My Abundant Life 3-15-26

On March 15, 2026March 22, 2026 By Heather HoustonIn My Abundant LifeLeave a comment

March 15th, 2026

Self-Nurturing: The Hardest Task You’ll Ever Do

“Any little bit of experimenting in self-nurturance is very frightening for most of us. There is a connection between self-nurturing and self-respect.”
Julia B. Cameron (American Teacher, Author, artist, poet, playwright, novelist, filmmaker, pigeon fancier, composer, and journalist; March 4th, 1948 ~ )

“Perhaps we are all Scrooges when it comes to self-nurturing because if we were kind to ourselves, our creativity might begin to blossom like a plant moving toward the light. Of course, this would mean we’d want to make some changes in our lives, and we all know how we feel about changes, even positive ones. We may be in a rut, but at least our own familiar grooves are comforting in their own insidious fashion.”

“The way to take giant leaps and strides toward authenticity, however, is through small changes.”

“True life is lived when tiny changes occur.”
Count Lev “Leo” Nikolayevich Tolstoy (Russian Writer; September 9th, 1828 ~ November 20th, 1910)

“Today, make a list of ten nice things you could do for yourself. Now select one and do it.”

“Before my story began…” (Heather Houston 3-15-22)

Ten Nice Things To Do For Myself: (Heather Houston 3-15-22)

Pedicure
Manicure
Color Hair
Buy Conditioner
Buy Leave-In Conditioner
Face Mask
Go See A Movie
Make Myself A Cocktail (Pour an apple whiskey on the rocks) 3-15-22
Listen To Fun Music
Take A Nap.

Ten Nice Things To Do For Myself: (Heather Houston 3-15-26)

Pedicure
Manicure
Buy Conditioner
Purchase 2 Boxes to hold our Malaysian/India Spices and Mexican Spices
Schedule therapist appointments to deal with past trauma. ✅
Purchase indigenous medicines at the NICWA conference in Oklahoma.
Exercise a minimum of 5 days/week.
Bake 1x/week.
Practice my violin.
Plan to get motorcycle to the shop to get a tune-up and repair the speaker system.

It seems some things keep reoccurring as I am not following through with nurturing myself.

–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 81-82 of 501.

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

My Abundant Life 3-5-26

On March 5, 2026March 5, 2026 By Heather HoustonIn My Abundant Life1 Comment

March 5th, 2026

Creating a Hope Chest

“‘Hope’ is the thing with feathers–that perches in the soul…”
Emily Elizabeth Dickinson (American Poet; December 10th, 1830 ~ May 15th, 1886)

“Not every one of our desires can be immediately gratified. We’ve got to learn to wait patiently for our dreams to come true, especially on the path we’ve chosen. But while we wait, we need to prepare symbolically a place for our hopes and dreams.”

“Faith is the very first thing you should pack in a hope chest.”

My Bucket List

“Before my story began…” (Heather Houston 3-5-22)

“I remember in high school my best friend had spoken about a hope chest. I immediately thought I needed one as well. So, what did I do? Hope…wish…pray my parents would magically read my mind and get me one. Why did I want one? Because the “Jones” were saying I should have one. Apparently those to be married should have one. In retrospect, this was ridiculous. What I was really hoping was that if it magically materialized, it would mean I was worthy, enough…loved. My story was working overtime while I was in high school. Being a late bloomer really sucked…always late to the party!” (Heather Houston 3-5-22)

“I really loved the authors idea of creating a hope chest per se as a wicker basket filled with books she loved to gift to her daughter on her 16th birthday. I am long past 16, and have an ask of my own mother. Share with me more of your poetry at different times in your life so I get a glimpse of who you are as a woman, my mother, a sister, a daughter and a wife. My mom’s share of her poetry from when she was 13 years old filled me with so much joy. I felt like I was actually getting to know…HER. I love you Mom!”❤️ (Heather Houston 3-5-26)

–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 72-73 of 501.

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

My Abundant Life 3-3-26

On March 3, 2026March 3, 2026 By Heather HoustonIn My Abundant Life2 Comments

March 3rd, 2026

Setting Aside a Personal Sabbath

“Anybody can observe the Sabbath but making it holy surely takes the rest of the week.”
Alice Malsenior Tallulah-Kate Walker (American Novelist, Short Story Writer, Poet, and Social Activist; February 9th, 1944 ~ )

“Some keep the Sabbath going to Church, I keep it, staying at Home.”
Emily Elizabeth Dickinson (American Poet; December 10th, 1830 ~ May 15th, 1886)

“It doesn’t matter what day of the week you set aside as your own personal Sabbath, it just matters that you keep one.”

“…meditation is intentional concentration on one thing, which can be either secular or spiritual.”

“This is what the Sabbath is for: reverence, rest, renewal, rejuvenation, reassuring rituals, recreation, rejoicing, revelation, remembering how much you have to be grateful for, and saying ‘thank you!'”

My Bucket List

Go on a Self-Drive Safari in Kruger National Park

“Before my story began…” (Heather Houston 3-3-22)

“My church is anytime I commune with nature…simple…sweet!” (Heather Houston 3-3-22)

“My Sabbath is for: gratitude, sexy-time, imbibing, pleasuring, devouring, relaxing, passion, creativity and most of all…LOVING my husband.” ❤️ (Heather Houston 3-3-26)

–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 70-71 of 501.

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

My Abundant Life 2-17-26

On February 17, 2026February 17, 2026 By Heather HoustonIn My Abundant Life2 Comments

February 17th, 2026

A Safari of Self and Spirit

“The woods were made for the hunters of dreams

The brooks for the fisher of song

To the hunters who hunt for the gunless game

The streams and the woods belong.”
Sam Walter Foss (American Librarian and Poet; June 19th, 1858 ~ February 26th, 1911)

“…not only desolate with grief but bereft of purpose.”
Mary Henrietta Kingsley (English Ethnographer, Scientific Writer, and Explorer; October 3rd, 1862 ~ June 3rd, 1900)

“In Africa, to go on safari—the Swahili word for journey—is to leave the comfort and safety of civilization to venture into the wilderness. Each time you listen to the woman within—your authentic self—you do the same.

“You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition…What you’ll discover will be wonderful. What you’ll discover will be yourself.”
Alan Alda (American Actor and Comedian; January 28th, 1936 ~ )

My Bucket List

Before my story began…(Heather Houston 2-17-22)

“Reading this today I found myself dreaming of adventure. Riding my motorcycle down the length of PCH. Going on a walk-about. Creating my own vision quest through my indigenous roots. Being free of debt to wander and explore would be glorious!” (Heather Houston 2-17-22)

“I find myself bereft with purpose in my career. I feel an urge to find my place in this world. Particularly since the life I lived for 30 years was far from authentic. I am not in a hurry, but feel a deep wanderlust inside me. My husband has been very supportive and offered for us to get our instruments out of storage to begin exploring our musical interests. I am game as I have not really focused on my music in years. I have spent the last 8-years on a safari of my authentic self and spirit. I yearn for new adventures to explore this beautiful world we inhabit. I am in action of this presently as I soon will be visiting Oklahoma City for an indigenous conference. This will be the first time I am able to sit and commune with people from my culture…Cherokee/Choctaw. I am beyond thrilled! I am hoping I will have time to also visit the town my grandfather and great grandparents resided to simply touch the earth of my ancestors. This is the exploration I am on.” (Heather Houston 2-17-26)

–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 51-52 of 501.

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

My Abundant Life 2-15-26

On February 15, 2026February 15, 2026 By Heather HoustonIn My Abundant Life2 Comments

February 15th, 2026

Meeting The Inner Explorer

“There is only one journey. Going inside yourself.”
René Karl Wilhelm Johann Josef Maria Rilke (known as: c) (Austrian Poet and Novelist; December 4th, 1875 ~ December 29th, 1926)

“I craved to go beyond the garden gate, follow the road that passed it by, and set out for the unknown.”
Alexandra David-Néel (Belgian–French Explorer, Spiritualist, Buddhist, Anarchist, Opera Singer, and Writer; October 24th, 1868 ~ September 8th, 1969)

“…the most foreign country is within.”
Alice Malsenior Tallulah-Kate Walker (American Novelist, Short Story Writer, Poet, and Social Activist; February 9th, 1944 ~ )

“We are our own dark continent, we are our own savage frontier.”

My Bucket List

“Before my story began…” (Heather Houston 2-15-22)

“Today was a red letter day! I bought my first car today…2009 MINI Cooper (2dr Hatchback; 1.6L 4cyl 6M) in excellent condition with 70k in miles. I was looking for a commuter car for the next couple years before finding what is next. YEAH ME!” (Heather Houston 2-15-26)

2-12-22 2009 MINI Cooper Getting Detailed Before Purchase

“Our authentic self discovery is the exploration of within. The most mysterious vista are the touchstones and transformation tiles that mark your personal exploration. I feel blessed to be cogent and brave enough to LOOK…look and BE.” (Heather Houston 2-15-26)

–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 49-50 of 501.

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

My Abundant Life 2-1-26 (Part 2/2)

On February 1, 2026February 1, 2026 By Heather HoustonIn My Abundant LifeLeave a comment

February 1st, 2026

Creative Excursions: The Gift of Time

“I celebrate myself, and sing myself

I loathe and invite my soul…”
Walter Whitman (American Poet, Essayist and Journalist; May 31st, 1819 ~ March 26th, 1892)

“Creative excursions are regular solo rendezvous with your authentic self designed for this purpose. In the beginning of any intimate relationship the best gift you can offer another person is the investment of quality time together. So it is with your authentic self.”

“When you embark on creative excursions, your authentic self will lovingly reveal to you the beautiful mystery that is you. This occurs spontaneously as you make the pursuit of personal growth a sacred endeavor.”

“Creative excursions require an investment of time, not money.”

“…once we realize that nurturing our imaginations and developing a relationship with our authentic selves is an investment we can no longer afford to put off.”

My Bucket List

“Well, wouldn’t you know it, I did it again. Putting off what I should do. UGH! No more. Working on my resume now!!!” (Heather Houston 2-1-22)

“I have added a weekly creative excursion to my calendar on Fridays so I an reconnect to my authentic self and pay amends to her for not nurturing this part of her deep desire. This could be anything that will dedicate time to my authentic self…small or large…alone or with my husband. The point is to take time each week to acknowledge and feed my soul. It feels a bit selfish, and I am learning to put myself first after a lifetime of placing myself last or not at all. I am blessed my husband supports me in this general idea of filling my cup first before filling others. Part of this commitment will include rewatching or watching for the first time films throughout my lifetime. I think rewatching these films will bring up fond memories of times in the past as well as seeing them newly with my new outlook on life.” (Heather Houston 2-1-26)

–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 35-36 of 501.

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

My Abundant Life 1-29-26

On January 29, 2026January 30, 2026 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?”

“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?”

“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

“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.

My Abundant Life 1-26-26

On January 26, 2026January 26, 2026 By Heather HoustonIn My Abundant LifeLeave a comment

January 26th, 2026

Simple Abundance: The Basic Tools

“Take the gentle path.”
George Herbert (Poet, Orator, and Priest of the Church of England; April 3rd, 1593 ~ March 1st, 1633)

“There is no companion so companionable as Solitude.”
Henry David Thoreau (American Naturalist, Essayist, Poet, and Philosopher; July 12th, 1817 ~ May 6th, 1862)

“See if you can’t give yourself the gift of one hour a day to journey within.”

“This much I know: if you go deep enough, often enough, something good is bound to come back to you.”

“I have committed to daily journaling and reflection. I don’t make it a hard fast start stop as I add doses of it throughout my day instead of a concentrated hour. This enables me to feel like I am addressing and being attentive to my own self-care on an ongoing basis throughout my day vs. being a task to check off my list.” (Heather Houston 1-26-26)

–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 26-27 of 501.

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

My Abundant Life 1-19-26

On January 19, 2026January 24, 2026 By Heather HoustonIn My Abundant LifeLeave a comment

January 19th, 2026

Joy: Learning Life’s Lessons with a Light Heart

“I cannot believe that the inscrutable universe turns on an axis of suffering; surely the strange beauty of the world must someshere rest on pure joy.”
Louise Bogan (American Poet; August 11th, 1897 ~ February 4th, 1970)

“We learn each day how cultivating gratitude tills the soil of our soul and then how the seeds of simplicity and order send their roots down deep into the earth of our everyday existence. As we progress, harmony inspires us with quiet courage to create an authentic life for ourselves and those we love. With patience, beauty blossoms and our hearts experience not only happiness, which is often fleeting, but a wellspring of joy that refreshes and renews. We have found our true place in the world.”

“With an eye made quiet by the power of harmony, and the deep power of joy, we see into the life of things.”
William Wordsworth (English Romantic Poet; April 7th, 1770 ~ April 23rd, 1850)

“Learning to live in the present moment is part of the path of joy. But this requires a profound inner shift in our reality. Many of us unconsciously create dramas in our minds, expecting the worse from a situation only to have our expectations become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Inadvertently, we become authors of our own misfortune. And so we struggle from day to day, from crisis to crisis, bruised and battered by circumstances without realizing that we always have a choice.”

“Oh geez! I am committed to living in the present, even if I struggle with the human tendency to look back and use my “evidence” to support why financial scarcity looms in my life. I do have a choice and I am committed through my daily gratitude practice to see the abundance in my life ongoingly. Access to abundance is a choice that I may fulfill if I allow myself to see it and create it as a possibility.” (Heather Houston 1-19-22)

“Wow has my shift occurred in an unexpected way and it is DIVINE! I see abundance all around me in everything I do everything I see and every possibility I create. BEing is the juice of life with the story on tape playing in your head. It is true freedom and true access to happiness.” (Heather Houston 1-19-26)

“But what if you learned how to stop the dramas and started to trust the flow of life and the goodness of Spirit? What if you began to expect the best from any situation? Isn’t it possible that you could write new chapters in your life with happy endings? For many of us this is such a radical departure from the way we have been behaving that it seems unbelievable. Yet it is possible. Suspend your disbelief. Take a leap of faith. After all, what have you got to lose but misery and lack?”

“Well living in lack and upset is no way to “LIVE”. I will need to be mindful as I have a deeply rooted bad habit. I am committed to living in the present, relishing what I do have and forecasting the best of scenarios for experiences, circumstances, tasks, etc.” (Heather Houston 1-19-22)

“Beingness is a learned skill that I have honed and find it easier to remain in longer and longer throughout the day. A true transformation is possible with intentional effort and attention.” (Heather Houston 1-19-26)

–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 19-20 of 501.

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

My Abundant Life 1-16-26

On January 16, 2026January 24, 2026 By Heather HoustonIn My Abundant LifeLeave a comment

January 16th, 2026

A Sense of Order: Cultivating Contentment

“Order is the shape upon which beauty depends.”
Pearl S. Buck (known as: Sai Zhenzhu) (American Writer and Novelist; June 26th, 1892 ~ March 6th, 1973)

“…in happy and fulfilled lives domesticity and spirituality are invisibly but inexorably connected—…”

“We might not be able to control what’s happening externally in our lives but we can learn to look to our own inner resources for a sense of comfort that nurtures and sustains.”

“It’s not the tragedies that kill us, it’s the messes.”
Dorothy Parker (American Poet, Writer, Critic, and Satirist; (August 22nd, 1893 ~ June 7th, 1967)

“No woman can think clearly when constantly surrounded by clutter, chaos, and confusion, no matter who is responsible for it. Begin to think of order not as a strait-jacket of ‘shoulds’ (Make the bed, wash the dishes, take out the garbage) but as a shape—the foundation—for the beautiful new life you are creating.”

“There is a Divine Order—a Sublime Order—inherent in the Universe. We can tap into this powerful source of creative energy when we are willing to gradually cultivate a sense of order as to how we conduct our daily affairs. Invite Divine Order into your life today and a more serene tomorrow will unfold.”

“I have always felt my organizational style is aligned with the Sublime Order of the Universe…instinctual for me.” (Heather Houston 1-16-22)

“I have changed my perspective over the years that the “To Dos” are not work. Instead, they are life and BEing in my life completely means I choose to enjoy all of it!” (Heather Houston 1-16-26)

–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 16-17 of 501.

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

	Heather Houston on My Abundant Life 3-6-26
	Heather Houston on My Abundant Life 3-6-26
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	Heather Houston on My Abundant Life 3-4-26

My Distilled Life

Tag: American Poet

My Abundant Life 3-15-26

March 15th, 2026

Self-Nurturing: The Hardest Task You’ll Ever Do

My Abundant Life 3-5-26