If you’ve ever felt the unconditional love of a pet, this episode is going to speak right to your heart.
Julie Squires shares her beautiful wisdom.
Hey y’all, welcome to More Lovin, the podcast that brings more laughter, light, and love into everyday life. I’m your host LeAnn Austin, and together we’ll rediscover the beauty of connection to your body, your mind, your spirit, and the people you love.
Today’s episode #208: Animal Lovin with Julie Squires.
I love observing and connecting with people who bring more lovin into their lives and relationships. It’s so inspiring to see how each person does it in their own way. We have the incredible Julie sharing some beautiful love and relationship insights with us today. Alright Julie, tell us a little bit about you.
Oh LeAnn, it’s so good to be here with you. Well, I’m a life coach and I work with people who work with animals. So you know, like the topic of love and relationships, I’m always gonna be weaving in animals how that’s somehow related, because I think animals are perhaps some of our greatest examples of love, especially unconditional love.
Yes. Oh, I love that. Well, tell us then, because I love that you love animals and anyway, how do you bring more love in into your life and business, and how has that impacted your relationships?
Hmm, well I would say first through the animals. Because like I was saying, one of the things that I find is that people can be really hard on loving themselves, and yet they can very freely love animals who have imperfection. So I like to just sort of like weave that I really like to play in that space of like, oh, isn’t that interesting that this one particular patient or animal that you work with has this spicy personality, or is maybe sometimes not even nice and yet, you’re absolutely in love with them.
And then when it comes to yourself, look at what happens when you make a mistake, when you’re a little spicy. So, and I think that’s all through the lens of really teaching people how to love themselves, which it’s weird that we have to be taught that because I think we come into the world loving ourselves. I think we get pulled away from it by messaging, and then we have to come back to it.
Yes. Ah, totally agree. And I love how you show that through the lens of animals. Yeah. Because people do like, love and adore their animals, and so pulling that into having that compassion and love for ourselves, that is beautiful. I love that. All right, so what is something that you love about yourself and why?
Hmm, well, I’ve come to a place in my life where I actually love a lot of things about myself, and that wasn’t always the case. Matter of fact, you know, I fought very hard for that. But one of the things I love about myself is my desire to laugh. Like I have a laughter/humor, it is like a biological need. And one of the things I do love about social media, there’s many things I do not love about social media, but I do love the creativity of the human spirit. Of you know, the ability to make funny reels and funny things that really, and you can infuse at any point in your life, you can be having a bad day.
I could be in between clients and within about a minute I can probably find something. Because again, the algorithm knows what I like, lots of animal things and funny things and you know, I can be literally laughing out loud very quickly. So I just think, because I also work with a population of people that they have heavy stuff that they’re dealing with.
I think it’s important to be able to find ways to lighten up and, and humor’s such a great place for that. Yeah. And what a beautiful thing to love about you. You know, the laughter and because like you said, it lightens it up when you’re around other people or whatever.
I think we forget that often. We think, oh, life’s so serious and challenging, and that laughter makes a huge difference. Well, and we also know it’s regulating, right? It’s regulating for our nervous system to laugh like it does and send this signal that: We’re safe. It’s okay. It’s okay if we’re laughing. It means we’re not in imminent harm right here.
So like you said, lighten up a little bit. Yes. Oh, and I love how you tied that into nervous system. That’s beautiful. Laughter does help us calm down and regulate things. Beautiful. All right, so when you think about connection with others or with yourself, what comes to mind?
Well, once again, you know, I always look at that through the understanding that, you know, we’re hardwired for it. I’m a card-carrying introvert, you know, I speak on stages. I do all these things that people think that I’m not an introvert. And yet, you know, I’m a huge introvert, so I understand that I’m hardwired for connection. I also need my alone time. But yet, I recognize that I have to seek out relationships that are fulfilling people that lift me up.
And I also therefore have to steer away from and really recognize where I may have relationships in my life that, you know, like, time and time again, I’ve been thinking to myself, gosh, like every time I’m around this person, like I feel heavier than when I was with them. Like, and having that realization with myself to be like, hmmm perhaps this is a parting of the ways of like, this relationship no longer serves me.
And that’s okay, right? Like, we understand that relationships, you know, often have a natural ending and that’s okay. That’s okay if that happens, but you know, that’s not to say that ultimately we can’t do this life alone. We’re not meant to do this life alone, and that also means we need to reach out for connection.
Just that that uplifts us, but also means we have to reach out when we’re having hard times. And once again, understand that we’re weren’t meant to do this alone. Yes. Well, and I love you mentioning too, being an introvert and still seeking that connection. Yeah. It’s still is one of the five basics: is connection. And so doing that, no, I mean, we were created to connect with others, so that’s beautiful. And like you said, relationships come and go, but that connection matters. So yeah, I love that.
It’s also LeAnn, you know, it’s about connection with ourselves too, right? It’s like even as an introvert, it’s like, yes, I need to connect to others, then I need to go back and I need to connect with myself. Yes. Ah, I’m so glad you said that, ’cause that is a huge thing for me. When we love ourselves and take care of ourselves, it makes it so much easier to connect and love the people around us.
So 100%. Absolutely. Beautiful. Well, is there anything else that you’d like to share and where can our listeners connect with you and learn more about your work? Oh well, you know, I don’t know if you do show notes we can put there. Yes. And they’ll be the show notes. Website: juliesquires.net
I do a podcast too. And a new podcast I’m playing around with and I have a co-host and that’s been really fun. Nice. And yeah, I just love the opportunity to be here with you and talk about, you know, I love that you just have these little snippets of valuable information that people can really just get like a quick couple hits and a little pep talk and then be on their way. So I appreciate you having me on. Ah, well it’s such an honor to have you on as well.
And tell me, is there anything else about animals that you would wanna share? Anything that we need to know? I’m only a one and done dog, at least since when I got married. And she passed away in January, so we had her for almost nine years. And I did not realize how difficult that would be. That was really tough. So anything else about that that you wanted to share?
Animals have increasingly become so much more important relationships in our lives. And I can only attribute that to, literally just the sense that we all want to feel seen and heard and validated exactly like we are.
And human to human, we don’t do such a great job of that, right? It’s like, you know, oh, I love you LeAnn, but I would love you more if you would be more patient, if you would do this, if you do that, if you’d be more kind, if you wouldn’t say X, Y, or Z. But with pets, it’s like we’re willing to accept them as they are and they’re willing to accept us as we are.
And that’s why, you know, those are such foundational relationships right now and in a big, scary world. And when those bonds break, you know, they are family members, and I love that we’re finally getting to a place where we recognize that yeah, they are true family members and that grief is just as profound as losing a human.
Yeah. And well, I love that you said that because I remember Nutmeg totally destroyed our house one time when we walked in. And you know, this happened multiple times actually. But, I just was like, it’s interesting how quickly back to that unconditional love, you know, like, I’m not gonna kick her out. I’m not gonna give her away. So I love that you mentioned that. That’s awesome.
Well, tell us what’s your favorite question or quote about love and how has it shaped your life and relationships? Hmm, I think I heard this quote like, I don’t know if I can really attribute to anyone ’cause I feel like it’s maybe just like a life coach question, and it’s a question slash quote, but it’s one that I use as a filter in my own life and it’s what I use a lot with my clients and that really is just: What would love do?
Oh, it’s just such a great question. When you’re at a crossroads, when you don’t know which way to turn, when you don’t know what to do, just offering up that question opens your heart up. And you can find what’s true for you. You can find where you’re meant to go, where you are actually led, versus where your head’s trying to get you to go.
Yes. Oh, I love that so much. I use that similar: What would loving me do right now? Like, what would that be? And so it is anything incorporating that love is so beautiful.
What would love do? Hmm, something to think about. Well thank you Julie for being here, for sharing your love insights with us today. Sure grateful and appreciate you. Well, right back at you LeAnn. Thank you so much for having me on. Ah, thanks.
Well here’s to animals, unconditional love, connection, and more lovin. Have a good one y’all.
Thanks for tuning in. If you are ready to take what we talk about here and make it personal, let’s work together one-on-one. I’ll help you calm your nervous system, strengthen your relationships, and create more lovin, laughter, and calm in your life. You can find all the details at leannaustin.com
Until next time, keep choosing fun, connection, and a whole lot more lovin. Have a good one y’all.