Mostly Functional

Two friends, one unruly conversation! Julie Squires and Derek Walter have teamed up to talk about the messy, tender and funny parts of life, in and outside of animal work.

Ep# 13 A Peace Practice 01/15/2026

Ep# 13 A Peace Practice In this episode of Mostly Functional, Julie and Derek talk about what it means to practice peace in a world that feels loud, divisive, and hard to disconnect from. Inspired by Tibetan monks walking thousands of miles to raise awareness for compassion and empathy, they explore the idea that peace is not something you wait for, it’s something you create on purpose. They share simple, real-life “peace practices” anyone can try, from slowing down to a monk pace on a dog walk to building a personal “toolbox” of grounding habits. You’ll leave with one gentle question to carry into your week: what’s one small thing you can do today that invites more peace in? /episode/index/show/b2fef662-6028-4472-9fe1-8a79e2a88d68/id/39734220

Ep#12 Too Exhausted To Feel Joy 01/01/2026

Ep#12 Too Exhausted To Feel Joy In this episode, we talk about what happens when you lose your joy at work, especially in animal-care roles where the suffering is real and the pace never lets up. We unpack how exhaustion, resentment, and “systems set up for you to fail” slowly erode your passion, and why the most functional move might be a break, a stop-doing list, and asking for help before you burn all the way out. /episode/index/show/b2fef662-6028-4472-9fe1-8a79e2a88d68/id/39578705

Ep# 11 Let's Giddy Up Into 2026: Year-End Check-In 12/25/2025

Ep# 11 Let's Giddy Up Into 2026: Year-End Check-In In this year-end Mostly Functional check-in, we’re giddy up-ing into 2026 with a clear plan: protect your peace. Derek and Julie unpack what it looks like to stay steady when your work with animals involves constant care, constant urgency, and constant opinions, and why “block, ban, delete” can be a loving boundary, not a personality flaw. Then we share what we’re calling in for 2026: movement, momentum, expansion, and more joy on purpose. /episode/index/show/b2fef662-6028-4472-9fe1-8a79e2a88d68/id/39528825

Ep# 10 Grief Is Your Friend 12/18/2025

Ep# 10 Grief Is Your Friend In this episode we talk about what it really looks like to plan for grief during the holidays, especially when it is your first season without someone you love. Julie shares her “grief practice” of making space in small spurts so it doesn’t swallow the whole season, plus simple permission slips like Plan B options, lowered expectations, and letting grief be a companion instead of an intruder. If you’ve been dreading the holidays, this one will help you feel a little less alone and a lot more human. /episode/index/show/b2fef662-6028-4472-9fe1-8a79e2a88d68/id/39448285

Ep#9 Trusting Your Yes and No 12/11/2025

Ep#9 Trusting Your Yes and No In this episode we explore how to tell when something is truly right for you and when it is not. Through stories about saying yes to Esther the pig, savior syndrome, burnout, and the cost of ignoring your gut. They talk about how our bodies often signal truth before the brain does, the difference between head decisions and heart knowing, and why real care for animals and humans alike depends on having firm, compassionate boundaries. Also mentioned in this episode: "What About Your Grief This Holiday Season?" webinar Julie is hosting on Tuesday, December 16 @ 7pm EST. More info and to register, click /episode/index/show/b2fef662-6028-4472-9fe1-8a79e2a88d68/id/39361430

Ep# 8 Boozy Hay & Big Soul Questions 12/04/2025

Ep# 8 Boozy Hay & Big Soul Questions In this episode, we somehow go from Thanksgiving side dishes and boozy hay to big soul questions like, “What is your soul here to learn?” Derek and I talk about love as the throughline of it all, how to reconnect with the dream inside the work you already do, and why it is perfectly acceptable to be mostly functional, not perfect. Expect luminary fields, tightrope walkers, snakes in dreams, and an invitation to remember what lights you up in this one wild, weird life. Mentioned in this episode: The Field Luminary at Happily Ever Esther Farm Sanctuary. If you want to get in on the magic luminary tradition, /episode/index/show/b2fef662-6028-4472-9fe1-8a79e2a88d68/id/39256360

Ep#7 Guilt and The Wolf You Feed 11/27/2025

Ep#7 Guilt and The Wolf You Feed Chance are extremely high that if you work with animals, you've also experienced all the guilt that can come with helping other beings. Did I do enough? Did we miss something? What if it could've been different? Derek says that guilt is love wearing the wrong costume. Join us for this important and impactful episode where we talk all about guilt, impossible systems and what it means to know which "wolf you're feeding" . /episode/index/show/b2fef662-6028-4472-9fe1-8a79e2a88d68/id/39171080

Ep#6 Life After The Loss of Your Parents 11/20/2025

Ep#6 Life After The Loss of Your Parents In this episode of Mostly Functional, Derek turns the mic on Julie and asks her what life is like after losing both of her parents, one suddenly and one after a long cancer journey. We talk about how grief has changed the way we see our own mortality, our work, and how little energy we spend on things that don't matter (like other's opinion) and we wander into all the messy parts too: not being there for every final breath, ambiguous loss with dementia, angel numbers, mediums, and the strange ways our parents still show up after they are gone. /episode/index/show/b2fef662-6028-4472-9fe1-8a79e2a88d68/id/39105020

Ep# 5 Walking With Elephants in Asia 11/13/2025

Ep# 5 Walking With Elephants in Asia Think you can't live vicariously through someone's trip abroad? Think again. In this episode Derek shares his experience visiting Thailand and standing beneath elephants at a sanctuary where awe meets trust. Discover how Thai caregivers model non-attachment and offer unexpected wisdom for grief and compassion fatigue, echoed by a living field and burial trees that hold each elephant’s story. This is an episode not to miss! /episode/index/show/b2fef662-6028-4472-9fe1-8a79e2a88d68/id/39012520

Ep#4 The Courage To Be Free (and Disliked) 10/30/2025

Ep#4 The Courage To Be Free (and Disliked) In a world that constantly demands our approval, praise, and productivity, what happens when we finally decide to let go? In this episode, we talk about the radical freedom that comes from releasing roles, habits, expectations and even relationships that no longer serve us. Even when it makes others uncomfortable. Whether it’s unfollowing, quitting, saying no, or simply refusing to respond to online trolls, we explore how scary (and beautiful) it can be to live life on your own terms. Website: /episode/index/show/b2fef662-6028-4472-9fe1-8a79e2a88d68/id/38838320

Ep# 3 What Animals Teach Us About Letting Go 10/23/2025

Ep# 3 What Animals Teach Us About Letting Go In this episode we swap simple morning rituals that build capacity, then move into a tender conversation about how animals help teach us about letting go. Derek shares the realities of Esther The Wonder Pig's hospice, choosing euthanasia as love, and setting boundaries online. Together they land on this quiet truth: grief is love that stays, and being mostly functional means making room for hard feelings without losing yourself. /episode/index/show/b2fef662-6028-4472-9fe1-8a79e2a88d68/id/38751655

Ep#2 The Secret Conversations of the Animal World 10/16/2025

Ep#2 The Secret Conversations of the Animal World In this tender and thought-provoking conversation, Julie and Derek explore the quiet wisdom of animals and the deep comfort they bring to our lives. From Esther's steady breathing to the mysterious presence of Bigfoot, they wander through stories that remind us of our shared connection to all living beings. Together, they reflect on how animals see our worth even when we forget it, the power of silence in understanding their communication, and what Jane Goodall’s legacy continues to teach us about reverence, respect, and listening to the world around us. /episode/index/show/b2fef662-6028-4472-9fe1-8a79e2a88d68/id/38601085

Ep# 1: Where Are All The Men in Animal Work? 10/08/2025

Ep# 1: Where Are All The Men in Animal Work? In this very first episode of Mostly Functional, Derek and I talk about what it really means to be human. We laugh through a few tech mishaps, share how we first met, and explore the messy, tender, and funny parts of life that make us who we are and what it means to show up in the world as mostly functional. We delve into the question of "where are all the men in animal work" and come up with some hypothesis of our own! Join us for our premiere episode of where we prove over and over, we're all just.....mostly functional and doing the best we can! /episode/index/show/b2fef662-6028-4472-9fe1-8a79e2a88d68/id/38517025

Mostly Functional

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