Zoo-notable

For Zoo Lovers Day, I delve into a special memoir from St. Louis Zoo's CEO and President, Jeffery Bonner, PhD. I loved the stories Jeff shares about working in a zoo, the conservation projects, the animals, and how zoos help save species.

I hope you enjoy the tidbits as much as I did.

Mentioned in this Zoo-notable: Flight of the Hummingbird

Want to improve your communication skills, make a stronger impact on the lives of the people around you, and develop empathy and understanding of others' perspectives? The best skill you can develop to achieve all that is listening.

You're Not Listening by Kate Murphy is one of the most influential books I read in 2024, now I'm revisiting it to share the big ideas that changed the way I think and interact with others. In fact, it's so relevant and powerful, I couldn't fit it into one episode, so we're breaking it into 2 parts.

This week we discuss Shifting vs. Supporting Responses, Bragging Ain't All That, and Listening to Yourself.

Grab a copy of the book yourself or find a copy at your local library.

Want to improve your communication skills, make a stronger impact on the lives of the people around you, and develop empathy and understanding of others' perspectives? The best skill you can develop to achieve all that is listening.

You're Not Listening by Kate Murphy is one of the most influential books I read in 2024, now I'm revisiting it to share the big ideas that changed the way I think and interact with others. In fact, it's so relevant and powerful, I couldn't fit it into one episode, so we're breaking it into 2 parts.

This week we discuss What Listening Is, How to Make Anyone Interesting, Thoughtful Listening, Keep Your Mind on the Conversation, and Listening to Opposing Views.

Grab a copy of the book yourself or find a copy at your local library.

Related Zoo-notables: I Never Thought of It That Way

Atlas of the Heartby Brené Brown

Who else could I possibly bring on for International Women's Day than Sabrina Brando? Sabrina is the founder of Animal Concepts, an international organization that helps those in the animal care field understand animal wellbeing, human wellbeing, and planetary wellbeing. Everything is interconnected, and Sabrina shares some of her experience and wisdom with all of us in this special interview.

Learn more about Animal Concepts through this link.

Try Heroic for 14-days free through this link.

In this remarkable story, we get all the warm fuzzy feelings about friendship, kindness, and finding home. A short and sweet episode for a short and sweet book.

I highly recommend reading it, but also watching the short animated film on AppleTV.

Grab your copy here.

Steve Irwin was an inspirational figure to thousands of zookeepers and conservationists.

But in Steve and Me, we get a rare and insightful look at the man, the legend, the Crocodile Hunter, from the one person who knew him best, his loving wife Terri.

A beautiful tribute to a great man.

If you want to read the book yourself, here are some ways to get a hold of it-

Local Bookstore

ThriftBooks

Our first required reading for the leadership development course I'm taking is a doozie-- Leadership and Self-Deception by the Arbinger Institute.

I love the stories within the story, and the insight I received, eye-opening and empowering ideas that I can't wait to share with you, mostly to remind ME about keeping an outward mindset.

Want more?

Check out Leadership and Self-Deception onBookshop and buy local, or downloadLibby and start listening to amazing books.

Related Zoo-notables

Radical Candor by Kim Scott

Mindset by Carol Dweck

I Never Thought of It That Way by Monica Guzman

For 2/2, I thought it'd be fun to catch up with my favorite, VERY prolific author, Miranda Levi, to check in with her new(ish) book The Sea Withdrew, the second in the Fountain of Youth series.

Miranda has several pen names, including Isla Watts, which she writes the Mythiverseseries, and Lorelai Hamilton, her pen name for her tarot books, including one of my all time favorites, Tarot Tales.

We talk all things books, including her publishing company Rainbow Quartz, as well as writing.

Enjoy this special sequel interview about sequel books from an amazing author!

What do you get when you "Care Personally" and still "Challenge Directly"? You get Radical Candor, the most effective way to interact and communicate with your teammates.

This book was mind-blowing, and I can't wait to get my hands on my own copy! Get one for yourself!

We'll discuss what Radical Candor is and what it means, Manipulative Insincerity, Obnoxious Aggression, and Ruinous Empathy as other communication methods, being clear and making sure our learners understand, and giving a damn about ourselves.

January 20 is Penguin Awareness Day, so I sat down with Katie Propp of Penguin International to discuss all things penguins. We discuss the charisma of penguins, conservation, and fun activities YOU can engage in to learn more about penguins, get involved, and protect these charismatic critters!

Katie is one of the most enthusiastic conservationists I know. Her passion is obvious, and contagious. A perfect guest for this special Tell Me a Story.

Learn more about Penguins International,and get involved!

Karen Pryor was a pioneer in modern positive reinforcement animal training practices. She was a mentor to thousands of trainers, whether they met her in person or just knew of her from her dozens of books, courses, and programs. If you know clicker training, you have Karen to thank.

Karen passed away at the age of 92 on January 4, 2025. She will be greatly missed but her legacy will live on with every person who takes on the mantle of caring for animals.

I'm honoring Karen today with a discussion of her book On Behavior, a collection of essays and articles from her decades of teaching others the way of positive reinforcement training.

Listen to related Zoo-notables: Don't Shoot the Dog and Lads Before the Wind

Want a copy of Karen's books? Check out Karen Pryor Academy.

Connect with other animal trainers at ClickerExpo(January 24-25 online)

When Macdonald’s father passed away, she was devastated. An experienced falconer she’d never before been tempted to train a goshawk. But in her grief, she saw that the goshawk’s fierce and feral temperament mirrored her own. Resolving to raise one of the creatures as a means to cope with her loss, MacDonald adopts Mabel and turns to the guidance of the Once and Future King author TH White’s chronicle The Goshawk to begin her challenging endeavor. Projecting herself “in the hawk’s wild mind to tame her” tested the limits of Helen’s humanity and changed her life…

Love this Zoo-notable? Grab the book!

Local Library

Download Libby and listen for free

Grab your own copy, support local bookstores

What do Mozart, Picasso, Tiger Woods, and the Williams sisters all have in common? That they are all considered masters of their field. They have all also been called "talented."

Let's explore the myth of talent and how you can achieve greatness in your field with Bounce by Matthew Syed.

A great way to kick off the new year, and Season 4 of Zoo-notable!

Want to check the book out yourself?

Buy from yourlocal bookstore

Check it out at your local library

Download Libby and start listening to it today, FREE

It's one of my favorite times of year, National Novel Writing Month (also called NaNoWriMo), and to celebrate and honor all my writing friends, I thought we could delve into what it takes to be a Healthy Writer, from one of the most prolific authors I know, Joanna Penn.

We'll discuss stress in our dream job, realizing and getting in tune with our cycles, loneliness, and lessons from yoga and running.

If you would like to learn more about Healthy Writer, or check out other books by Joanna Penn, visit her site at https://www.thecreativepenn.com/books/

I was very hopeful that we would be electing our first woman President this election, and I was excited it would be Kamala Harris. I read her memoir from her time before becoming the first woman Vice President, The Truths We Hold, and was inspired and empowered by her accomplishments.

Today we discuss some of Kamala's insightful lessons-- Embracing the Mundane, Words Matter, Taking Perspective, Show the Math, and Breaking Glass Ceilings.

I may not have experienced what I had hoped for, but I am still inspired by Kamala Harris to roll up my sleeves, and do the hard work.

Want to check it out for yourself? Click here

I got the chance to sit down and chat with Ann Littlewood, one of my favorite authors, who got me interested in mysteries. She wrote Night Kill, Did Not Survive,and Endangered,murder mysteries set in a zoo.

We discuss a lot of the changes from when Ann was a zookeeper, to when Iris Oakley, the main protagonist of the series, was starring in her role as murder solver and zookeeper, to how zoos function today.

Grab your copies of Night Kill,Did Not Survive, andEndangeredtoday.

Listen to them onLibby.

And don't forget to let your voice be heard. Go out and VOTE!

"After forming an intense bond with Natasha, a wolf cub she raised as part of her undergraduate research, Renée Askins was inspired to found the Wolf Fund. As head of this grassroots organization, she made it her goal to restore wolves to Yellowstone National Park, where they had been eradicated by man over seventy years before. In this intimate account, Askinsrecounts her courageous fifteen-year campaign, wrangling along the way with Western ranchers and their political allies in Washington, enduring death threats, and surviving the anguish of illegal wolf slayings to ensure that her dream of restoring Yellowstone’s ecological balance would one day be realized. Told in powerful, first-person narrative, Shadow Mountain is the awe-inspiring story of her mission and her impassioned meditation on our connection to the wild."

To honor Wolf Awareness Week, I delve into this memoir of the founder of Wolf Fund, the organization that was integral to the wolves returning to the wild in Yellowstone and Idaho in 1994-1996. More than a conservation story, Shadow Mountain is a tale of compassion and empathy for wolves, communities, and everyone in-between.

Find a copy for yourself at Amazon

"Mindsets are just beliefs. They’re powerful beliefs, but they’re just something in your mind, and you can change your mind.”

- Carol Dweck, Mindset

Today we're discussing a topic that has been a hot button issue for me since probably March or so: The 2 Mindsets-- The Fixed Mindset and the Growth Mindset, and how they affect us, and how we can adopt a more productive and helpful growth mindset.

I read this book to help prepare for AAZK national conference in Omaha, where I'll be presenting a workshop on developing a growth mindset. If you want to learn more about AAZK, click the link and perhaps I'll see you in Omaha!

Check out the book for yourself, Mindset by Carol Dweck.

How do winning friends help us influence our well-being and our career? Well, by taking our relationships to the penthouse, we can foster connections that can enrich our lives and help us change the world.

It's Not Just Who You Knowby Tommy Spaulding helps explain why friendships are important, and how to develop lasting, authentic connections through empathy, humility, and vulnerability.

Like this Zoo-notable? Check it out on Libro.fm

Want to read other books by Tommy Spaulding:

The Gift of Influence

The Heart-Led Leader

To Save a Starfish is a wonderful workbook by Jennifer Blough to help animal care professionals identify compassion fatigue in their lives, discover techniques that will help combat burnout, and implement them.

This book is only available on Amazon(I usually prefer to promote local sources like libraries and local bookstores), but if you are struggling with your mental health, this may be a terrific resource.

I'm kicking off Mental Health Awareness Month with my #1 recommended book and resource for strengthening our brains and relieving stress-- Stress Less, Accomplish More is by the Ziva Techniquefounder Emily Fletcher.

We'll cover topics such as how meditation is like station training for our brains (lessons from a mob of meerkats), how NOT to train our brains, the "I'll be happy when" syndrome, and how obstacles and rough times are actually good for us.

If this Zoo-notable piqued your interest, check out the book for yourself- Libraryor Local Bookstore.

We're closing out Earth Month and celebrating Earth Day with a special book on how we can reduce our carbon footprint: How Bad Are Bananas by Mike Berners-Lee. I personally loved how the author doesn't push us to do EVERYTHING in the book, just giving us information and empowering US to make the choices that are right for each one.

We'll discuss the Rebound Effect, how our health impacts the environment, and ways we can do what we can while taking care of ourselves.

Want to check out the book yourself?

Find your local library

Check out the website

As overdevelopment and sea level rise threaten the town of Montauk, an unexpected legacy grants the fate of its last undeveloped parcel to Clancy Frederics, an outsider scarred by his orphaned childhood. Everyone in town has a stake: Julienne, an environmentalist and painter fighting to save the landscape that inspires her art; Theresa, a bartender whose trailer park home is jeopardized by coastal erosion; and Molly and Billy, who are struggling to hold out against pressure to sell their home.

Join me as I sit down to discuss The Start Beauty of Last Things with author Celine Keating, in my first Cli-Fi (climate fiction) book on Zoo-notable.

Want to read the book yourself?

Buy it from your local bookstore

Find it at your library

What happens when science-fiction humor author Douglas Adams takes biologist Mark Carwardine on adventures all over the world to experience some of the rarest and most endangered species on earth? We get one of my favorite books on endangered species, Last Chance to See.

To celebrate Earth Month, I'm dedicating all my episodes to environmental books. If you are a fan of Douglas Adams, or want to read an entertaining account of a serious subject matter, Last Chance to See is the perfect book for you.

We're closing out Women's "Empowerment" Month with a banger-- an interview with author, life coach, and wonderful mentor Laurie Buchanan, author of Note to Self, a Seven-Step Path to Gratitude and Growth. We discuss her book and using color (the energy and feeling of color) to help us, along with breathing, and affirmations.

Check out Laurie's work, find a copy of her books at your local bookstore, listen to the Sean MacPherson series on audio(while supporting your local bookstore), or check it out at your local libary.

It's a Flashback day on Zoo-notable as I discuss a book from 2008, What Shamu Taught Me About Life, Love, and Marriageby Amy Sutherland. An oldie but a goodie.

We'll talk about animal training, but how it pertains to US, personally-- how to change our behavior, how to use animal training methods, why to avoid punishment, and why we should NEVER take our healthy habits for granted (ie- always reinforce them!).

Want more Zoo-notable goodness, help support ZooFit, and connect with me in a unique fun way? Join the ZooFit Tribe on Patreon. One lucky patron will win a copy of What Shamu Taught Me.

Related Zoo-notables: Eye of the Trainerwith Ken Ramirez

Zoomility by Dr. Grey Stafford

Atlas of the Heartby Brené Brown is such an incredible book, I couldn't contain it to one single episode. So, here's part 2 of ways we can connect better through understanding our emotions.

There are a ton of resources, but mainly, if you want more from Brené Brown, visit her website at brenebrown.com.There is also a self-compassion test you can take and more resources at self-compassion.org.

Related Zoo-notables include Part One of Atlas of the Heartas well as Braving the Wilderness by Brené Brown, I Never Thought of It That Way by Monica Guzman, and Love 2.0 by Barbara Fredrickson.

Zoo-notable is a passion project of ZooFit, where we learn to take better care of ourselves so we can take better care of the animals and the world. When we feel better, we can do better. If you like what we are doing, consider joining the ZooFit Pride on Patreon. Get more insights with bonus Big Ideas, sneak peaks at future projects, and connect with me and other like-minded ZooFitters.

Brené Brown is one of my heroes, bordering on idol for me. And this book took my breath away. I'll definitely return to it time after time to help me understand and map out my own emotions and allow myself grace and vulnerability to feel.

We're celebrating women all month, and kicking off with a doozie, so return next week as we continue our deep dive into Atlas of the Heart

Join the ZooFit Pride on Patreon and stay up to date by joining my newsletter

Cindy is a special heroine of mine, getting involved with Polar Bears International and AAZK's Trees for You and Me program to help the furry loves of her life, polar bears, and combat climate change.

She came up with the concept of Party for Polar Bears at Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium as a fundraiser with their local AAZK chapter. Their success has led to raising over $46,000 for conservation.

Sitting down with Cindy to share her story is such a treat, and with International Polar Bear Day right around the corner (February 27), you have time to Party for a GREAT cause, and learn ways you can make a big difference.

Learn more about Polar Bears International

Climate Alliance Program

Trees for You and Me

And support Party for Polar Bears-- February 29, bid on items in the auction, have fun with the Polar Bear Crawl in Proctor, or donate to the cause!

Animal Allies- 15 Amazing Women in Wildlife Research is perfect for younger audiences and inspiring them to go for their dreams. Whether studying ants, turtles, big cats, or whales, these women show integrity, passion, grit, and resilience in their field.

Check out a copy of Animal Allies at your local library or grab a copy for yourself or someone you know.

Check out some of these related Zoo-notables:

All We Can Save

Blue Mind by Wallace J Nichols

Getting a Job in Wildlife Biology by Stephanie Schuttler

Support ZooFit and Zoo-notable by signing up for my newsletter at ZooFit, or joining my Pride on Patreon. Get bonus material, sneak peaks at my projects, and chances to win cool prizes.

Happy Lunar New Year to everyone, and welcome to the Year of the Dragon. I can't wait to share today's book, How to Train Your Dragonby Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III (translated by Cressida Cowell). It's very different from the movie, and worth a listen to the audio book, which you can get for free on Libby. It's a fun read, and has some poignant lessons that animal trainers, in particular, I think will get a kick out of.

If you'd like a chance to win a copy of How to Train Your Dragon, AND support ZooFit/Zoo-notable, AND receive bonus material or sneak peaks at future projects, AND be a part of something awesome and amazing, join ZooFit Pride on Patreon.

Let's get (un)comfortable discussing racism in this very special discussion on the bookDear White Women by Sara Blanchard and Misasha Suzuki Graham. It was a real eye-opener, and touches on very important issues, so I encourage everyone to read it (not just White Women).

Check it out for yourself- at your local library or grab a copy for yourself(highly recommended so you can reference again and again)

Related Zoo-notables, special Black History Month episodes:

Wangari Maathai

Wangari Maathai Unbowed

All We Can Save

Join Patreon and the ZooFit Pride for bonuses and more Big Ideas!

Today, I welcome Ardelle Holden, 4-time published author of mysteries (one of my favorite genres to read to just kick back and get away from it all). We're discussing her upcoming book,Killing Imaginary Friends, Book One of the Oliver Frampton Mystery Series. If you like suspenseful, emotional, coming-of-age angst, you’ll love Ardelle's gripping story of Olly’s imaginary friends who torment and frustrate his life until, at twenty, he discovers what really happened when he was eight.
He must solve the mystery behind their death or disappearance, but after all these years, the trail is bone cold.

Interested in reading? Nab a copy for yourself January 30 on Amazon.

Follow Ardelleonline and find out more about her other books.

This week's book is one of those unique books that while I found some decent Big Ideas, I mostly felt it was the type of book that I read so you don't have to. I discuss anthropomorphism, emotions in zoo animals, and animals as virtuous guides.

If you want to learn more about the Emotional Lives of Animals, check out the book from yourlocal library or listen to it on Libby App (free library audio book app).

Related Zoo-notables:I Never Thought of It That Way

Braving the Wilderness

Lads Before the Wind

Support ZooFit: join my newsletterand Patreon

How can being a better writer help us be better zookeepers, better conservationists, or just improve our quality of life, help us accomplish our goals and dreams, and change the world?

Delve into the Miracle Morning for Writers to find out how we can use affirmations to beat Imposter Syndrome, change our mindset around mornings, and create mini-habits that make a big difference.

Want to check out the Miracle Morning series yourself? Find a title that speaks to you and your goals for this year? Find your Miracle Morning⁠ here⁠.

Join the ZooFit Pride online at ⁠Patreon⁠. Support ZooFit and all our endeavors, receive bonus material, and win cool ZooFit/Zoo-notable prizes.

For Season 4 premiere, I'm revisiting Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod (listen to the very first Zoo-notable I ever did, see how much I've changed...). Hal came out with an updated and extended version of his life-changing book, so I decided it was a perfect opportunity to delve into the wonderful program Hal has created, and how I've made it my own.

Check out Miracle Morning for yourself, and make 2024 the best year ever, one morning at a time! Buy the book here.

Other related Zoo-notables that may interest you:

Rethinking Positive Thinking by Gabrielle Oettingen

Atomic Habits by James Clear

Creative Visualization by Shakti Gawain

ZooFit is reviving our Patreon- get bonus Big Ideas and other extras throughout the month, plus be put in a drawing to win a copy of one of the Zoo-notable books from the month. Join the ZooFit Pridefor perks and support ZooFit to make 2024 the best we can be!

December 3 is World Coati Day. So I sat down with Colby Franz of World Coati Day to discuss this incredible animal! We need coatis and coatis need us. Even though they are not a mega-fauna, this charismatic creature is worth our attention.

Want to learn more? Connect with World Coati Day online on their website (and sign up for their newletter to get adorable animal photos delivered to your inbox), Facebook, and Instagram.

And thank you to all the zoos celebrating World Coati Day, especially:

Carolina Tiger Rescue

Brevard Zoo

Arizona Sonora Desert Museum

In my season finale, I share with you all my favorite books from 2023. I read more than 60 books this year, and shared ideas from 30 of them over the past year.

10. Geekerella/Once Upon a Con Series

9. A Dog Called Hope

8. Thanks, Carissa, for Ruining My Life

7. Raised by the Zoo

6. Wisdom From a Humble Jellyfish

5. Odder

4. Man's Search for Meaning

3. It Takes What It Takes

2. High Five Habit

1. I Never Thought of It That Way

Check out these Zoo-notables and more, and I'll catch up with you all in January, 2024!

It was such an immense pleasure to sit down with one of my animal care heroes, Gerry Creighton, the former operations manager at Dublin Zoo and currently consultant of Global Elephant Care, a company he founded to help zoos promote excellent welfare for elephants and other animals. This guy is the real deal, someone who has witnessed firsthand the evolution of Dublin Zoo from Victorian menagerie to the world class facility it is, and continues to help its progress.

When I saw Gerry had written a book, I- COULD NOT WAIT to get my hands on it, and folks, the book does not disappoint.

We sat down to discuss his book, how far zoos have really come, and how far we have yet to go.

Raised by the Zoois available on Amazon for US residents on December 7, so reserve your copy today!

This week is Orangutan Caring Week (celebrate Orange is for Orangutans on the Wednesday of OCW, which is November 15th). I read a cute little book called Love the Orangutan by Stefan Casta and Anna Viktorson, which I picked up, believe it or not, at IKEA. It's a really sweet book, sharing interesting facts about orangutans, and it's illustrated very well.

Reading about orangutans reminded me of my time working in the primate unit and getting the chance to help with the orangutans. It was very special, and then an orangutan spit in my face.

This Telling My Story shows what animal trainers do when animals "misbehave"-- and how we can apply a similar response to our own lives when we don't show up as our best selves, when we make mistakes.

"As hard as the craft of writing is, the greatest challenges writers face are often within ourselves. Comparison, self-doubt, isolation, and other internal struggles can derail a writer's progress, at any stage in the writing life. Author, essayist, and speaker William Kenower knows these struggles first-hand, and hears them from writers everywhere he teaches and appears. In this candid and encouraging book, he dismantles the myth that some writers have talent and others don't, and shares relatable stories, wisdom, and best practices for reengaging with our passion, following our curiosity, and staying connected to what matters most.
If you've ever wondered whether you're "really" a writer, or should retreat to a safer, more conventional path, this enlightening and accepting book will spark renewed purpose and joy on your writing journey."

Happy NaNoWriMo, everyone (my writing friends know what I'm talking about!). I was very excited to sit down with just an incredible writing life coach, and mentor, Bill Kenower, author of Everyone Has What It Takes.

We discuss many topics that can block us as writers, but find the link to just about any profession as well. In my interview, I even got to practice some of Bill's expert advice, dealing with a learning opportunity (NOT a failure), and discuss rejection, getting in "mood" and "flow" for writing, comparing ourselves to others, and having what it takes.

Bill is a great coach, a wonderful speaker and storyteller! If you like this Zoo-notable, check Bill out on his website, and grab a copy of Everyone Has What It Takesfor yourself. You'll thank me, I promise!

You ever find yourself procrastinating? Well then, my friend, it's time to Eat That Frog!! Brian Tracy gives us 21 good reasons to figure out the most important work for your life and day and get on it already. Big Ideas include Setting the Table for Success (planning and the 10 goals list), Visualizing Who You Want to Be, the ABCDE Method, Identify What is IN YOU that holds you back, and Thinking Positive.

If you like this Zoo-notable, please share and leave a review.

You may also be interested in these related Zoo-notables:

Miracle Morning and Miracle Equationby Hal Elrod

Rethinking Positive Thinking by Gabriele Oettingen

Superhuman by Habit

As always, leave me a comment on ZooFit.net to let me know your thoughts, ideas, and other questions.

As we approach Halloween, I thought the topic of grit might be appropriate, and how we can gain a little more resilience, tenacity, and initiative in our lives.

I discuss big ideas like learning grit, rejection and failure help us succeed, minding the gap between effort and success, developing a growth mindset (becoming more like bamboo), and helping others helps us stay gritty.

If you liked this Zoo-notable, you can check out the book for yourself.

Want to see how powerful grit can be? Check out Chris Beaven's websitefor his DAILY art (over 10 years without a missed day!).

Like this book on Grit? You might like these other Zoo-notables as well:

Shannon McKinney from GRAZE

Wangari Maathai's Unbowed

It Takes What It Takes by Trevor Mowad

How do you reduce the gap between the life you live now and the life you want? How can choosing our response be our one truest freedom that no one on earth can take away?

These profound questions have helped guide me for the past 4 years, and they are thanks to a Nazi concentration camp survivor and psychiatrist who developed Logotherapy, Viktor E. Frankl and his amazing book Man's Search for Meaning.

I learned about Frankl and his principles through my Optimize Coaching program (now called Heroic). You can check it out, sign up for Premium or Coaching, both are incredibly affordable for the life-changing experience offered!

Find the book: Your Local Library, Buy Online(support local bookstores!)

Connect with me at ZooFit.netto let me know what you thought of this episode and for more content through blogs, newsletters, and events

I love it when I get to catch up with amazing friends while also discussing their amazing stories. Miranda Levi is a prolific author with three novels (Tear in Time, From a Youth a Fountain Did Flow, and Mo(ther) Na(ture))and a book of poetry (In Orion's Hands) out already, and isn't slowing down anytime soon.

She sat down with me to discuss her latest project, Mo(ther) Na(ture), and discuss our writing process and life lessons we learned together.

MEMORIES!

Want to connect with Miranda and get a copy of MoNa yourself? Check her out on social media:

Website

Instagram

Facebook

Nab the book yourself

What is the most important behavior to teach an animal? For me, when working with dolphins, it was the "target". Teach an animal to touch a target and the sky's the limit to training other behaviors. Working with Thor, a bottlenose dolphin, and teaching him and other dolphins to perform a vertical spin jump helped me learn the value of a target behavior-- the one thing that will propel my well-being forward.

What is your "target" behavior? We'll discuss some options like sleep, drinking water, or celebration as the foundation upon which the rest of your self-care program will stand.

Connect with me at ZooFit, and learn more ways to feel better, so we can do better by training positive!

GRAZE (Growing Resiliency in Aquarium and Zoo Employees) is an amazing organization dedicated to helping animal care professionals maintain their mental health and promote strategies for staying resilient in a stressful and often chaotic world.

Whenever I talk to Shannon, we tend to geek out about treating ourselves more like the animals in our care, and today is no different. It's a FANTASTIC conversation, something for everyone.

Want to connect with GRAZE? Check them out-- they offer group support, classes, certifications, and more-- https://zoomentalhealthsupport.com to sign up for their newsletter and learn more.

Connect with me at ZooFit, too to stay connected and learn how when we feel better, we can do better!

I love chatting with my published author friends, but this was an especially wonderful treat, sitting down with author Barbara Wolf Terao to discuss her memoir Reconfigured.Barbara met on the gorgeous Whidbey Island as both of us started on our journeys towards writing our stories. She's completed hers, and honored me with the chance to read the book, which is a moving, uplifting, and just overall well-written and incredible story of life.

We talk about the writing process and getting your story out there, being advocates to your own care, and finding peace and getting centered (Nam Myoho Renge Kyo).

If you are interested in getting your own copy of Reconfigured, visit Bookshop(support your local bookstore) or She Writes Press.

Learn how to get your story out to your audience at She Writes Press

To celebrate National Wildlife Day on September 4, I pulled out this fun book about leadership, titled Wisdom from the Wild: Nine Unbreakable Laws of Leadership from the Animal Kingdom, by Julie C. Henry. I recommend this book to anyone in a leadership role, or who WANTS to be in a leadership role, or thinks they may be put in a leadership role. We focus on five of the nine "laws" because I feel they are important not just for leaders, but anyone looking to improve their life, their work, or their relationships with others.

If you enjoyed this Zoo-notable, or want to check the book out for yourself, you may want to see if your local zoo has a copy, or support your local bookstore through Bookshop.

And as always, connect with me at ZooFit.netto share your ideas, thoughts, and stories! We grow stronger when we grow together.

In this special Telling My Story episode of Zoo-notable, I share the origins of ZooFit, and sharing this program with others. Palm oil has become a "nope food" for me, specifically because of my time working with elephants. To honor Asian elephant Awareness Month, I'm closing this month's Zoo-notable with my story of Bamboo, the elephant, and my connection with visitors and conservation messages.

What is ONE THING you can change to have a better impact on an animal you love dearly? Ride your bike for polar bears? Cut out plastic for sea turtles? Eliminate palm oil from your diet for elephants? Take better care of yourself and have a positive impact on the planet. Start feeling better so we can do better. Today, tomorrow, and forever.

And if you are in Honolulu this week-- check out Brews for the Zoo at Aloha Beer Company on August 31. They have a special Indian Elephant Pale Ale in honor of Mari and Vaigai, the two elephants I work with nowadays at Honolulu Zoo. Check it out!

Want to share your story? Want to give me thoughts on mine? Or recommend a book? Connect with me at ZooFit!

Do you find meditation, mindfulness, affirmations, and visualization to be a little too “woo-woo” for your taste? I honestly thought the same until I read this beauty of a book (actually listened to it on CD) many years ago. It literally changed my mind, and changed my life.

In today’s Zoo-notable, we’ll discuss how Creative Visualizations by Shakti Gawain helped shape my daily affirmation practice of BREATHES. We’ll learn the concepts of Being, Doing, and Having, discover how we can train our brain to LOOK for ways to make our dreams and ambitions come true, and how to let the Universe take care of things with the Pink Bubble Technique. 

Love this Zoo-notable? Check the book out for yourself on your library app (Libby) or grab a copy for yourself from your local bookstore.

Let me know what your favorite affirmation or meditation is. Connect with me at ZooFit.

Related Zoo-notables: High Five Habit by Mel Robbins

Miracle of Mindfulness by Thich Nhat Hanh

Words to Live Byby Eknath Easwaran

Dallas Woodburn is a successful author and "book doula" who helps authors reach into themselves to write their stories. She's a coach with Thriving Authors Academy and author of several Young Adult books, including Thanks Carissa, for Ruining My Life, which we discuss in-depth on this Zoo-notable.

While a fiction book mostly aimed at young adults, Thanks Carissahelps teach some poignant lessons about life, self-care, and personal goals.

If you want to nab a copy for yourself, find your local bookstore, and connect with Dallas on her website.

Learn more about Thriving Authors (the FREE Summit and the 6-month Academy course)

Share your story with me at ZooFit.

Our stories have power to heal us, to help others, and make the world a better place. When we feel better, we can do better. Let's feel better and do better together!

How do you courageously stay true to yourself in a new place where there are new expectations, new challenges, and new people? We create a culture and a Land of Opportunity among the Land of the Penguins.

I liked this book for the possibility of starting an open discussion among peers and within organizations. But as I discuss, I'm not so keen on the lesson to find Land of Opportunity elsewhere. I think it's a state of mind that can be discovered anywhere and everywhere...

Related Zoo-notables:

Ruth Soukup's Do is Scared

Braving the Wilderness by Brené Brown

Life Safari by John Strelecky

I'm continuing my new segment "Telling My Story" that I started in June. No one told me to stop, so I'll keep on sharing!

This week I share how I got into the animal care field, how my Big Why gives me persistence to never give up, and how YOU can harness the power of your Big Why as well.

Connect with me atZooFit.net

Have you ever wanted your own personal zoo? YOUR zoo? Where you could do all the things you'd love for the animals and conservation? Well, We Bought a Zoois for you-- about the hardships and challenges, as well as the immense pleasure and healing being THAT close to nature can get you.

Through animal escapes, family heartbreak, staffing challenges, and working to gain their accreditation back, this story shares the ups and downs to owning, working, and living the zoo life.

The book also brings about some powerful big ideas about leaning on your strengths, connecting to nature, staying positive and consistent in your endeavors, and learning to thrive in a fragile ecosystem, whether that's the planet or in a corporate setting.

As one of the first books I read when I moved to Washington in 2009, I find it fitting that I'm discussing it on Zoo-notable now that we just recently moved away to Hawaii for me to continue working in the zoo field. The parallels between Benjamin Mee's story and what I'm experiencing made it a no-brainer to share with you all.

If you liked this Zoo-notable, you might also enjoy:

Wildlife Warrior (bio about Steve Irwin)

Zookeeper Dreams and Travel Extremes

Lads Before the Wind by Karen Pryor

And pick up a copy of the movie on Bookshop, too!

I had the honor and joy to sit down and talk with local writer Iris Graville about her newest book Writer in a Life Vest.Iris was the first ever writer-in-residence aboard the MV Tillikum,the inter-island ferry between several of the San Juan Islands in Washington state. Iris writes poetically about her experience, her writing process, the Salish Sea, the local Southern Resident killer whales, and hopes for the future.

It's a terrific collection of essays, and a great way to wrap up World Oceans Month.

If you are interested in learning more about the Washington State Ferry writer-in-residence program, contact Iris at https://irisgraville.com/

And if you have a special story you wish to share with others, next month is dedicated to zookeepers, so drop me a note at ZooFit to connect with me.

June has a lot of significance to everyone-- Pride Month, Juneteenth, and World Oceans Month. To celebrate the latter, I sat down with Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium staff biologist Megan Paider to talk about our passion and love for the ocean, sharing that passion with visitors, and ways to promote mental health in a very stressful work environment (and how it's never "just a fish").

Want to learn more?

Check out GRAZE(Growing Resiliency in Aquarium and Zoo Employees) to find out more about taking care of yourself.

Learn more about Megan's (current) favorite animal Bowmouth Guitarfish, and my favorite, Sea Squirts.

And go visit your local aquarium! Connect to the ocean in a healthy and positive way (here's the link for Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium).

*Sorry this is late! I was on vacation in Montana and just didn't have any time to edit or post. Which is a great thing once in a while, honestly...

Celebrating World Oceans Month is one of my favorite things on Zoo-notable. There are so many incredible books out there, but this one, The Soul of an Octopus by Sy Montgomery resonated with me from beginning to end. Sy has a way with bringing her readers to experience exactly the excitement and wonder she discovers with her stories about amazing animals.

Check out footage of Sy the Octopus(named for the author, but not part of the book). And discover more about octopus from Seattle Aquarium(my current hometown aquarium and one of my favorite places to visit).

Discover more Sy Montgomery books, featured on Zoo-notable: How to Be a Good Creature

And discover more podcasts that discuss the importance of zoos and aquariums: Rossifari, Zoologic, and AquatiZoo

Want to check out Soul of the Octopus yourself? Grab a copy for you and a friend, or find it at yourlocal library

Celebrate World Oceans Month and Zoo and Aquarium Month by visiting your local aquarium, tide pool/beach, or marine center. Connect with the ocean in a healthy and positive way!

As I transition back into the zoo field, I know I won't be able to maintain the momentum of one book every week, so to be able to continue my love for this podcast, connect with listeners, and motivate me to continue working on my stories, I want to introduce a new segment Telling MY Story to help others. This idea is sort of a Podcast to Book idea, where I'll share a chapter or excerpt from my memoir, tentatively (not excitedly) titled What Animals Taught Me About Self-Care, or My Gym is a Zoo. (if you have a great idea for a title, please feel free to email me or connect with me at ZooFit.net)

For Pride Month, I feel sharing this part of my story is important. I believe everyone deserves to be seen and heard, everyone deserves to belong and experience love, and EVERYONE deserves to treat themselves right, provide self-care. My hope with this book is to empower and inspire you to take care of yourself so you can show up for those who matter to you-- whether it's your animals, your loved ones, or the entire planet.

Let me know what you think of this idea. Are you excited to hear more from my book? Do you relate to my origins in feeling knee pain, back pain, and mental health issues? How can I help with that? And do you think my stories will help you along your own journey?

Again, connect with me at ZooFit. Let's be our best selves today, tomorrow, and forever, making self-care fun, engaging, impactful, and empowering, one day at a time!

Talk about two worlds coming together! I was nervous but very excited to sit down and talk to Jason Morgan, the Wounded Warrior whose book A Dog Called Hopeopened my eyes to more than animals and conservation. Jason is SUCH an inspiration, and folks, we need more people like him to give us ALL hope, encouragement, and a call to action.

Want to learn more?

Check out the book for yourself: A Dog Called Hope

Learn more about Canine Companions for Independence

Jason Morgan and Veteran's Outpost

I sat down with the multi-skilled Suzanne Akerman of Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium to discuss her fascinating dystopian adventure novel The Deliverers. We talk about spoilers, her job at Wild Wonders at PDZA, and her involvement with the American Association of Zookeepers. Whew! It's a lot!

I share a spoiler of my own, as well!

We go over A LOT! Basically:

Support Suzanne and pick up a copy of her book The Deliverers (and support local bookstores in the process)

Learn more about AAZK and Point Defiance chapter's events: Rowdy for Rhinos, Drinking for Conservation, other fun events

Check out Extraordinary Creatures and How to Care for Them at Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium, every day throughout the summer.

As always, if you liked this episode, stay updated with ZooFit's projects, connect withZooFit online

Today's Zoo-notable was a no-brainer as it is Karen Pryor's birthday. It's also appropriate for Mother's Day because I consider Karen the Mother of positive reinforcement training.

Don't Shoot the Dog is considered the animal trainer's bible. But it isn't just for training animals, it's about teaching and learning for everyone! There's so much to share, and I can't wait to discuss it with you!

Want a copy of Don't Shoot the Dog for yourself (or know someone who needs a copy)? Grab a copy from Karen Pryor Clicker Training, and check out some of the training courses offered at Karen Pryor Academy (I highly recommend courses held at The Ranch!)

Related Zoo-notables:Lads Before the Windby Karen Pryor

The Eye of the Trainer by Ken Ramirez

Atomic Habits by James Clear- Part One andPart Two

As always, stay connected withZooFit online, so you can eat clean, live green, and TRAIN POSITIVE everyday!

In this essential book for anyone interested in tapping into and unleashing their true potential as humans and their wild nature, we'll discuss why we have brains (it's not for thinking!), how being mindful helps us both physically and mentally, dealing with stress, and connecting with nature.

Want to be inspired by my inspiration? Check out Heroicand Brian Johnson's Philosopher Notes(you'll see a HUGE similarity)

Related Zoo-notables:

Animals Make Us Human

Zoobiquity

ZooFit Safari

Blue Mind

And connect with ZooFit, so you can shine bright as the best version of yourself, today, tomorrow, and forever!

We're closing Earth Month with yet one more book at ways we can improve our world by improving our relationship with our neighbors...our wild neighbors and connecting with nature in our own backyards:Nature's Best Hope by Douglas Tallamy

Get a copy ofNature's Best Hopeyourself, or check it out at yourlocal library(you canlisten to it on audio, too)

Related Zoo-notables: Where the Wild Things Were and Last Child in the Woods

Connect with ZooFit for more on how to provide self-care for you and the planet

In The Once and Future World, MacKinnon invites us to remember nature as it was, to reconnect to nature in a meaningful way, and to remake a wilder world everywhere. He goes looking for landscapes untouched by human hands. He revisits a globe exuberant with life, where lions roam North America and ten times more whales swim in the sea. He shows us that the vestiges of lost nature surround us every day: buy an avocado at the grocery store and you have a seed designed to pass through the digestive tracts of huge animals that have been driven extinct.

Celebrate Earth Day Weekend with a book that changes our relationship with nature and encourages us to remember, reconnect, and reignite our love for the planet.

Want this book? Check it out at your local library

Connect with ZooFit for more ways to channel the best version of yourself while promoting a healthy environment and a healthy you.

I LOVED Wisdom from a Humble Jellyfishbecause it taught me a little about interesting animals (I honestly didn't think about the different types of webs spiders weave, or how dragonflies catch their prey) while also imparting important self-care lessons that can help us all.

I even thought of my own wisdom from nature idea, perfect for April 9, 2023, as we celebrate Easter!

Want to find your own great tips from nature? Grab Wisdom from a Humble Jellyfish and discover how learning from nature can help yourself!

Learn more from nature with these related Zoo-notables: Where the Wild Things Were;Queer Ducks; How to be a Good Creature; and Be a Sloth

Learn even MORE from nature at my ZooFit.net blog: Self-Care Tips from the Animal Kingdom; Life-Lessons from a Sloth; Lessons from a Tiger; I Love Horses (and the lessons they share); and more!

Meet Odder, the Queen of Play:

Nobody has her moves.
She doesn't just swim to the bottom,
she dive-bombs.
She doesn't just somersault,
she triple-doughnuts.
She doesn't just ride the waves,
she makes them.Odder spends her days off the coast of central California, practicing her underwater acrobatics and spinning the quirky stories for which she's known. She's a fearless daredevil, curious to a fault. But when Odder comes face-to-face with a hungry great white shark, her life takes a dramatic turn, one that will challenge everything she believes about herself--and about the humans who hope to save her.Inspired by the true story of a Monterey Bay Aquarium program that pairs orphaned otter pups with surrogate mothers, this poignant and humorous tale told in free verse examines bravery and healing through the eyes of one of nature's most beloved and charming animals.

If this book sounds incredible to you (trust me, it really is!) you can nab your own copy here

Check out similar Zoo-notables: The Lorax by Dr. Suess

Clare Meeker and Growing Up Gorilla

Where the Wild Things Were

Reach out to me,PJ with ZooFit and discover ways to improve your life and the world around you by connecting to nature and wildlife in healthy and positive ways

Are you ready to build bridges and create safe spaces where difficult conversations can happen, and REALLY understand one another?I Never Thought of It That Way can open your eyes and show us how curiosity and experiences make us better people, creating a better world.

There is SO MUCH I loved about this book. Enjoy this Zoo-notable and reach out to meet others where they are. It's powerful and empowering!

Ideas discussed that you can take action on:

Virtues in Action Survey

Individual Differences Research- Human Values Test

Grab a copy of the book yourself: I Never Thought of It That Way

Connect withZooFit(as I explore this topic further on my blog)

We couldn't celebrate Women's Month without a deep discussion of the powerful, and empowering book In the Flo by Alisa Vitti. This book is about unlocking the secrets of our cycle and letting it work WITH us, rather than ignoring it or pushing it back.

Want to get In the Flo yourself? Get it here

Discover In the Flo Living(I myself tried the Flo28 program for a year, and it's really great!)

As always, connect with ZooFit online, and remember to live green and train positive!

What is probably the best self-care habit we can incorporate into our lives? How about high-fiving yourself every morning. Welcome to Mel Robbins' fantastic book, the High 5 Habit.

Mel Robbins is a successful life coach. Her TED Talk -- How to Stop Screwing Yourself Over-- has over 31 MILLION views, and there's a reason for it, it's epic. (In fact, check it out even before you listen, Mel is a fracking genius!) You can also check out her first book The 5-Second Rule.

Get a free template for your own High 5 Journal(you do need to sign up for Mel's newsletter to receive it).

Connect with ZooFit and all our work to help you become the best version of yourself each and every day.

Subscribe to Zoo-notable

To kick off Women's History Month, I sat down with three of the authors from the She Writes Press anthology Art in the Time of Unbearable Crisis: Women Writers Respond to the Call. Barbara Terrao, Donna Cameron, and Teresa Janssen generously shared their experience and insight on their pieces in the anthology, talking about the power of stories, and of our voices and words, and how writing and sharing our experiences makes us stronger.

Check out the book yourself:

She Writes Press

Bookshop (better alternative to Amazon)

Connect with our authors:

Barbara Terrao

Teresa Janssen 

Donna Cameron

Share you stories with me and the world. Contact me at pj@zoofit.net or through my website ZooFit

Today, I celebrate one of my all-time favorite conservation heroines, Wangari Maathai by reading her memoir Unbowed. I loved learning about Wangari's childhood, her past experiences and how they shaped her destiny to become a strong, independent woman who championed the environment and communities of Kenya.  We delve into some big ideas like understanding others' pasts, turning obstacles into opportunities, and doing what you can, no matter who you are.

Related Zoo-notable: Wangari Planting Trees to Change the World 

Learn more at ZooFit

A collection of essays, poetry, and stories of hope, truth, courage, and solutions,All We Can Save celebrates diversity and women, and everyone who is fighting for climate action.

Want to read more? Check out All We Can Save at yourlocal library, bookstore, or zoo (I have seen this book for sale at all major zoos in the Pacific Northwest).

Have you ever heard of elimination diets to reset your body and figure out what foods work best for you? Well, this elimination and reset program has become one of the most popular in the world, for good reason, it works for a lot of people. 

It Starts With Foodis the book that propelled the Whole30 movement. Today we'll discuss some big ideas such as food should make us healthy, 100% is easier than 99%, and even Whole30 is not the only, or necessarily the best, option.

Want to check out the book yourself? Visit your library or local bookstore. 

Listen to other related Zoo-notables: Food Rulesby Michael Pollan and Intuitive Eating

Connect with me online at ZooFit, read more insights from Zoo-notables, and connect to yourself, and the earth in a healthy, positive way.

After reading this book a couple of years ago, I re-read it and had to add it to my top 20 all-time favorite books. Every chapter is filled with fantastic wisdom, you can check out more from this book on my blog: ZooFit.

It takes discipline. It takes commitment. It takes time and effort. It takes what it takes.

Love this Zoo-notable? Check out the book at your local library or community bookstore.

I'm a published author! In 2021, I joined a program called the Narrative Project, where I met my guests for today-- Isabel Castro, Lauren Trantham, and Carrie Kenner. Throughout the year, we helped each other finish our stories, and now one of the fruits of our labor is out in the real world with the release ofTrue Stories Vol. 5. 

With the release of our new book, I gathered my group of Badass Warrior Women to celebrate, reminisce, and inspire anyone and everyone with a story to share. Spoiler: WE ALL HAVE STORIES TO SHARE!

Enjoy our conversation, but more importantly, let this spur you forward to start telling your story! If you want some help, or just a platform to share, let me know!

This is a candid conversation so there is some explicit language (this is your trigger warning).

Contact me through ZooFit, and keep on rocking your dreams!

Lauren's non-profit organization Ride My Road

See what Carrie does: Carrie Kenner

Connect with Isabel: Living Balance

In Part 1 of my Zoo-notable on Atomic Habits, I discussed the grand ideas that resonated the most with me, personally (Check it out here). In Part 2, we delve more into the science of how these principles and ideas are used with training animals, and why they are life-changing for us, too.

We'll discuss why becoming aware of our behaviors is so important, how to bridge our effort and success, and how to make habits easier and more accessible.

If you want some more information on training yourself using the same principles as positive reinforcer trainers, check out TAG Teach and Karen Pryor Clicker Training Academy

Want to check the book out yourself? Connect with yourlocal library or your local bookstore

Related Zoo-notables: Superhuman by Habit; Miracle Morning

Learn more about ZooFit- stay connected through YouTube-- support our projects on Patreon

Our habits build our identity; we are what we repeatedly do. Let's create a system for success and make it easy, attractive, and satisfying by delving into Atomic Habits by James Clear. Atomic Habits needs no real introduction. It is one of the most popular books on habits ever written, with over 10 million copies sold world-wide. But today, we'll peel the skin off this amazing book and dive into ways we can incorporate small changes in our lives for amazing results.

This is Part 1 of 2 episodes on the book. Today, we're looking at the ideas that resonated with me, personally, the most, and why. In Part 2, we'll see how animal trainers utilize these principles in working with animals, and how it applies to self-care as well.

Want more? Check out Brian Johnson's Philosopher Notes

Read the book yourself: Find Your Library or Find Your Local Bookstore

Check out ZooFit online, and start making your habits fun, engaging, and impactful.

Want to go from ordinary to EXTRAordinary, gain superpowers, and show up as the best version of yourself for the new year? The best way to close the gap from where you are to where you want to be is through implementing HABITS. We're kicking off the new year with a great little book on habits-- Superhuman by Habit. It's by a guy named simply Tynan (check out his work here). 

We'll discuss how habits set you free, how habits help us shape a superhuman identity, why we never skip twice, ways to win in forming new habits, and how to get better, faster, and stronger with healthy habits.

Links to pertinent topics:

My husband Chris' website: chrisbeaven.com 

Find your local library

Support Zoo-notable and ZooFit by joining the Pride on Patreon or subscribe to my Blog/Newsletter

Other books you may like related to Superhuman by Habit:

Atomic Habits by James Clear (next week's Zoo-notable)

Tiny Habits by BJ Fogg

Mini Habits by Stephen Guise

The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg

New episodes are dropping starting January 1!

We have some incredible books lined up:

Atomic Habits by James Clear

It Takes What It Takesby Trevor Moawad

Unbowed by Wangari Maathai

The Tribe of Tiger by Elizabeth Marshall Thomas

plus more interviews with authors and friends to "tell me a story."

...and so much more

Subscribe to Zoo-notable and never miss a single note!

It's my last Zoo-notable for 2022. As I prepare to go on my reading break, I thought I'd share some of my favorites from this past year. Here are my top 10 favorite Zoo-notables of the year:

10- The Secret Lives of Batsby Merlin Tuttle

9- Planet Palm by Jocelyn Zuckerman

8- On Writing by Stephen King

7- Braving the Wilderness by Brené Brown

6- The Eye of the Trainer by Ken Ramirez

5-Finding Eco-Happiness by Sandy Schwartz

4- Where the Wild Things Were by William Stoltzenburg

3- Zen and the Art of Saving the Planet by Thich Nhat Hanh

2- Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer

1- Blue Mind by Wallace J. Nichols

I also share a special Tell Me a Story where I talk about our move to Tacoma.

Want more Zoo-notable goodness while I'm on break? Join the ZooFit Pride on Patreon, or sign up for my newsletter/blog on ZooFit.

Happy Vet Tech Week. I'm sharing some really insightful and helpful information for animal care technicians from an expert in the field, Dr. Kimberly Pope-Robinson, who has written an incredible book The Unspoken Life. We sat down to discuss what the Unspoken Life is like, how we can be more "spoken for" through self-care and filling our balloons, and go from broken and battered to resilient and rejuvenated.

Kim shared a TON of resources, so check her out at https://1lifecc.com/ to download free worksheets, watch free videos, and stock up on 1LifeConnected items to remind us that self-care is an important aspect of animal care.

Definition of Burnout

Take a Bubble Break

Brown Gauze Moment

1LifeConnected Courses

The Unspoken LifeBook andColoring Book

And check out ZooFit for more ways to provide self-care so we can show up as our best selves for the animals, our community, and the planet. 

To celebrate Indigenous People's Day, I'm sharing the fantastic wisdom from the book Braiding Sweetgrassby Robin Wall Kimmerer.

This is probably the most profound Zoonotable I feel I’ve ever done.

I have always revered Native Americans for their relationship with the earth. But to be honest, I’ve never felt connected to their way of life. It was THEIR way, and while I feel more connected to nature than I do to say, a city, I just didn’t feel I could practice the Indigenous principles. But with Braiding Sweetgrass, I feel as if I’ve been given permission, invited, and encouraged to let the traditions live on. Not to appropriate, but to revitalize a way of living that is pretty attuned with what I believe.

The main idea Robin brings up AGAIN AND AGAIN is that of RECIPROCITY, the two-way relationship between people and the planet. Give, share, and connect. I loved this book so much and I think you will to, so let’s dig in to Braiding Sweetgrass.

Want to grab your own copy? Check out your local library or bookstore:

Find your local library

Order from your local bookstore

Loved this Zoo-notable? I'll be posting bonus material on my Patreon site, where fans can support creators, which will help improve and expand Zoo-notables and other ZooFit programs. 

Connect with me and stay up to date with ZooFit happenings and information- https://www.zoofit.net/

While I have discussed this incredible book before, I'm revisiting it in honor of Butterfly and Hummingbird Day (10/3). This book is essential reading for anyone in the conservation or animal care field, doing what we can to make a difference in the animals' lives and the world around us.

Visit us and become a part of ZooFit's Pride online at zoofit.net or on Patreon

If you are struggling with compassion fatigue, burnout, or anxiety, I am here to help. Contact me through ZooFit, and let's get you on the path to changing the world by taking care of yourself.

We discuss being animalish, not being alone, finding your legacy, being objective, and conservation's long game.

Check out your local library or local bookstore to grab your copy.

Support ZooFit and Zoo-notable on Patreon and at ZooFit.net

Welcome back to Zoo-notable. It’s been a hot minute since I’ve shared a new note, but I’m back for the next month or so before I go on my reading break. This week is National Dog Week, and today’s book is perfect to celebrate our canine best pals. I recently read some of Steven Kotler’s work, who wrote a great book called theArt of Impossible and other books. But I was intrigued by a title in his collection with a cute Chihuahua on the cover. It was titled A Small Furry Prayerwith a subtitle Dog Rescue and the Meaning of Life. A peak performance guru talking about dog rescue? I read the back cover, and this prolific writer actually runs a dog rescue with his wife in New Mexico called Rancho de Chihuahua. Wow, I remember thinking, I believe this may be a kindred soul—a true animal loving writer who wants to help change the world.

A Small Furry Prayer is not your typical memoir. Kotler is a journalist by nature, and has interwoven some absolutely fascinating gems about our natural history with dogs (starting with wolves), pet ownership, and what it truly means to be an animal caregiver. He speaks of altruism, empathy, and even the compassion fatigue we can suffer from losing our beloved animals, often too soon.

Find your copy of Small Furry Prayer  at your local bookstore or at your local library

Connect with ZooFit and support our work at ZooFitand on Patreon

August is National Park Month, and what better way to celebrate than by discussing a book which discusses the positive benefits of experiencing nature, Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv. Today, we'll discuss Talking the Talk versus Walking the (Nature) Walk, the Bogeyman Syndrome, Our Intelligence Type, Paying Attention versus Being Careful, and Movement Makes Us Smarter.

Learn more about Richard Louv on his websiteRichardlouv.com

Find Last Child in the Woods, along with several other fantastic books by Richard Louv at your local bookstore, or visit your favorite National Park, Wildlife Refuge, or nature center. 

Do animals feel anxiety? Do they cave under pressure, overeat certain foods, do risky behavior, become addicted to substances? More important than the specific answer to these questions is what can we learn as humans from the idea that wild animals can feel anxiety, cave under pressure, overeat, do risky behaviors, and become addicted to certain substances?

That’s what we’re going to tackle today as we discuss the book Zoobiquity.

Find out more about Zoobiquity and how our health and well-being is connected with animals.

Connect more with ZooFit online to see how our healthy habits can be improved by training like an animal.

To close up National Zookeeper Week, I'm sitting down with my good friend and mentor, Stephanie Miller, to discuss her 30 year career working with animals in Atlanta and Seattle. We discuss empathy, what it means to be a keeper, and how to connect our audience to conservation in meaningful ways. 

Visit Woodland Park Zoo (in-person or online), or find your local zoo and thank a keeper for all their hard work!

Want more Zookeeper Week goodness? Check out ZooFit.net for my daily blogs this past week for zookeeper inspired recipes, workouts, and stories to help you stay focused and promote self-care.

Email me at pj@zoofit.net to connect with me, I'm always available to help animal care professionals and conservationists be the best versions of themselves!

National Zookeeper Week is here! On this special episode of Zoo-notable, I sit down with Ken Ramirez, animal trainer extraordinaire, Vice President of Karen Pryor Clicker Training, and author of The Eye of the Trainer.We discuss training animal trainers, meeting people (and animals) where they are, how punishment works and doesn't work, and not jumping to conclusions, among many other topics covered in The Eye of the Trainer.

From the book description on Karen Pryor Clicker Training site: "In The Eye of the Trainer, Ken Ramirez brings to life the power of positive reinforcement training to build trust and transform lives.

Ken is one of the most creative, cogent, and effective animal trainers in the world. His positive reinforcement training principles and practices are studied, replicated, and applied in settings as diverse as conservation efforts with elephants on the African plains, canine search and rescue in Texas, oil-disaster recovery for sea turtles in the Gulf of Mexico, butterfly training in England, and animal shelters in Chicago.

In this inspiring, heartwarming, and hopeful series of essays chronicling his 40+ years of global exploration and observation, Ken shares not only the intriguing personalities of the animals that shaped his life, but how their unique challenges influenced his training choices, philosophy, and worldview.

A must-read for anyone who lives with, studies, or works with animals, Ken’s training wisdom, principled guidance, and practical advice call us to see the world through his eyes. Ken’s world is one where great training transforms the shy animal into the confident one, the aggressive into the calm, and the mistrustful into the trustful—and even the unsupportive boss into an ally.

See the world better. See it differently. See it through The Eye of the Trainer."

Want more goodness from Ken and Karen Pryor? Join Ken on The Ranch to take your training skills to the next level, get certified, or join hundreds of other positive reinforcement trainers at the Karen Pryor ClickerExpo. Learn more at ClickerTraining.com

Grab a copy of The Eye of the Trainer online, or at your local bookstore. And ask your library to get a copy for distribution.

Want more ZooFit and Zoo-notable goodness? Join the ZooFit Pride on Patreonand get access to bonus material, excerpts from my new book, and opportunities to connect with me and other ZooFitters. And join me all week long on our blog at ZooFit.net for National Zookeeper Week celebratory blog posts. 

What better way to celebrate Plastic Free July than learning how to be more mindful in our consumption and daily practices? Thich Nhat Hanh, great Buddhist Zen Master shows us how social justice, compassion, and environmental practices are interwoven in this profound book, Zen and the Art of Saving the Planet.

Grab your copy here: Zen and the Art of Saving the Planet

Learn more about Thich Nhat Hanh and his tremendous work: Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation and Plum Village 

Connect with ZooFit and learn how to become more mindful, as well as how to establish healthy self-care habits:

ZooFit

Support ZooFit and Zoo-notables on Patreon

We end June with a special Pride Month celebration of LGBTQ representation in the animal kingdom and the fascinating book Queer Ducks by Eliot Schrefer. 

This groundbreaking illustrated nonfiction title from two-time National Book Award finalist and New York Times bestselling author Eliot Schrefer is a well-researched and teen-friendly exploration of the gamut of queer behaviors observed in animals.

A quiet revolution has been underway in recent years, with study after study revealing substantial same-sex sexual behavior in animals. Join celebrated author Eliot Schrefer on an exploration of queer behavior in the animal world—from albatrosses to bonobos to clownfish to doodlebugs.

In sharp and witty prose—aided by humorous comics from artist Jules Zuckerberg—Schrefer uses science, history, anthropology, and sociology to illustrate the diversity of sexual behavior in the animal world. Interviews with researchers in the field offer additional insights for readers and aspiring scientists.

Queer behavior in animals is as diverse and complex—and as natural—as it is in our own species. It doesn’t set us apart from animals—it bonds us even closer to our animal selves.

Find out more at eliotschrefer.com

Learn more about diversity in the animal kingdom with Biological Exuberance by Bruce Bagemihl and Evolution's Rainbow by Joan Roughgarden.

Connect with ZooFit to share Pride in the Animal Kingdom. Check out my blog and even myfavorite workouton YouTube

In our second book celebrating World Oceans Month, I sit down to talk to author Erin Pyne to discuss her book Dolphin Journey. We discuss empathy and how we can help dolphins to save the oceans and other marine animals, plus we geek out about Harry Potter (because of course we did!) and take trips down memory lane. Erin also shares a special story with her animals, inspiring me to work on building trust with myself and others to create more heroes. Heroes have strength for two, and protect what they love!

Want more? Grab your copy ofDolphin Journey, and connect with Erin on her website and social media.

Join the ZooFit Pride on Patreon, check out ZooFit's new podcast, and sign up for our newsletter/blog. 

To celebrate World Ocean Day, I'm diving into a fantastic book that inspired me and motivated me to get in touch with nature, myself, and connect with others in a nurturing way. 

Blue Mindby Wallace J. Nichols celebrates and honors the way being near, in, on, or under water makes us happier, healthier, more connected, and better at what we do! 

Check out Blue Mind and Jay's work at wallacejnichols.org

Related Zoo-notables:

Secret Lives of Batsby Merlin Tuttle

Braving the Wildernessby Brené Brown

Want more Zoo-notable goodness? Support us on Patreon and receive bonus Big Ideas and much more!

Stay updated and informed: https://zoofit.net/

On this International Day of Biodiversity, I show how we are all connected, and how you have a special purpose in life, no matter who you are. You can make a difference.

Our Big Ideas: Everyone has a special and important purpose (Lessons from a Sea Star), Everything is Connected (Lessons from Reintroducing Wolves to Yellowstone), Keystone Species and Keystone Habits (Lessons from a Sea Otter), We Will Never Know it All (Lessons from Researchers), and Biodiversity Makes Communities Thrive (Lessons from the Animal Kingdom).

Find this book and other great books from Zoo-notable at your local library: https://www.worldcat.org/libraries

Support ZooFit and future projects and stay updated with exciting offers and opportunities:

Join the ZooFit Pride on Patreon 

Follow more of ZooFit online: https://www.zoofit.net/

This is part two of one of my favorite books of all time, Animal Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. Last week we delved into the general Big Ideas from the book; this week I'm having some fun and sharing some of my own personal stories that mirror or parallel Barbara's. We'll talk about growing zucchini, cooking pumpkin, and how to talk to restaurant and store managers about conservation issues.

Listen to last week's episode here.

Read some of my delicious recipes for pumpkin on ZooFit.net:

Add Some Pumpkin Spice to Your Life

Craving Pumpkins Instead of Carving Them

Roasted Pumpkin for Halloween

Join my Patreonto get bonus recipes and watch recipe demos!

Other mentioned or related Zoo-notables:

Cooking Green by Kate Heyhoe

A Year of Living Kindly by Donna Cameron

To celebrate Mother's Day, here's one of my mom's favorite authors and our favorite book, Animal Vegetable Miracleby Barbara Kingsolver. This is Part one, focusing a little more on Mother Earth (for Mother's Day) and next week I'll share some more fun ideas and stories inspired from the book.

Animal Vegetable Miracle is a chronicle of one family's journey to eat closer to home, literally, and bringing home to a worldly stage with wisdom about the Food Industry and how local eating, and supporting your community has a ripple effect to protect the planet, eat healthier, and make the world a little brighter of a place. 

Other Zoo-notables mentioned: Planet Palm by Jocelyn Zuckerman; Year of Living Kindly by Donna Cameron

Learn more about Empathy and the impact it has on growing a more resilient and conservation-focused community with Seattle Aquarium's Empathy Cafe. 

Learn more about ZooFit and our projects atZooFit.net

We're heading to the kitchen (my favorite room in the house!) to learn how our eating and cooking habits impact the environment with today's book Cooking Green by Kate Heyhoe. Connect with her at New Green Basics.

Check out ZooFit for some Eating Green recipes!

Support us on Patreon for bonuses such as recipe demos, eating green tips, and more!

What better way to celebrate Easter and Earth Day than a children's classic environmental tale, The Lorax? We'll share some great insight on environmental practices, but also great life lessons such as never giving up and always trying to do better. 

Check outDanny Devito reading The Loraxon YouTube.

Check out my blog on the Lessons from a Tiger.

And some related Zoo-notables on the subject: 

The Cartoon Introduction to Climate Change
Dave Johnson and Zoodiac Kids
Be a Sloth