Tag: Author

My Abundant Life 4-2-26

On By Heather HoustonIn My Abundant LifeLeave a comment

April 2nd, 2026

Verve: The Secret of Personal Style

“The soul should always stand ajar, ready to welcome the ecstatic experience.”

Emily Elizabeth Dickinson (American poet; December 10th, 1830 ~ May 15th, 1886)

“Verve is the special ability or talent to pull something off with panache, from a fabulous outfit to an exquisite couplet of poetry. Verve comes into our lives when we dinally trust our instincts. When we take riskes and they payy off. Verve is passion. It’s also the secret of personal style. Verve is focused creative energy, a sense of vitality or zest.”

“And how do we learn to develop a finey honed sense of verve? By paying attention to the details. By accepting each day’s attempt to teach us more about our authenticity. By being constantly on the lookout for the ecstatic experience: what excited us or moves us to tears, what makes the blood rush to our head, our hearts skip a beat, our knees shaky, and our souls sigh.”

“Before my story began…” (Heather Houston 4-2-22)

1972 Me…at my Aunt Carrie’s Baby Shower

“I need to be bold in my exploration of my style to find the balance between panache and simplicity.” (Heather Houston 4-2-22)

“I am finding my style lives in fusion. I love eating in fusion, so why not in my style too. I need to undress this to find out what fusion style means to me authentically.” (Heather Houston 4-2-26)

–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 104-105 of 501.

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

My Abundant Life 4-1-26

On By Heather HoustonIn My Abundant LifeLeave a comment

April 1st, 2026

“April, the Angel of the Months.”

Vita Mary Sackerville-West, Lady Nicolson, CH (Known as: Vita Sackville-West) (English Author and Garden Designer; March 9th, 1892 ~ June 2nd, 1962)

Playing Dress-Up: Empowering Your Authentic Self with Fun

“Learn the craft of knowing how to open your heart and to turn on your creativity. There’s a light inside of you.”

Judith Ann Jamison (American Dancer and choreographer; May 10th, 1943 ~ )

“What the heck! The delights of self-discovery are always available.”

Gail Sheely (American Author, Journalist, and Lecturer; November 27th, 1936 ~August 24th, 2020)

“Before my story began…” (Heather Houston 4-1-22)

1972 Me…at my Aunt Carrie’s Baby Shower

“Spring has arrived, time to go through my closet and look at my clothes newly.” (Heather Houston 4-1-22)

“Today wearing my NICWA Conference shirt in native community was powerful. I saw so many relatives wearing items I have rotated in and out of my closet over time. Reassuring that my authentic self speaks to me in this way. Soaking up on as much as I can on the last day of the conference.” (Heather Houston 4-1-26)

–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 103-104 of 501.

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

My Abundant Life 3-31-26

On By Heather HoustonIn My Abundant LifeLeave a comment

March 31st, 2026

Never Fall for Fashion, Always Be in Style

“Fashion fades. Only style remains.”

Gabrielle Bonheur “Coco” Chanel (French Fashion Designer and Businesswoman; August 19th, 1883 ~ January 10th, 1971)

“Fashion is a dhow-off, concerned with the cutting edge. Style has seen it all before and knows that the classic tenents of simplicity, beauty, and elegance have staying power. Fashion is a cult; style is a philosophy.”

“Fashion can be bought. Style must be possessed.”

Edna Woolman Chase (American Editor-in-Chief of Vogue Magazine; March 14th, 1877 ~March 21st, 1957)

“Before my story began…” (Heather Houston 3-31-22)

1972 Me…at my Aunt Carrie’s Baby Shower

“I would prefer to have style than to be fashionable.” (Heather Houston 3-31-22)

“My indigenous roots are calling to me to maybe craft a ribbon skirt. I saw so many beautiful ones at the NICWA Conference. I feel inspired to create one for myself to reflect my roots.” (Heather Houston 3-31-26)

–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 99-102 of 501.

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

My Abundant Life 3-30-26🎂

On By Heather HoustonIn My Abundant LifeLeave a comment

March 30th, 2026🎂

Developing a Sense of Style

“Taste concerns itself with broad, lifetime progress and never makes mistakes, style moves by fits and starts and is occassionally glorious.”

Kennedy Fraser (American essayist, and fashion writer; 1948 ~ )

“Celebrating your authentic style through the clothes you wear is an art form. But like any of the arts, a sense of style is one that needs to be nurtured after it is initially divined and devised. Style begins when you seek and discover your strengths, then bank on them for all they’re worth. Personal style flourishes when you realize that you really don’t need as much clothing, accessories, jewelry, or makeup as you once thought you did because you’ve got attitude.”

“We all know style when we see it–Bogart and Bacall, Garbo and Jackie O, Audrey Hepburn, Lauren Hutton, Lena Horne–all different, and all synonymous with style. Their clothes, however grand or simple, proclaim not simply taste but intelligence, wit–alittle darling. What you see is self-definition rather than trendiness. Style is the intersection of what you wear with who you are.”

Leah Feldon-Mitchell (Author; UNKNOWN)

“Styles, like everything else, change. Style doesn’t.”

Linda Ellerbee (American Journalist; August 15th, 1944 ~ )

“Before my story began…” (heather Houston 3-30-22)

1972 Me…at my Aunt Carrie’s Baby Shower

“I think I need a stylist to help me find my style.” (Heather Houston 3-30-22)

“Today is my birthday and I am 58-years young. My scale thinks I’m 56-years old, so there is that too. I am dressed to explore my life today and reconnect with my roots on my terms to unfold what is there for me. No matter what I am living into the day with STYLE!” (Heather Houston 3-30-26)

–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 99 of 501.

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

My Abundant Life 3-29-26

On By Heather HoustonIn My Abundant LifeLeave a comment

March 29th, 2026

Comfort Clothes and What They Mean

“I base my fashion taste on what doesn’t itch.”

Gilda Susan Radner (American Comedian and Actress; June 28th, 1946 ~ May 20th, 1989)

“I am convinced that we are our own best selves in comfort clothes. Somehow, through the alchemy of fiber and fit, we are once again restored to Paradise, this time not naked before the Great Creator, but revealing in the clothes She intended for us to wear.”

“The Simple Abundance path encourages us to be patient until we find what’s perfect for us, rather than continue to waste our money, energy, and emotion settling for second-best or the second-rate.”

“Before my story began…” (Heather Houston 3-29-22)

1972 Me…at my Aunt Carrie’s Baby Shower

“I love my comfortable clothes. I would stay in them all the time, but they would not reflect who I am entirely. They only represent one part of me.” (Heather Houston 3-29-22)

“On a pilgrimage to explore my roots and my instinct is to wear cultural clothing. I set out my clothes for my trip tomorrow and am excited to live into my whole day!” (Heather Houston 3-29-26)

–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 97-98 of 501.

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

My Abundant Life 3-28-26

On By Heather HoustonIn My Abundant LifeLeave a comment

March 28th, 2026

Clearing: Parting with Fashion Mistakes

“It’s never too late–in fiction or in life–to revise.”

Nancy Thayer (American Novelist; December 14th, 1943 ~ )

“Revising your wardrobe to reflect your authenticity begins when you ruthlessly part with the fashion mistakes and mismatches that crowd your closets and confuse your cluttered mind.”

“Before my story began…” (Heather Houston 3-28-22)

1972 Me…at my Aunt Carrie’s Baby Shower

“I need to go through my clothes and only keep those things that make me feel beautiful.” (Heather Houston 3-28-22)

“This is a project I am willing to tackle post my visit to Oklahoma. I believe exposure to my cultural roots will influence my authentic style path.” (Heather Houston 3-28-26)

–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 95-97 of 501.

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

My Abundant Life 3-27-26

On By Heather HoustonIn My Abundant LifeLeave a comment

March 27th, 2026

Glimmers from the Golden Mirror

“It is never too late to be what you might have been.”

Mary Ann Evans (known as: George Eliot) (English Novelist, Poet, Journalist, Translator; November 22nd, 1819 ~ December 22nd, 1880)

“By paying attention to the subtle signals the woman within is constantly trying to send us, we can learn how to reflect our own best image, even if our pocketbooks don’t match our exquisite taste.”

“Simplicity is a fashion statement every woman today can make no matter what her personal style has been in the past. That’s because true simplicity nevers disappoints. Once you learn that less is more, then enough becomes plenty, and your entire outlook on life–including fashion–is transformed.”

“Before my story began…” (Heather Houston 3-27-22)

1972 Me…at my Aunt Carrie’s Baby Shower

“If I was to remove the inauthentic things in my wardrobe, I might only be left with a handful of items. I need to work on this.” (Heather Houston 3-27-22)

“Today can be the day…any day can be the day of choosing to be the woman you were meant to be. I will take some time discovering my inner style and make small additions to dress and live into myself.” (Heather Houston 3-27-26)

–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 93-95 of 501.

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

My Abundant Life 3-26-26

On By Heather HoustonIn My Abundant LifeLeave a comment

March 26th, 2026

The Unspoken Language of Authenticity

“To choose clothes, either in a store or at home, is to define and describe ourselves.”

Alison Lurie (American Novelist and Academic; September 3rd, 1926 ~ December 20th, 2020)

“Long before I am near enough to talk to you on the street, in a meeting, or at a party, you announce your sex, age and class to me through what you are wearing–and very possibly give me important information (or misinformation) as to your occupation, origin, personality, opinions, tastes, sexual desires and current mood. I may not be able to put what I observe into words, but I register the information unconsciously; and you simultaneously do the same for me. By the time we meet and converse we have already spoken to each other in an older and more uiversal tongue.”

Alison Lurie (American Novelist and Academic; September 3rd, 1926 ~ December 20th, 2020)

“At first this revelation can be disconcerting, even discouraging. But on reflection, it can be an exciting discovery because now that you’re authenticity beginning to cherish and channel your authenticity through creative choices, you can learn how to become not only bilingual but fluent in expressing yourself.”

“How many cares one loses when one decides not to be something but to be someone.”

Gabrielle Bonheur “Coco” Chanel (French Fashion Designer and Businesswoman; August 19th, 1883 ~ January 10th, 1971)

“Before my story began…: (Heather Houston 3-26-22)

1972 Me…at my Aunt Carrie’s Baby Shower

“I feel ashamed that my clothes do not reveal my authentic self. I say I want to be authentic, but from a mile away they do not reflect me at all. I need to work to change that.” (Heather Houston 3-26-22)

“I have not made much room on this in the past 4 years, and I am discovering myself culturally, As such, I am waiting to see what unfolds after I attend the Indigenous conference in Oklahoma. I think the connect with my community will unfold some parts of me that have been dormant.” (Heather Houston 3-26-26)

–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 92-93 of 501.

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

My Abundant Life 3-25-26

On By Heather HoustonIn My Abundant LifeLeave a comment

March 25th, 2026

Real Life: Clothes That Fit Your Lifestyle

“‘I haven’t got a thing to wear’ does not of course, mean that we must report to nakedness or seclusion; it means that our wardrobes contain nothing that might match our mood or offer a just reflection of our current lives.”

Kennedy Fraser (American Essayist, and fashion writer; 1948)

“Today, I only want you to consider your real life and the clothes you wear every day. Do they really reflect the woman within? What about the clothes that speak to you from the pages of your illustrated discovery journal? What about the clothes that hang abandoned in your closet?”

“Clothes have a life that is quite independent of their shape and color.”

Kennedy Fraser (American Essayist, and Fashion writer; 1948)

“Before my story began…” (Heather Houston 3-25-22)

1972 Me…at my Aunt Carrie’s Baby Shower

“I am sure my current wardrobe does not fit the inner woman I am. To create a wardrobe you need extra funds to invest in yourself and I have never been that lucky. I have had to rely upon practicality and function over my own self reflection. The clothing I have been posting in my illustrated journal actually reflect me more closely, but do not fit into my work life. Clothes abandoned in my closet are historical reflections of my past trying to show my true self. I haven’t purchased anything really new in almost a decade.” (Heather Houston 3-25-22)

“Because of my work, I default to wearing one pair of pants the entire work week and alternate new shirts everyday. I consider it a uniform of sorts. It greatly reduced laundry and I am mostly comfortable. However, it does not reflect my style. I think it is time to revamp my wardrobe over time and pick a new piece to add when I have the time and energy to go looking. Even if I purchase something I can modify to meet me in my style interests could be fun. I will put some further thought into this idea.” (Heather Houston 3-26-26)

–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 92 of 501.

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

My Abundant Life 3-24-26

On By Heather HoustonIn My Abundant LifeLeave a comment

March 24th, 2026

The Secret Saboteur: When You’re Feeling Blue

“Listening to your heart is not simple. Finding out who you are is not simple. It takes a lot of hard work and courage to get to know who you are and what you want.”

Sue Bender (Author; Unknown)

“When the dark days come, we need to remember that even if a secret saboteur–depression–is at work temporarily derailing our progress (or so it seems), each day offers us a gift if we will only look for it.”

“All the best transformations are accompanied by pain. That’s the point of them.”

Fay Weldon CBE, FRSL (English Author, Essayist and Playwright; September 22nd, 1931 ~ )

“Personal growth also comes in spasms: three steps forward, two steps back, and then a long plateau when it seems as though nothing happening. But it’s important to realize that this dormant period always seems to precede a growth spurt. Unfortunately, during the dormant period we vey often become depressed and decide to give up.”

“When dark clouds hover, what should you do besides holding on and riding out the storm? You have two choices. One is simply to give in, stop resisting. You’ve got the blues, so sing them, baby. But before you do, ask for grace. Then have a good cry.”

“Dark days come to all of us. Yet discouraging days bring with them golden opportunities when we can learn to be kind to ourselves. Believe it or not, today offers you a hidden gift, if you are willing to search for it.”

“Before my story began…” (Heather Houston 3-24-22)

1972 Me…at my Aunt Carrie’s Baby Shower

“When those dark days come, I often need an out loud crying moment. Then I need to seek out my partner to share. Usually if I speak my pain, within 24-hours, I am recharged to fight again.” (Heather Houston 3-24-22)

“Somedays feel like 3-steps forward and 2-steps back, and the truth it to stay the course and leave expectations sidelined. Committing to the process and BEing with the feels and occurrences as they unfold. I am here in the NOW and there is no other place to be.” (Heather Houston 3-24-26)

–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 90-92 of 501.

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