Tag: Body Mind & Spirit

My Abundant Life 1-10-26

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January 10th, 2026

Until It Is Carved in Stone

“It’s only when we truly know and understand that we have a limited time on earth—and that we have no way of knowing when our time is up—that we will begin to live each day to the fullest, as if it was the only one we had.”

Elisabeth Kubler-Ross (Swiss-American Psychiatrist; July 8th, 1926 ~ August 24th, 2004)

“…realizing our heart’s desire is possible every day if we recognize what it is that makes us happy.”

“On our new path we seek everyday epiphanies—occasions on which we can experience the Sacred in the ordinary—and come to the awakening…that we can no longer afford to throw away even one ‘unimportant’ day by not noticing the wonder of it all. We have to be willing to discover and then appreciate the authentic moments of happiness available to all of us every day.”

“Access, love and acceptance by the man I love gives my unending happiness. His love completes me…entirely.💗” (Heather Houston 1-10-22)

“Every new day I spend with my love unveils a new opening for my growth and the way I experience my life. I am in a forever love with him.” (Heather Houston 1-10-26)

–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 9-10 of 501.

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

My Abundant Life 1-9-26

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January 9th, 2026

What Is It You Truly Need?

“In my life’s chain of events nothing was accidental. Everything happened according to an inner need.”

Hannah Szenes (anglicized as: Hannah Senesh or Chanah Senesh) (Poet and a Special Operations Executive Member; July 7th, 1921 ~ November 7th, 1944)

“Do you have everything you need right now? What about your wants?”

“I recognize I do have everything I need. My immediate wants are mostly filled, beside the few that are stymied by COVID. Long-term or fantasy wants are unending, but without adding stress to my current context. I enjoy dreaming of what could be if everything fell into place perfectly.” (Heather Houston 1-9-22)

“This concept has radically changed in the present as I reread my 2022 comments. When I finally felt like I was enough and really loved myself, everything became enough. I was not longer looking outward for happiness or validation. I knew I was enough and loved to be me and alive, which is more than enough.” (Heather Houston 1-9-26)

“If we are to live happy, creative, and fulfilled lives, it is crucial to distinguish between our wants and our needs.”

“Make peace with the knowledge that you can’t have everything you want. Why? Because it’s more important for us to get everything we need.”

“Ask yourself: what is it I truly need to make me happy?”

“That is simple. I need the love of my life in my life as with him, my world is complete…I am complete and whole.” (Heather Houston 1-9-22 & 1-9-26)

“What you need you attract like a lover.”

Gertrude Stein (American Novelist, Poet, Playwright and Art Collector; February 3rd, 1874 ~ July 27th, 1946)

–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 8-9 of 501.

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

My Abundant Life 1-8-26

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January 8th, 2026

The Underrated Duty

“There is no duty we so much underrate as the duty of being happy. By being happy we sow anonymous benefits upon the world.”

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

“But don’t you want to start making happiness a habit right now?”

“YES!!! In action as I write.” (Heather Houston 1-8-22 & 1-8-26)

“Happiness is not a possession to be prized. It is a quality of thought, a state of mind.”

Dame Daphne du Maurier (Lady Browning; quote from Rebecca) (Author, Playwright and Romantic Novelist; May 13th, 1907 ~ April 19th, 1989)

“But the magic seeds of contentment are planted deep within us. Happiness that the world cannot take away only flourishes in the secret garden of our souls. By tending to our inner garden and uprooting the weeds of external expectations, we can nurture our authentic happiness the way we would nurture something that’s beautiful and alive. Happiness is a living emotion.”

“Ultimately, genuine happiness can only be realized once we commit to making it a personal priority in our lives.”

“BINGO!” (Heather Houston 1-8-22 & 1-8-26)

–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 7-8 of 501.

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

My Abundant Life 1-7-26

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January 7th, 2026

How Happy Are You Right Now?

“Perhaps if one really knew when one was happy one would know the things that were necessary for one’s life.”

Marion Blackett-Milner (or: Milner) (pseudonym: Joanna Field) (British Author and Psychoanalyst; February 1st, 1900 ~ May 29th, 1998)

“How happy are you right now? Do you even know?”

“Thankfully, I do know how happy I am presently. Words cannot describe the joy and happiness I experience on a daily basis. I live with the love of my life. We are aligned and connected in extraordinary ways that I have come to believe that we were made for one another. I have waited a lifetime to find him and now that I have, I’m not letting go! He supports me to live authentically with power, full self-expression and freedom. It is MAGIC!” (Heather Houston 1-7-22)

“I believe it possible to transform yourself through intentional practice at being, gratitude and paying attention to what makes you happy. I have been doing that the last 4 years in earnest and I am reaping the fruits of my commitment. I owe a large part of my transformation to my husband who has afforded me space to be me in the moment. That simple gesture has been so loving and renewing for my soul.” (Heather Houston 1-7-26)

“What is missing from many of our days is a true sense that we are enjoying the lives we are living.”

“We must learn to savor small, authentic moments that bring us contentment.”

–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 6-7 of 501.

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

My Abundant Life 1-6-26

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January 6th, 2026

Standing Knee-Deep in a River and Dying of Thirst

“The thirst after happiness is never extinguished in the heart of [woman].”

Jean-Jacques Rousseau (Genevan Philosopher, Writer, and Composer; June 28th, 1712 ~ July 2nd, 1778)

“The revelation that we have everything we need in life to make us happy but simply lack the conscious awareness to appreciate it.”

“This is so true. Post divorce and still struggling with reconnection with my children seemed to color my context in a dull tone. Even though I had made much progress, my “perfect” context was weighing me down. I now accept all things as just what is so and create possibilities that I am in action on to recolor my world. I am the artist of my own life and my life is my canvas.” (Heather Houston 1-6-22)

“The life I am living in 2026 is amazing. I am powerful, free and fully self-expressed. I am removing decades of wounds and reclaiming my sacredness. I am truly blessed and the happiest I have ever been in my entire life.” (Heather Houston 1-6-26)

“Let’s choose today to quench our thirst for ‘the good life’ we think others lead by acknowledging the good that already exists in our own lives. We can offer the Universe the gift of our grateful hearts.”

“My love told me early in our relationship that he believed the access to happiness was gratitude. I too believe this as I have experienced unending happiness the last three years. The mindful gratitude bookending I incorporate each day has afforded me acknowledgement of the abundance in my life and has yielded me peace and happiness.” (Heather Houston 1-5-22)

“Still true, except I am even happier.” (Heather Houston 1-6-26)

–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 5-6 of 501.

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

My Abundant Life 1-5-26

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January 5th, 2026

The Woman You Were Meant To Be

“Many women today feel a sadness we cannot name. Though we accomplish much of what we set out to do, we sense that something is missing in our lives and—fruitlessly—search ‘out there’ for the answers. What’s often wrong is that we are disconnected from an authentic sense of self.”

Emily Hancock (UNKNOWN)

“Has this ever happened to you? You are washing your face, and suddenly you do not recognize the woman staring back at you. ‘Who is this?’ you ask the mirror on the wall. No reply. She looks vaguely familiar but bears little resemblance to the woman you were expecting to see there. Psychologists call this phenomenon a ‘displacement of self.’ and it usually occurs during times of great stress (which for many of us is an everyday occurrence).”

“I had this moment in 2017 and suddenly didn’t recognize me. Parts of me were woven into the woman I saw, but the authentic me was hidden. I now look in the mirror and see my true authentic self. Wow, I love this woman!!!” (Heather Houston 1-5-22)

“Even more transformed as I look in the mirror today with no other chatter in my head. Just acceptance and peace. I a mso thankful for the work I have put in to get to this space.” (Heather Houston 1-5-26)

“But what’s wrong? What is this sadness we cannot name?”

“I have learned there is truly nothing wrong, just what is so. What was so for me then was that I finally recognized I was in an abusive marriage with no end in sight unless I ended it. I also was aware that my promise to myself as a parent was to stay married until my children graduated high school. At which point, I would leave the marriage to begin newly. Everything was beginning to come to a head and I began to actually see the darkness and sadness in the woman in the mirror.” (Heather Houston 1-5-22)

“Perhaps the heart of our melancholy is that we miss the woman we were meant to be. We miss our authentic selves.”

“Turn away from the world this year and begin to listen. Listen to the whispers of your heart. Look within. Your silent companion has lit lanterns of love to illuminate the path to Wholeness. At long last, the journey you were destined to take has begun.”

–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 5 of 501.

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

My Abundant Life 1-4-26

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January 4th, 2026

This Isn’t A Dress Rehearsal

“When you perform…you are out of yourself—larger and more potent, more beautiful. You are for minutes heroic. This is power. This is glory on earth. And it is yours, nightly.”

Agnes de Mille (American Dancer and Choreographer; September 18th, 1905 ~ October 7th, 1993)

“‘…life’s not a dress rehearsal.'”

“…cast ourselves as the leading ladies in our own lives.”

“This is powerful as it puts me forth first in my own life to live to my potential. I am perfect and beautiful just the way I am in this moment. Loving myself to put myself first is an ongoing work in progress. (Heather Houston 1-4-22)

“I am leaning into my authentic self expression as I feel most of my life has been mimicking others trying to find my own
style. Instead, I have begun listening to my own desire and urges outside of social norms or constraints. Exciting to find my own style that speaks to me and expresses me authentically.” (Heather Houston 1-4-26)

–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 4-5 of 501.

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

My Abundant Life 1-3-26

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January 3rd, 2026

Simple Abundance: The Inner Journey

simple, adj. 1: without embellishment; 2: clarity of form and thought; 3: fundamental abundance, n. 1: an ample quantity, profusion; 2: wealth; 3: plentifulness simple abundance, 1: an inner journey; 2: a spiritual and practical course in creative living; 3: a tapestry of contentment.

“I want you to become aware that you already possess all the inner wisdom, strength, and creativity needed to make your dreams come true.”

“I am again learning to believe in myself again and do in fact believe I have access to all that I need to create abundance in my life.” (Heather Houston 2022)

“When we can’t access our inner resources, we come to the flawed conclusion that happiness and fulfillment come only from external events.”

“…so we’ve learned to rely on circumstances outside ourselves for forward and backward momentum as we hurtle through life.”

“We can learn to be the catalyst for our own change.”

“I know this more than most as I have been in a constant state of transformation since 2018. I am proud of my courage and determination to demand more in my life…happiness, love, support, friendship, etc.” (Heather Houston 2022)

“…you already possess all you need to be genuinely happy. The way you reach that awareness is through an inner journey that brings about an emotional, psychological, and spiritual transformation. A deep inner shift in your reality occurs, aligning you with the creative energy of the Universe. Such change is possible when you invite Spirit to open up the eyes of your awareness to the abundance that is already yours.”

“I am living this each and every day. I feel like I have been transported into a magic land of happiness, love and peace.” (Heather Houston 2022)

“I am doing the work to create sustainable access to happiness and fulfillment by authentically sharing and accepting my life as lived. (Heather Houston 2026)

“…six threads of abundant living… First there is gratitude. When we do a mental and spiritual inventory of all that we have, we realize that we are very rich indeed. Gratitude gives way to simplicity—the desire to clear out, pare down, and realize the essentials of what we need to live truly well. Simplicity brings with it order, both internally and externally. A sense of order in our life brings us harmony. Harmony provides us with the inner peace we need to appreciate the beauty that surrounds us each day, and beauty opens us to joy.”

–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 3-4 of 501.

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

My Abundant Life 1-2-26

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January 2nd, 2026

Loving The Questions

“You only live once—but if you work it right, once is enough.”

Joe E. Lewis (American Comedian, Actor and Singer; January 12th 1902 ~ June 4th, 1971)

“How often in the past have you turned away from all that is unresolved in your heart because you feared questioning?”

“The last three years have been transformative. The turning away was mostly during my abusive marriage. It was hard to confront my circumstances due to the guilt and shame I silently carried for more than 3 decades. Breaks my heart to say that a huge chunk of my life was in the denial space. However, the freedom and power I have now in my life has opened up a whole new world of possibilities. Dreaming feels possible again.” (Heather Houston 1-2-22)

“2026 marks the time I will not just be selectively authentic as I realize sometimes I even censor myself. I only have this one beautiful life to live into and I commit to LIVING it to it completely with all its blessing and shadows.” (Heather Houston 1-2-26)

“But what if you knew that a year from today you could be living the most creative, joyous, and fulfilling life you could imagine? What would it be? What changes would you make? How and where would you begin? Do you see why the questions are so important?”

“I absolutely see that future. I imagine living in a seasonally warm location. Access to a boat for travel and pleasure. I would be there with the love of my life hosting a podcast and touring for speaking engagements. We would own a tequila/mezcal/whiskey bar that served our favorite cocktails and food. Nightly, there would be various live music and dancing on a sand dance floor. We also travel the world to distilleries and sample tequila/mezcal/whiskey. “The major changes would be to reduce the amount of “stuff” I have; to live more simply. I would put money away in savings and investments to create a funding possibility. I would solicit vendors to sponsor our podcast. I choose to begin now as my life in NOW. I have 100% of my life left and no time to waste. I can begin by researching locations and countries I would like to live in long-term. Researching the commercial real estate of locations that interest me will afford me a strategy and approach to make my possibility become reality. All questions around possibility are valuable to create access to action. New actions lead to unexpected outcomes.” (Heather Houston 1-2-22)

“I really feel I am living into my full authentic self. I am leaning in hard! I live every day as the best date and party ever. Evert day I have glorious sex, have a scrumptious cocktail, eat delicious food, and spend time with the love of my life. I am certain there is nothing finer than this as lived. I am blessed.” (Heather Houston 1-2-26)

“Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves. Do not seek the answers which cannot be given you because you would not be able to live them and the point is to live everything. Live the questions now. …”

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

–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 2-3 of 501.

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

My Abundant Life 1-1-26 (Part 3/3)

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January 1st, 2026

A Transformative Year of Delight and Discovery

“There are years that ask questions and years that answer.”

Zora Neale Hurston (American Author, Anthropologist, and Filmmaker; January 7th 1891 ~ January 28th, 1960)

“New Year’s Day. A fresh start. A new chapter in life waiting to be written. New questions to be asked, embraced, and loved. Answers to be discovered and them lived in this transformative year of delight and self-discovery.”

“Only dreams give birth to change. What are your hopes for the future as you reflect on the years that have passed?”

I am creating the following possibilities (These are a working list.)

2023 Possibilities

  • Reconnection with my adult children.
  • A new job closer to home.✅
  • Find a house to rent.
  • Travel, if COVID safe.
  • Visit my parents.✅
  • Trace my heritage via genealogy.
  • Connect and affiliate with my native tribes.
  • Write a mixology/cocktail recipe book.
  • Design sewing patterns for women’s clothing for the transgender community.
  • Attend a sweat lodge.
  • Learn indigenous medicinal tinctures and remedies.
  • Walk 10k steps daily.
  • Explore knitting via old Goodwill sweaters.
  • Explore quilting via Old Goodwill clothing.
  • Write a book.

2026 Possibilities

  • Sharing and connectedness with my mother by reading this book together. Thus, having more regular and timely connection in the present day for both of us.
  • Get closure on my Me Too moment.
  • Plan for wedding #3.
  • Plan for a summer vacation to the Hoh rainforest.
  • Bake more pastries and candies.
  • Complete 10,000 steps daily.
  • Journal daily.
  • Work on genealogy ongoingly and regularly.
  • Connect with family daily.
  • Place my health and wellness first before helping others.
  • Visit Oklahoma to get reconnected to my roots and culture.
  • Participate in South Dakota tribal work via my job.
  • Create new fusion pizzas recipes.

“Gradually, as you become curator of your own contentment, you will learn to embrace the gentle yearnings of your heart. But this year, instead of resolutions, write down your most private aspirations. Those longings you have kept tucked away until the time seems right. Trust that now is the time. Ask the questions.”

“Take a leap of faith and begin this wondrous new year by believing. Believe in yourself. And believe that there is a loving Source—a Sower of Dreams—just waiting to be asked to help you make your dreams come true.”

“Ah yes, the “Sower of Dreams”. I know her best as my fairy godmother! LET THE GAMES BEGIN!” (Heather Houston 1-1-23)

–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 1-2 of 501.

Ongoing Notes In Reflection

Original blog posted on January 1, 2022. Reread January 1, 2023…This helped me reevaluate where my priorities need to be present. Thank you self. Ambitious in 2024 and put some time into building my gratitude list. 2026 marks my effort to intentionally share this blog with my family to increase interactions and their knowingness of the me today.

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