' Magic! 

*When this happens - these moments of PFM - it's extremely likely that more things will reveal themselves in surprising ways . . . connections (meeting the next right person) or ideas (a random thought pops into your head that you hadn't considered before) etc.  The key is to just stay open and see what comes next.

The more they happen, the less surprised we are when they happen and yet my giddy reaction to having experienced another one of these PFM's never lessens! They are the things that tell me I am on the right track, they are my sign posts, my encouragement to keep moving ahead, confirming that I am "in flow."

How do you know when you are having a PFM moment? You might find yourself thinking "Could this really be?" "How is this possible?" You might notice a quickening of your heart rate or notice your breathing changes (to either deeper or more shallow with each in-breath).  For me, these moments are often accompanied by a buzzing in my ears or goosebumps up my arms. Sometimes it is a smile so big it makes my eyes squint or my hands automatically swoop up and cover my heart, as I breathe it in and savor the moment. There is no "right" way to experience a PFM moment. (Just pointing out a few of the things I've noticed in myself in the hopes that it might help some of you recognize them as well)

I truly believe the energy of this magic is all around us - whether you call them synchronicities, or PFMs or any other descriptor . . . what we call them is less important than just observing them when they happen and watching them unfold. The more we see the magic and ride the waves, the more magic we will likely encounter.

So listen to your heart and your inner-nudges, notice when you find yourself saying "yes" to something that you can feel in your heart (that by-passes the thinking/processing of our mind) and then stay open to seeing what shows up next!  

Right now, I think most of us could really benefit from experiencing more magic in our lives - to lift our spirits and show us what else is possible . . . My wish for all of humanity is that these beautiful moments become more and more noticeable to everyone because I believe in my heart that we all deserve them and so much more!!!

Feedback on Lucky For Me

One of the things that has been really fun for me since I published my book is hearing people's reactions to it. Of course the first round of sales were all people who are friends of mine so it wasn't a surprise that I was hearing nice comments from people - LOL - yet it didn't lessen my enjoyment one bit. Some friends emailed every 75 pages or so to tell me what they were enjoying about it so far - other friends waited until they finished reading it to tell me what grabbed their attention - either way, it was incredibly fun to hear their reactions. 

The book did what I hoped it would do . . . give people things they could connect to. Comments as seemly small as "Oh wow, I thought I was the only one who was afraid of driving on steep hills in San Francisco" to larger ones like "Oh wow, this brings back so many memories of when my pet and I went through something similar." Many people said the book gave them things to think about or that they could see something in their own life from a different perspective. It has opened the door for some really nice conversations. Several of my friends are former clients - they were clients in the years the book was written about and after their pets transitioned, they became friends . . . so their comments often included things like "I knew about some of that but not all of what was going on at the time." Ultimately they felt inspired to know how much Lucky and I were able to overcome. It was also really touching to see how many people said they felt nudged to look more closely at something they had been glossing over in their own life. 

I love hearing about what people's favorite parts of the book were, as they were often the favorite parts of my life at the time, so I was glad I was able to capture those things in the book. Many people have commented on how proud they are of me for putting myself in there (and out there) - allowing myself to be THAT honest and vulnerable - to which I confess that it was probably the hardest part of writing the book . . . making peace with the level of openness I went with and the judgement that may come along as a result. 

Of course there is a whole lot that happened in our life that didn't get included in the final version - lots of stories that didn't make it into the final draft because let's be honest - who wants to read a 900 page book? I had a few friends tease me when it first got published, saying things like "I better be in there, you know I was a big part of Lucky's life!" :-)  So Steve, here's a big shout-out to you . . . even though stories about all the time we spent with you didn't make it into the book, your friendship will always mean the world to me. Not only were you always willing to throw the ball for Lucky, whether we were hanging out at my house or out at the pool but clearly, you didn't mind joining in the ball catching on occasion either, which still makes me giggle.  LOL

I hope that my book is as well received with the people who don't know me as well (or at all) . . . only time will tell but in the meantime, I got my first written review and I'm excited to share it here:

Maureen's book is so inspiring and very interesting to read. She showed so much strength and perseverance during her special journey with Lucky. There is so much of her heart and determination to help Lucky with her challenges. You truly see the power of unconditional love.  The connections Maureen made to guide her were almost unbelievable or magical since many came in strange ways and at just the right time.  

So many stories in the book that I could relate to or felt the same way at times. While reading her book it triggered many of my own memories. My favorite stories were her many fun times with Lucky. Although Lucky had some struggles she never gave up either and actually help to guide Maureen on her path. Lucky brought so much joy to so many people of all ages.  They were such gifts to each other and also to so many people, myself included.

Maureen's book taught me several things that could help me in my life as well. 

Lucky For Me Has Finally Been Published!!

It is with great excitement that I share this . . . My book "Lucky For Me: A Journey of Healing and Self-Discovery" has finally been published and is available for purchase!!!  

It has been "in the works" or "on the shelf collecting dust" for so many years, I wasn't sure this day would ever come but as I explained in a recent blog post . . . some synchronicities and magic got it moving again and we finally crossed the finish line!!!

At the present time, I have decided to sell only through the publisher so if you feel inspired to purchase a copy of my book, you can go to: Lucky For Me - A Journey of Healing and Self-Discovery

The publisher and I chose to start with just paperback copies of the book. Down the line we will assess if we'd like to make it available as an e-book as well but at the moment it will only be available in the good old fashioned "hold it in your hand" way.  :-) 

In my last post, I shared a summary of the book so you can get a feel for what it is about. As for why I wrote the book and how I hope it will assist people, here is a paragraph from the prologue that will explain: 

I know I am not the only person who has had an intense bond with their animal, nor am I the only one who has gone to extremes to help an animal recover from the abuse they suffered or heal their own trauma. My intention in sharing our journey is to light the path for those who find themselves with similar challenges. Whether you are someone who is extremely sensitive and feels things very deeply or you are trying to heal the past or you are in the process of self-discovery, my hope is that you'll experience some "aha" moments and points of connection through this book that can assist you on your own journey, and maybe even inspire you to find your way to a deeper understanding and appreciation of all you have to offer too. 

Close To The Finish Line

In December, I was sure that my book "Lucky For Me" would be published in January. It seems the Universe felt I needed some more practice with PATIENCE, given that there have been quite a few unexpected delays in the last 6 weeks.  LOL 

I'm happy to say, we've got forward momentum again!! The proof of the book arrived today . . . the last opportunity to look through it and make sure everything looks right!!!  The next step is bringing it over to Annie the publisher so she can look through it as well and once we are both satisfied that the formatting, picture placement, etc. are all as we intended, then it will finally be "Go Time!"

Part of me can't believe this is finally coming to fruition!  It has been a big dream of mine for a very long time and the last promise I made to Lucky before she passed away. (That was twelve years ago). 

I am so excited about this, I just had to share!  More information coming in the next week or so on how to purchase a copy if you are interested!  

For now, here is the book summary if you want to know more about the content of my memoir that covers the journey of healing and self-discovery that Lucky and I went on from 1996-2009. 

From the time Maureen was a little girl, all she wanted was a German shepherd. Then one day she is inexplicably drawn to a news story about a shepherd puppy that had been used in a dog-fighting ring and then heartlessly discarded in a dumpster. Was this the German shepherd she was meant to have? An adoption lottery could answer that and change her life in unimaginable ways.

Lucky For Me takes us deep into the lives of Lucky, the severely abused German shepherd and Maureen, her adopter. Assuming the role of rescuer, Maureen set out on what felt like an insurmountable mission to help Lucky heal from her physical and emotional wounds. Along the way she was catapulted into her own healing journey. Will Lucky and Maureen be able to overcome the obstacles that life has dealt them?  

Maureen gives us an honest and introspective look at their quest to regain their confidence and find their way back to whom they are meant to be. As they endeavor to accept, heal and release the past, Maureen realizes how disconnected she is from her true self. 

While attempting to answer the question “Who am I?” pieces of the puzzle begin to reveal themselves in synchronistic and magical ways. Discovering the hidden gifts in her extreme sensitivity and empathic nature, Maureen’s bond with Lucky grows even stronger and more powerful. As the process of self-discovery unfolds, a new way of life emerges—one that finally feels like home. 

Lucky for Me is a true story about second chances and new beginnings. It follows Lucky and Maureen as they navigate the ups and downs of the somewhat rocky terrain to self-acceptance and self-love. Ultimately, their inspiring adventure shows us what is possible with love, courage, forgiveness, and trust.