Tag: Author

My Abundant Life 2-1-26 (Part 2/2)

On 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

NOLA (2022)
San Blas Islands, Panama (2026)

“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 2-1-26 (Part 1/2)

On By Heather HoustonIn My Abundant LifeLeave a comment

February 1st, 2026

February

“China tea, the scent of hyacinths, wood fires and bowls of violets—that is my mental picture of an agreeable February afternoon.”

Constance Spry OBE (British Educator, Florist and Author; December 5th, 1886 ~ January 3rd, 1960)

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

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

My Abundant Life 1-31-26

On By Heather HoustonIn My Abundant Life1 Comment

January 31st, 2026

The Golden Mirror Meditation

“Almost always it is year by year the complexities of this spinning world grow bewildering and so each year we need all the more to seek peace and comfort in the joyful simplicities.”

Woman’s Home Companion (December 1935)

“As we become curators of our own contentment on the Simple Abundance path, one of the great payoffs is that we start to seek peace and comfort in the joyful simplicities. Little things begin to mean a lot to us. Joyful simplicities nourish body and soul by engaging our senses. They teach us how to live in the present moment. Life comes together when we seek out the sublime in the ordinary.”

“To keep our daily round from being all drudgery, we’ve got to savor the art of the small: discovering diminutive delights that bring us peace and pleasure.”

“Don’t you see how we have to seize the essence of life? We have to embrace every moment.”

“People need joy quite as much as clothing. Some of them need it far more.”

Margaret Collier Graham (California short story writer; September 29th, 1850 ~ January 17th, 1910)

“Today, make discovering those joyful simplicities that bring you personal comfort and a sense of well-being one of your highest priorities.”

My Bucket List

Sushi in Japan (2022)
Kerry, Ireland (2026)

“I am procrastinating lately. My soul is screaming for me to nourish it with my creative expression in my blog, while my revamp of my resume sits in waiting. UGH! I am caught up on my blog and feel complete. I choose now to focus on my resume to market myself for the positions I want to seek. It is funny, today I was chatting with my co-worker, Dave, and shared with him some insight on our current contract salary. Between the 3-year and 5-year contract, we only received a .5% raise. So, if we assume COLA is expected, by the end of the cumulative 8-years, we will be making 29.5% less than when we started 8-year prior. Really is upsetting. Enough procrastinating…onto the needed work on my resume. I am committed to creating abundance in my life.” (Heather Houston 1-31-26)

“In the present state of the US, it is imperative to stay employed if possible. These are very uncertain times. I have come to learn to not drudge my daily tasks. Instead, I look forward to them and checking them off my list feeling productive and complete. Most tasks are associated with keeping the household running and because I love my partner, completing tasks like these are a loving gesture to us both. Reframing how you look at things you get to do (Tasks), is a genuine pleasure of being alive. The alternative is not so pleasant. Stop waiting to live…LIVE NOW!” (Heather Houston 1-31-26)

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

My Abundant Life 1-26-26

On 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 1-25-26

On By Heather HoustonIn My Abundant LifeLeave a comment

January 25th, 2026

Working With What You’ve Got

“If your everyday life seems poor, don’t blame it; blame yourself; admit to yourself that you are not enough of a poet to call forth it’s riches; Because of the creator there is no poverty and no poor indifferent place.”

René Karl Wilhelm Johann Josef Maria Rilke (known as: Rainer Maria Rilke) (Austrian Poet and Novelist; December 4th, 1875 ~ December 29th, 1926)

“Up until now many of us have secretly believed that we had to wait until things calmed down a bit before we started to get our acts together. Tomorrow we’ll begin discovering authentic pleasures. Tomorrow we’ll treat ourselves better. Tomorrow we’ll take time to enjoy ourselves. Tomorrow, when everything calms down. This I can report from the front lines: life never calms down long enough for us to wait until tomorrow to start living the lives we deserve. Life is always movement, always change, always unforeseen circumstances.”

“So what are we going to do about it? We can stop waiting for life to become perfect and start working with what we’ve got to make it as satisfying as we can. We can accept, bless, give thanks, and get going. Today, we can begin to call forth the riches from our everyday life. Today we can move from lack to abundance.”

“Think of one thing that would give you a genuine moment of pleasure today and do it.”

“Today, my partner asked what I would like for dinner. I replied, “Crack!” We make a breaded pan fried sole that is to die for. Dinner and pleasure in one go. WINNING!!!”🏆 (Heather Houston 1-25-22)

“Life never calms down enough for us to feel like we are ready to start. Starting in the face of no agreement is being in action in an intentional way. New actions lead to unexpected outcomes. So get out there and do what needs to be done…stop waiting!” (Heather Houston 1-25-26)

“Life begets life. Energy creates energy. It is by spending oneself that we become rich.”

Sarah Bernhardt (French Stage Actress; 1844 ~ March 26th, 1923)

–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 25-26 of 501.

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

My Abundant Life 1-24-26

On By Heather HoustonIn My Abundant LifeLeave a comment

January 24th, 2026

Blessing Our Circumstances

“Bless a thing and it will bless you. Curse it and it will curse you…If you bless a situation, it has no power to hurt you, and even if it is troublesome for a time, it will gradually fade out, if you sincerely bless it.”

Emmett Fox (Irish New Thought Spiritual Leader; July 30th, 1886 ~ August 13th, 1951)

“After accepting our present circumstances, no matter what they are, we must learn to bless them.”

“…blessing whatever vexes us is the spiritual surrender that can change even troublesome situations for the better. Blessing the circumstances in our lives also teaches us to trust.”

“Then start to count your blessings. Start today. Make a spiritual inventory of all your blessings. See if you can’t get to one hundred….Writing it down focuses our attention on the abundance already within our grasp and makes it real.”

My Gratitude List

–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 25 of 501.

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