My Abundant Life 1-30-26

On By Heather HoustonIn My Abundant Life2 Comments

January 30th, 2026

The Golden Mirror Meditation

“Almost always it is the fear of being ourselves that brings us to the mirror.”

Antonio Porchia (Argentinian Poet; November 11th, 1885 ~ November 9th, 1968)

“I have used a special meditation I call the golden mirror meditation. I visualize in my mind an enormous mirror the size of a room, with an elaborately carved, 24-karat gold frame. This is my materializing mirror. Those dreams I wish to materialize in my life are first viewed here.”

“…whatever we visualize in our minds can come to pass in the physical world.”

“Today, find a few minutes to get quiet and journey within. Close your eyes. Visualize a beautiful, large golden mirror surrounded by shimmering white light. This light is Love and it surrounds you, enfolds you, enwraps you, and protects you as you look into the mirror. See the reflection of an extraordinary woman. She is beautiful and radiant. She possess a strong, healthy, vibrant aura. Her eyes sparkling and she is smiling warmly at you. Do you know who this woman is? You feel as if you have known her all your life. And you have. She is your authentic elf. Spend a few moments with her now. What is she doing? How is she doing it? Visit her as often as you like. She is waiting to help you find your way as you make the journey of self-discovery.”

“…there is never a time when you should hesitate to encounter the woman in the golden mirror. She is the highest reflection of your soul, the embodiment of the perfect woman who resides within and she sends you Love to light your path.”

My Bucket List

African Safari (2022)
Cape Town, South Africa (2026)

“I watched my partner come a bit unraveled as he thought he had lost a podcast recording that he saved last week. Lot’s of under the breath cursing and angst. It bothered him all evening. My initial reaction was empathy and frustration for him. Then when he became a bit snarky, instead of owning his behavior, I just committed myself to nothing being wrong. In that space I was able to listen and support him in his moment. We ended up having a lovely evening relaxing with one another after a super meal. This was new for me. I often own and fret over others issues and that only leads to more stress for me. All emotions are okay…even frustration. So I let him be there and I stayed in the empathy/helpful space. Truly a big moment for me.” (Heather Houston 1-30-22)

“Today was a huge relief. I had a biopsy on Monday and today I received my histology results. Good new! I have no evidence of cancer. PHEW! During the 3-months it took to get to my 2nd mammogram and then finally to the biopsy, I was chronically worried a a low level. I also knew that worrying does no good at all. Each time the bubbles of worry came to the surface, I greeted the thoughts, acknowledged them and then pushed them to the side. Today’s news was a relief and felt great! I am pleased I didn’t stay in a high stress state for months and instead kept on LIVING.” (Heather Houston 1-30-26)

–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 30-32 of 501.

I challenge each of you on this blog series to post comments so we all can grow together.

Daily Gratitude 1-29-26

On By Heather HoustonIn 5 Daily GratitudesLeave a comment

January 29th, 2026

  • “I appreciate my husband showing me his love all week caring for me. Thank you my love!”❤️ (Heather Houston 1-29-26)
  • “I am grateful we have had mild weather this far into Winter.” (Heather Houston 1-29-26)
  • “I am blessed to be from tough stock as this week has been more tiring than usual as my body recovers.” (Heather Houston 1-29-26)
  • “Thankful to come home reconnect with my husband, share a martini, eat Indonesian Fried Chicken and watch the Netflix series, ‘Victoria.’ Sometimes a slow jog to the finish line of the day is needed to unwind.” Heather Houston 1-29-26)
  • “I am grateful I can nearly fall asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow. Using up the entire day!” (Heather Houston 1-29-26)
  • “I am always grateful for sleep-in Saturdays!” (Heather Houston 1-29-22)
  • “I am thankful my commute to work was safe and smooth sailing even with the freezing fog.” (Heather Houston 1-29-22)
  • “I appreciate that I was able to do my grocery shopping on the prior day which allows me more quality time with my love!”💞 (Heather Houston 1-29-22)
  • “I am grateful for the opportunity to use our tri-tip roast leftovers to make French dips for dinner.  Extremely delicious!” (Heather Houston 1-29-22)
    French Dip
  • “I appreciate watching a movie at home that I might not have ever seen, but it turned out to be quite good…”Phantom Thread”.” (Heather Houston 1-29-22)
    Phantom Thread

My Musical Life 1-29-26

On By Heather HoustonIn My Musical LifeLeave a comment

January 29th, 2026

#13 Mony Mony (Tommy James & The Shondells) 👍🏼

Lyrics:
Here she comes now, say “Mony, Mony”
Well, shoot ’em down, turn around, come on
Oh, yeah
Hey, she gives me love and I feel alright now
(Everybody)
You got me tossin’, turnin’ in the middle of the night
And I feel alright🪄
I say, yeah
(Yeah)
Yeah (yeah)
Yeah (yeah)
Yeah (yeah)
Yeah (yeah)🪄
Well, you make me feel (Mony, Mony)
So (Mony, Mony)
Good (Mony, Mony)
Yeah (Mony, Mony)
So good (Mony, Mony)
Alright (Mony, Mony)
Come on (Mony, Mony)
Alright, baby (Mony, Mony)🪄
I say, yeah
(Yeah)
Yeah (yeah)
Yeah (yeah)
Yeah (yeah)
Yeah (yeah)
Yeah (yeah)
Come on🪄
Break me, shake me, Mony, Mony
Shotgun, get it done, come on, Mony
Don’t stop, ’cause it feels so good, yeah🪄
Hey, eh
Well don’t stop now, hey, come on, Mony
Well, come on, Mony🪄
Yeah
(Yeah)
Yeah (yeah)
Yeah (yeah)
Yeah (yeah)
Yeah (yeah)🪄
Well, you make me feel (Mony, Mony)
So (Mony, Mony)
Good (Mony, Mony)
Yeah (Mony, Mony)
Alright (Mony, Mony)
Come on (Mony, Mony)
So good (Mony, Mony)
Alright (Mony, Mony)🪄
I say, yeah
(Yeah)
Yeah (yeah)
Yeah (yeah)
Yeah (yeah)
Yeah (yeah)
Aaaaahh🪄
So good
(Ooh, I love you, Mony, mo, mo, Mony)
So good
(Ooh, I love you, Mony, mo, mo, Mony)
Alright
(Ooh, I love you, Mony, mo, mo, Mony)
Yeah, Mony, Mony🪄
Yeah
(Yeah)
Everybody
(Yeah)
Yeah
Yeah
Yeah
Yeah🪄
Come on (come on)
Come on (come on)
Come on (come on)
Everybody
Alright (Mony, Mony)
Alright (Mony, Mony)🪄
Come on
Well, you’ve got it
Yeah
Hey, yeah
Oh, yeah

My Abundant Life 1-29-26

On By Heather HoustonIn My Abundant LifeLeave a comment

January 29th, 2026

The Illustrated Discovery Journal

“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

Matthew 6:21

“First of all you’ll have to visualize your ideal life. Take a moment to get quiet and go within. Close your eyes. Now see how you live and who lives with you. What does your dream house look like?

“What part of the country is it in?”

Noosa, Australia (Sunshine Coast)

“What type of garden do you have?”

“Is there a gazebo in the backyard?”

“A swimming pool?”

“What type of car is parked in the driveway?”

“What kind of job do you have?”

Professional Podcaster
10-25-21

“This is a wish list to the Universe. Our deepest wishes are whispers of our authentic selves. We must learn to respect them. We must learn to listen.”

“Put your ear down next to your soul and listen hard.”

Anne Sexton (American Poet; November 11th, 1928 ~ October 4th, 1974)

“Our wishes for the future, our hopes, our dreams, our aspirations are our truest treasures.”

“…give thanks for the wonderful life you are leading. The greatest secret to living a happy and fulfilled life is the realization that everything is created in our minds before it manifests itself in the outer world. We must believe it before we can see it.”

My Bucket List

Bruichladdich Scotch Distillery (2022)
Bali (2026)

“I am a bit anxious as I need to get my act together and acquire a used or new car in the next few weeks. Since my divorce, it seems as a woman my credit fell after losing the house. Makes me frustrated that this world is so patriarchal based. However, I will overcome and not let this speed bump ruin me.” (Heather Houston 1-29-22)

“WOW…flash forward I am leasing a new car (2025 VENUE Hyundai). I feel so blessed to be in a place where my credit and income afford such a reliable vehicle. It’s nice to have piece of mind.” (Heather Houston 1-29-26)

–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 30 of 501.

I challenge each of you on this blog series to post comments so we all can grow together.

Daily Gratitude 1-28-26

On By Heather HoustonIn 5 Daily GratitudesLeave a comment

January 28th, 2026

  • “I am thankful my husband cleaned the kitchen and made me a breakfast to help ease me into the day as I recover.” (Heather Houston 1-28-26)
  • “I appreciate that traffic was light on my commute to work” (Heather Houston 1-28-26)
  • “I am grateful for my crafty genes from my family. I made a hair accessory for a youth/client who is indigenous and transsexual. Helping her feel seen as she sees herself.” (Heather Houston 1-28-26)
  • “I am blessed to have husband who expresses himself as a chef.”❤️ (Heather Houston 1-28-26)
  • “I am thankful my sleep hygiene is a habit as getting enough sleep at this juncture is paramount.”!(Heather Houston 1-28-26)
  • “I appreciate it is Friday…T.G.I.F.!” (Heather Houston 1-28-22)
  • “I am thankful I got all my work tasks done early in the day, leaving me time to work on writing workouts for my athletes.” (Heather Houston 1-28-22)
  • “I appreciate my swimming athlete trusting me with managing her service dog while she completed my assigned swim workout.” (Heather Houston 1-28-22)
  • “I am blessed to be able to make a tri-tip roast with my partner.  I made him Garlic Red Potato Mash…so yummy!” (Heather Houston 1-28-22)
    1-28-22 Tri-Tip Roast and Garlic Red Potato Mash
  • “I am grateful for the few minutes of lull time when I first get into bed and I am attacked with love and licks by my dog, Kiva.” (Heather Houston 1-28-22)

My Musical Life 1-28-26

On By Heather HoustonIn My Musical LifeLeave a comment

January 28th, 2026

#12 Little Green Apples (O.C. Smith) 👍🏼

Lyrics:
And I wake up in the mornin’
With my hair down in my eyes and she says “Hi”
And I stumble to the breakfast table
While the kids are goin’ off to school, goodbye🪄
She reaches out and takes my hand
And squeezes it and says, “How you feeling hon?”
And I look across at smiling lips
That warm my heart and see my morning sun🪄
And if that’s not lovin’ me then all I’ve got to say🪄
God didn’t make a little green apples
It don’t rain in Indianapolis in the summertime
No such thing as Doctor Seuss
Disneyland or Mother Goose is no nursery rhyme🪄
God didn’t make a little green apples
And it ain’t gonna rain in Indianapolis in the summertime
When myself is feelin’ low
Think about her face aglow and ease my mind🪄
Sometimes I call her up at home knowing she’s busy
And ask if she could get away and meet me and grab a bite to eat
Then she drops what she’s doin’ and hurries down to meet me
And I’m always late but she sits waitin’ patiently
And smiles when she first sees me ’cause she’s made that way🪄
And if that’s not lovin’ me then all I’ve got to say🪄
God didn’t make a little green apples
It don’t snow in Minneapolis when the winter comes
There’s no such think as make believe
Puppy dogs and autumn leaves and BB guns🪄
God didn’t make a little green apples
And it ain’t gonna rain in Indianapolis in the summertime
When myself is feelin’ low
I think about her face aglow and ease my mind
To ease my mind, to ease my mind

My Abundant Life 1-28-26

On By Heather HoustonIn My Abundant LifeLeave a comment

January 28th, 2026

The Illustrated Discovery Journal

“Knowledge of what you love somehow comes to you; you don’t have to read nor analyze nor study. If you love a thing enough, knowledge of it seeps into you, with particulars more real than any chart can furnish.”

Jessamyn West (American Author of Short Stories and Novels; July 18th, 1902 ~ February 23rd, 1984)

“The key to loving how you live is in knowing what it is you truly love.”

“To know what you prefer instead of humbly saying Amen to what the world tells you you ought to prefer, is to keep your soul alive.”

Robert Louis Stevenson (Scottish Novelist, Essayist, Poet and Travel Writer; November 13th, 1850 ~ December 3rd, 1894)

“One of the most pleasurable ways to start finding out your personal preferences is by creating an illustrated discovery journal. This is your explorer’s log as you begin to make your way into the darkest terra incognita: your authentic inner world. We feed our imaginations and get in touch with our authenticity by gathering together beautiful images that speak to our souls.”

“Meditating on one visual image a day can jump-start your creativity and lead to revealing insights.”

“At night before you go to bed, when you’re in a drowsy, relaxed, and receptive state,…” select images and place in your “Illustrated Discovery Journal.” = My Bucket List…”Soon they will give you directions about where your heart wants you to go.”

My Bucket List

Positano, Italy (2022)
Iguazú Falls, Argentina and Brazil (2026)

“I found a couple new job opportunities that seem to have fallen into my lap today. All three are within my professional expertise and potentially advance my career while paying me what I am worth. I am revamping my resume to market myself specific to these positions. I know a few people with in two of the organizations I am applying to who I am reaching out to for referrals. Here goes my hat…throwing it into the ring.”🤞(Heather Houston 1-28-22)

“I am at a point in my career where making a difference and having an impact is paramount. Today, One of our social workers was planning a visit to an indigenous youth and wanted to develop a connection. This youth is transexual and 9-years old. I encouraged the social worker to connect with the youth’s tribe who offered to provide him a quilt. I also suggested he visit 8th Generation in Seattle to purchase a blanket for the youth. She picked a purple toned blanket. I also encouraged the social worker to connect with the youth’s identity by gifting her a hair accessory. The social worker was not sure what to get so I offered to make her something as an indigenous elder. Below is what I created and I hope this gift will help her be seen as she sees herself.” (Heather Houston 1-28-26)

–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 29-30 of 501.

I challenge each of you on this blog series to post comments so we all can grow together.

Daily Gratitude 1-27-26

On By Heather HoustonIn 5 Daily GratitudesLeave a comment

January 27th, 2026

  • “I am grateful to not have to workout today…Doctors orders. As my chest is pretty sore.” (Heather Houston 1-27-26)
  • “I am blessed my husband has been on cleaning duties to give me a break while I heal from my puncture wound…LOL!” 🏹 (Heather Houston 1-27-26)
  • “I am thankful to witness a colleague come to a transformative realization about her BEingness in life and sharing that tidbit with me. So powerful!” (Heather Houston 1-27-26)
  • “I am blessed to live in a time when medical care can be advanced enough to help prevent life ending diseases when caught early.” (Heather Houston 1-27-26)
  • “I am thankful my husband plays an audiobook to put me to sleep at night so my mind has little time to wander.” (Heather Houston 1-27-26)
  • “I am blessed to have the time in the morning to get the house in order so when my partner rises in the morning, he as a clean home to start his day in.” (Heather Houston 1-27-22)
  • “I am grateful that a swimming pool has hours that align with the coaching hours for my athletes.” (Heather Houston 1-27-22)
  • “I am thankful the traffic on my commute home today was unusually light.  Seems like I got home in less than an hour today.  WINNING!”🏆 (Heather Houston 1-27-22)
  • “I appreciate the simple things in life.  My partner and I settled on loaded baked potatoes for dinner which was simple, easy and fabulous!” (Heather Houston 1-27-22)
  • “I am thankful for the softest sheets in the universe on my bed.  It makes going to bed each night a joy!” (Heather Houston 1-27-22)

My Musical Life 1-27-26

On By Heather HoustonIn My Musical LifeLeave a comment

January 27th, 2026

#11 Harper Valley P.T.A. (Jeannie C. Riley) 👍🏼

Lyrics:
I wanna tell you all a story ’bout
A Harper Valley widowed wife
Who had a teenage daughter
Who attended Harper Valley Junior High
Well, her daughter came home one afternoon
And didn’t even stop to play
And she said, “mom, I got a note here from the Harper Valley PTA”🪄
Well, the note said, “Mrs. Johnson
You’re wearin’ your dresses way too high
It’s reported you’ve been drinking
And a-running ’round with men and goin’ wild
And we don’t believe you oughta be a-bringin’ up
Your little girl this way”
And it was signed by the Secretary
Harper Valley PTA🪄
Well, it happened that the PTA was gonna meet
That very afternoon
And they were sure surprised
When Mrs. Johnson wore her miniskirt into the room
And as she walked up to the blackboard
I can still recall the words she had to say
She said, “I’d like to address this meeting of the Harper Valley PTA🪄
Well, there’s Bobby Taylor sittin’ there
And seven times he’s asked me for a date
And Mrs. Taylor sure seems to use a lotta ice
Whenever he’s away
And Mr. Baker can you tell us why
Your secretary had to leave this town?
And shouldn’t widow Jones be told to keep
Her window shades all pulled completely down🪄
Well, Mr. Harper couldn’t be here
‘Cause he stayed too long at Kelly’s Bar again
And if you smell Shirley Thompson’s breath
You’ll find she’s had a little nip of gin
And then you have the nerve to tell me
You think that as the mother I’m not fit
Well, this is just a little Peyton Place
And you’re all Harper Valley hypocrites”🪄
No, I wouldn’t put you on because it really did
It happened just this way
The day my mama socked it to the Harper Valley PTA
The day my mama socked it to the Harper Valley PTA

My Abundant Life 1-27-26

On By Heather HoustonIn My Abundant LifeLeave a comment

January 27th, 2026

The Daily Dialogue

“I will write myself into well-being.”

Nancy Mair (Author; July 23rd, 1943 ~ December 3rd, 2016)

“I took a spiral notebook and began having a conversation with myself on the paper. Everything I was worried about just pilled out in a rapid stream of consciousness. What I was doing was not so much recording the events in my life as much as eliminating the mental minutiae that was depleting my creative energy and driving me crazy.”

“Groan and forget it.”

Jessamyn West (American Author of short stories and Novels; July 18th, 1902 ~ February 23rd, 1984)

“I call this ritual the daily dialogue because you are really conversing with someone much wiser and saner as you write: your authentic self.”

“Try writing a daily dialogue as an experiment for twenty-one days. That’s the length of time psychologists tell us we need to perform a new behavior before it becomes habitual….Stressed souls need the reassuring rhythm of self-nurturing rituals.”

“Just get down on paper whatever’s hovering on the horizon of your brain disguised as a dull headache.”

“With pencil and paper, I could revise the world.”

Alison Lurie (American Novelist and Academic; September 3rd, 1926 ~ December 3rd, 2020)

“The last few weeks have been frustrating as I learned my salary for the next 5-years in my current contract was not even near the COLA (2.5%) increase annually. What is did for me was give me clarity on my next steps in my career. With this shift, I was able to let go of some of the frustrations in my current workplace. I am still doing complete work, but I am not going above and beyond. This has given me relief in the level of stressors in my work environment. My co-workers are beginning to realize what I was actually doing for the team and what is now left for them to complete without my assistance. I am on a quest to find the perfect fit for my new career chapter. This excites me and I am committed to strive toward this without fear or reservation. I appreciate knowing how much my employer values me so I can find a place and a position where my efforts and contributions will be valued for what they are.”🙏 (Heather Houston 1-27-22)

“My biopsy really zapped my energy. It is not everyday you get a puncture wound the size of a 1/4-thikness of an arrow. Yes, I said an arrow like Robin Hood. I found at the end of he day I felt like I collapsed into bed from the sheer ongoing ache and soreness. I can’t wait until my histology results are complete so I can close this chapter.” (Heather Houston 1-27-26)

–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 27-29 of 501.

I challenge each of you on this blog series to post comments so we all can grow together.