Episode Notes

Even though crystallized snowflakes continue falling in the Midwest, signs of spring surround us. Longer days of sunlight melt the most recent snowfall. You can hear birds chirping on walks outside. Today is a perfect time to talk about Guest Mentor Heather Boschke’s first book, Little Birdie Buddies of Minnesota, now available. 

Little Birdie Buddies of Minnesota is part of Heather’s lifework to leave pieces of her heart wherever she goes. “Set free that voice that lives inside you,” she suggests. Heather dedicated her book “to anyone who hasn’t yet discovered their wings to fly – they are always there and ready for takeoff.” And she writes, “to my lovebird, Tom; thank you for making me feel both held and free.” We discuss the meaning of being held and free in her marriage.

Throughout our conversation, Heather describes Universal winks that she notices when it is time to change. Before Heather felt held and free with her lovebird Tom, she was engaged to someone else. The wedding date was set. The dress was purchased, and then a wink from the Universe arrived. The wedding preparations gave Heather a preview of her future. A future she realized she didn’t want. Heather acted upon that Universe wink by calling off the wedding.

Letting go of conformity is transformative. And so is being in a relationship without judgment, conditions, and free of unsolicited advice. That’s how Heather felt when she brought up the idea of illustrating and publishing a book to Tom. Tom encourages her to spread her wings. She knows she is loveable and can let out what is in her heart. She enables you to follow the tugs of your heart and flex your wings. “Hard times prepare us for the next part of our life,” says Heather. Her life reflects the fulfilling outcomes of responding to winks from the Universe. Her heart sings and dances with joy.

We also explore a few other business and life topics—the book publishing process. Naming the birds in Heather’s book, we are most like; how Heather is healing from the death of a pet; our new arrival; and how Heather uses LinkedIn.

Book Publishing. Heather used print-on-demand to publish Little Birdie Buddies of Minnesota. The Universe wink came to her through a voice she heard in 2020 telling her to start drawing again. Find out if Heather will self-publish her second book. I found her unique insights helpful to any emerging author.  

 Twenty Minnesota birds are outlined in her book. “Lucy the Loon is Minnesota’s state bird. She is shy and thoughtful, and the water is her favorite place to be.” She has named each bird and its characteristics. Heather encourages us to name the birds most like us. You’ll find out which birds we identify with the most. Who is Gilda the Goldfinch? Always cheerful, friendly, and loves to dance. What about Winnie, the red-headed woodpecker who is bold, strong, and likes to lead? Who chose three birds? The hardworking, helpful, and adventurous tree swallow named Sydney. Betty the black-capped chickadee who’s tough, daring, and good at making new friends. And Owen, the Baltimore oriole with a good imagination, likes building things. Everyone can learn a few things about birds and themselves by reading Little Birdie Buddies of Minnesota.

Pets and LinkedIn. As Heather and I began getting to know each other, Heather shared the recent loss of Rex, her dog. After our conversation, she emailed the following LinkedIn post of a spontaneous leap Rex took onto her lap before a zoom meeting. With her permission, click here to see it.  

The video of Rex Heather shared on LinkedIn, and to her surprise, caused an outpouring of love from humans. I love how she describes this experience, the sweet little moment she shared with Rex.

I asked Heather why she chose to share this personal post on LinkedIn. LinkedIn is a vast professional networking platform. You scroll through content about work, jobs, leadership, research, and other profession-related content. Her point can expand the possibilities for what you choose to post in your profile.

I asked Heather what she was learning about grieving her beloved Rex. Reflecting on Rex, Heather realized that all our love for our pets remains, which was profoundly comforting. Pets love us in real-time. The love remains in real-time and forever.

We welcomed our first dog into our home last week. Letty, below, is a mature miniature Schnauzer. She has had nine litters and is seven years old. My youngest sister, Monica, raises miniature Schnauzers and said Letty would be perfect for Matthew and me. We agreed.

The timing is working out well too. Our daughter Olivia is home from college on spring break so that Letty can meet her new family, albeit small. Heather reminds us that all dogs need love and other lovely heart-warming insights.

We close out our conversation with The Joy Corner. Heather contributes to Nichole Niemann’s Arkansas Style online show with a bi-monthly segment called The Joy Corner as an extension of her marketing firm, Vogel Venture. They have a soul-sister kind of connection that you can feel when you tune in. Heather shares tips that can bring more joy into your life. In this clip from The Joy Corner, Heather outlines how to establish your presence on LinkedIn. What are your three to four content pillars?  DOWNLOAD

NEXT STEP after listening: Challenge yourself and do the Conscious Attentive Leadership Mentoring (C.A.L.M.) Activities, below.