Zoo-notable

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 Technique founder 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- Library or 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 Marriage by 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 Trainer with Ken Ramirez

Zoomility by Dr. Grey Stafford

Atlas of the Heart by 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 Heart as 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!