Tag: Inspirational

My Abundant Life 3-13-26

On By Heather HoustonIn My Abundant LifeLeave a comment

March 13th, 2026

Accepting Yourself as You Are Today

“Seek not outside yourself, heaven is within.”

Mary Lou Cook (Actress; December 12th, 1908 ~ August 17th, 2008)

“Today, we make peace with the past: with the bodies and faces we were born with and those that have evolved.”

“Here in this body are the sacred rivers: here are the sun and moon as well as all the pilgrimage places…I have not encountered another temple as blissful as my own body.”

Saraha, Sarahapa, Sarahapāda (known as: The First Sahajiya and one of the Mahasiddhas) (Tibetan Poet and Teacher; late 8th century)

“It will take a bit of doing, learning to love all our personal pilgrimage places. However, before genuine love can flourish, we must finally accept ourselves exactly as we are today. Not tomorrow or next week…”

“Remember, acceptance is acknowledging the reality of a situation…Most of us think of other women as beauties, never ourselves. But every woman was created by Spirit to be a genuine beauty. We learn how to reveal to the world our unique radiance only after we acknowledge it ourselves. Today, take your personal mantra: ‘I am what I am and what I am is wonderful.'”

“Before my story began…” (Heather Houston 3-13-22)

1972 Me…at my Aunt Carrie’s Baby Shower

“It is so funny, yesterday I wrote that I should add a self-love mantra to my meditations and my request was answered with today’s reading. BRILLIANT!” (Heather Houston 3-13-26)

“I stop and pause in the mirror after every shower to marvel at the gift my body is for me…my temple. I am blessed to be almost 58 years old and have more energy and vitality than 20-30s somethings at work. I look much younger than my age. I work alongside a co-worker who is also a 1968 baby and 10-days younger than me. I look like her daughter. My physical fitness and career have kept me vital and energetic. Most of all I have found epic love has shed years from my temple. My husband IS the Fountain of Youth. I have proof as my bio-impedance scale says I am getting younger each year that passes. I love myself and my temple for the first time in my life.”

–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 80 of 501.

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

My Abundant Life 3-12-26

On By Heather HoustonIn My Abundant LifeLeave a comment

March 12th, 2026

How Do I Look?

“How women look and how their looks change in the course of their lives, is not a frivolous question…’How do I look?’ she asks as her eyes meet the eyes in the mirror. She listens carefully for an answer, because it might prove quite illuminating.”

Kennedy Fraser (American Essayist, and Fashion Writer; 1948 ~ )

“‘How do I look?’ Is a question all of us have spent our lives asking others. But now that you are on a path towards your authenticity you have reached the point when you need to gently ask yourself this loaded question. And, once having asked, you need to listen carefully for the answer. Better yet, when you gaze into the mirror you should ask, ‘How do I feel?’ because how you feel about yourself on any particular day will influence how you look more than what you are wearing.”

“…we need to change our approach to beauty completely. Personal transformation begins with a strong inner life. We need to let Spirit show us the way…Twenty minutes of meditation a day, quiet reflection, or a restorative walk seeking your authentic self will do more for your looks than you will believe.”

“If we go down into ourselves we find that we possess exactly what we desire.”

Simone Adolphine Weil (French Philosopher, Mystic, and Political Activist; February 3rd, 1909 ~ August 24th, 1943)

“Before my story began…” (Heather Houston 3-12-22)

1972 Me…at my Aunt Carrie’s Baby Shower

“I think my meditation needs to include a mantra of self-love. I often wonder what it would be like to love yourself…love your protein sack…HHHhhhmmmmmm.” (Heather Houston 3-12-26)

“I find my inner beauty routine involves my morning meditation and devotion to my sacredness and the blessing I am. Remembering to judge nothing that occurs and remain in the world of acceptance has really started my days in better peace and tranquility. It quiets the noise so I can start the daily newly without the recording playing in the background.”

–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 79-80 of 501.

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

My Abundant Life 3-11-26

On By Heather HoustonIn My Abundant LifeLeave a comment

March 11th, 2026

Sending and Receiving Personal Signals

“If you will resolve to work each day for self-realization, your whole world can change…The two women you are, they can make you over.”

Pond’s Cold Cream Advertisement (Good Housekeeping, December 1947)

“Each of us transmits personal signals about our self-esteem very day in myriad ways.”

“But there is an important reason why we should give a second thought to our personal appearance, even when we’re alone: the inner joy we experience when we look our best.”

“Many women feel in their hearts that they have missed full realization. Yet they need not accept this–help is within themselves. You can feel it within you–an inner drive for happiness. The close interrelation between this Inner You and this Outer You, the almost uncanny power of each to change the other–can change you from drabness to joyous self-fulfillment.”

Pond’s Cold Cream Advertisement (Good Housekeeping, March 1949)

“…one of the most marvelous lessons you learn on a path of personal transformation is that when your heart is open to change, you’re able to recognize the personal signals of encouragement your authentic delf is constantly sending, no matter how unlikely the source.”

“Before my story began…” (Heather Houston 3-11-22)

1972 Me…at my Aunt Carrie’s Baby Shower

“It is do coincidental, the Pond’s cold cream reference to a beauty tip my paternal grandmother shared with me. Grandma Houston had the most porcelain of skin well into her 70s. She shared that all she ever used was Pond’s cold cream at night. Amazing!” (Heather Houston 3-11-22)

“I found I took on another beauty technique from my Grandmother Houston, witch hazel. I have never been able to use an astringent as it always stripped my natural oil and made my skin shiny and irritated. The witch hazel is forgiving and still cleans the bacteria and surface oils without stripping my face. Thank you grandma!” (Heather Houston 3-11-26)

–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 78-79 of 501.

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

My Abundant Life 3-10-26

On By Heather HoustonIn My Abundant LifeLeave a comment

March 10th, 2026

You Are Not Your Appearance, but Does the Rest of the World Know That?

“The tragedy of our time is that we are so eye centered, so appearance besotted.”

Jessamyn West (American Author of Short Stories and Novels; July 17th, 1902 ~ February 23rd, 1984)

“All of us can pull ourselves together some of the time. Some of us can pull ourselves together all of the time. But none of us wants to be ‘pulled together’ every single moment of our lives.”

“Probably you were taught, as I was, that how we present ourselves to the world is very important. Unfortunately, our outside packaging counts for far more than it really should. Often, when we don’t live up to the world’s expectations of how we should look or behave, we fall victim to a vicious circle of self-loathing and denial that can be difficult to escape from unscathed. At times like these, it’s a comfort to remember that our souls are more dazzling than cellophane.”

“Beauty is an internal light, a spiritual radiance that all women have but most women hide, unconsciously, denying its existence. What we do not claim remains invisible. It’ is God’s will that we be beautiful, that we love and be loved and prosper in all good things. It is God’s will that we all become the goddesses we were created to be.”

Marianne Deborah Williamson (American Author, Spiritual Leader, and Political Activist; July 8th, 1952 ~ )

“But as you become more intimate with your authentic self–as you recover your true, incandescent identity–there will come a gradual but undeniable physical transformation. It is absolutely impossible to commit to your spiritual growth, awaken your own radiant Light and not have it reveal itself on the outside.”

“Before my story began…” (Heather Houston 3-10-22)

1972 Me…at my Aunt Carrie’s Baby Shower

“As a sapio/demi-sexual, I am trapped to seeing others insides before I see their outsides. Since I see the world this way I expect other to also. Regrettably, I am a very small part of the population…single digits. This might be why I always felt out of place. I often wish I was just “normal” like everyone else who is driven by appearance as a primary motivator.” (Heather Houston 3-10-22)

“‘It is God’s will that we all become the goddesses we were created to be.’-Marianne Williamson. I love this most of all as my husband has helped me find my inner goddess and she is sexy hot and fun!”

–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 77-78 of 501.

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

My Abundant Life 3-9-26

On By Heather HoustonIn My Abundant LifeLeave a comment

March 9th, 2026

A Radiant Reflection: Projecting Your Authentic Self

“So many women just don’t know how great they really are. They come to us all vogue outside and vague on the inside.”

Mary Kay Ash (American Businesswoman and Founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics, Inc.; May 12th, 1918 ~ November 22nd, 2001)

“Few women know how great they really are. If truth were told, we’d all probably admit to feeling pretty vague about our personal appearance. Many of us would like to trade ourselves in for a sleeker version.”

“…flip through the catalogs. Cut out the pictures of the women you think are attractive and the clothing you’d love to wear.”

“Always remember that dreams–your creative visualizations–must come before their physical manifestations.”

“Create a collage of your ideal woman: find the perfect hairstyle, put together a fantastic wardrobe for home and work.”

“Since you have embarked on this adventure to awaken your authenticity and discover your own sense of style, be willing not to buy another item of clothing unless you absolutely cannot live without it. No more settling for something that’s not you or that’s second-rate.”

“Let the potent power of simplicity begin to work in your life. If it’s not authentically you, live without it.”

“Before my story began…” (Heather 3-9-22)

1972 Me…at my Aunt Carrie’s Baby Shower

“This such a hard space for me to unfold. I have always been in a financial way that to buy myself anything for my wardrobe never went beyond the next racing t-shirt or sweat pants for my work. I feel like I have no sense of my own style and really don’t even no where to begin. My wardrobe has not evolved in over 20-25 years…UGH! I need to save money and hire a stylist to help me find that part of me.” (Heather Houston 3-9-22)

“I yearn to find my authentic style. One that is fusion for my busy life. I want classy, practical, sporty and elegant…LOL! Sounds like am impossible task. However, as a 2-Spirit woman, I believe I can find what works for me. I am in my birthday month and plan to get at least one item I must have.” (Heather Houston 3-9-26)

–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 76-77 of 501.

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

My Abundant Life 3-8-26

On By Heather HoustonIn My Abundant LifeLeave a comment

March 8th, 2026

Taking the Plunge

“Until you make peace with who you are, you’ll never be content with what you have.”

Doris Mortman (Author; 1944 ~ )

“Simplicity gains importance in our lives as we begin to make peace with ourselves. This is because we gradually come to the inner awareness that we don’t need to gild the lily. Some of the trappings can be relinquished because the Real Thing is finally ready to be revealed.”

“I call this point in the Simple Abundance process ‘taking the plunge’ because it involves a courageous leap of faith in the most intimate way: exploring the way we express ourselves to the outside world through our personal our personal appearance. But this is much more than just how we dress or style our hair. It’s about the many subtle ways we choose either to celebrate or conceal our authenticity. It’s about finally acknowledging and accepting the woman within. It’s about learning to become comfortable with who we really are.”

“We are not born all at once, but by bits. The body first, and the spirit later. Our mothers are racked with the pains of our physical birth; we ourselves suffer the longer pains of our spiritual growth.”

Mary Antin (American Author and Immigration Rights Activist; June 13th, 1881 ~ May 15th, 1949)

“One is not born a woman, one becomes one.”

Simone Lucie Ernestine Marie Bertrand de Beauvoir (French Existentialist Philosopher, Writer, Social Theorist, and Feminist Activist; January 9th, 1908 ~ April 14th, 1986)

“This becoming takes time. We need time to consider, time to reflect, time to make creative choices, time to emerge from the cocoon, time to clean out our closets, and time to clear away psychic cobwebs so that we might pare down to our essence.”

“Some of us have remained dormant for years–oblivious to our genuine beauty–drugged senseless by our own numbing disapproval, nagging doubts, and benign neglect. Coping strategies that once brought a sense of relief now only offers regret. To undo the damage and reconnect with our authentic selves we need to take the plunge, confident that Spirit is holding the net. Above all, we need to treat ourselves gently with the kindness we would bestow on amnesiacs who need the patient reassurance of their true identities.”

My Bucket List

Learning to love yourself
Arrive By Seaplane

“Before my story began…” (Heather Houston 3-8-22)

1972 Me…at my Aunt Carrie’s Baby Shower

“Such a hard pill to swallow. I am definitely not kind to myself as my story tells me I am not worthy, enough, beautiful, valued and wanted. I fight this everyday. Somedays I feel like I am winning and some days I feel worse than a loser. I wish for myself to have more winning days. I deserve that much from myself.” ❣ (Heather Houston 3-8-22)

“I have chosen to give myself grace instead of being my worst enemy and battling and berating myself needlessly. This is easy to say, and it is a constant intention to quiet the stories running in my head. What I have learned that the greater silence I experience at this point in my life is so healing.” (Heather Houston 3-8-26)

–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 75-76 of 501.

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

My Abundant Life 3-7-26

On By Heather HoustonIn My Abundant LifeLeave a comment

March 7th, 2026

Outfitting a Comfort Drawer

“A little of what you fancy does you good.”

Matilda Alice Victoria Wood (known as: Marie Lloyd) (English Music Hall Singer, Comedian and Musical Theatre Actress; February 12th, 1870 ~ October 7th, 1922)

“Life requires that we prepare ourselves for the inevitable times that try our souls. This is achieved with a comfort drawer.”

My Bucket List

Peace
Air Boat Across an Alligator Infested Swamp

“Before my story began…” (Heather Houston 3-7-22)

1972 Me…at my Aunt Carrie’s Baby Shower

“I don’t exactly have a dedicated drawer for my comfort drawer items as drawer space is not to be wasted. However, I do have my comfort items stashed all over the house to get access to when I need my fix.” (Heather Houston 3-7-22)

“I have a glass blown bowl I made in my kitchen vs. a comfort drawer…call it my comfort bowl. Filled with small sweets to nibble when the urge calls. I find when I actually have a bowl of sweets out, I actually eat less of them than I do when I have a craving. I used to keep a bowl of Hershey miniatures on my desk at the university for students to enjoy when they plopped down in my office. I very often kept it filled and rarely had any. I think this is a scarcity habit from my childhood. Nevertheless, I feel my comfort bowl fills my need for self-care of my spirit.” (Heather Houston 3-7-26)

–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 74-75 of 501.

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

My Abundant Life 3-6-26

On By Heather HoustonIn My Abundant Life3 Comments

March 6th, 2026

Creating a Toy Box

“‘I pray you…your play needs no excuse. Never excuse.”

William Shakespeare (English Playwright, Poet and Actor; April 1564 ~ April 23rd, 1616)

“I have to constantly remind myself that I don’t need an excuse anymore to make toys a part of my life. If I am to continue to grow as a human being and as an artist, it’s imperative for me to respect the power of play”

“Playing is hard for most women I know. Creating your own toy box symbolically suggests the importance of fun if you’re to function at full throttle.”

“Play is the exultation of the possible.”

Mark Buber (Austrian Jewish and Israeli Philosopher; February 8th, 1878 ~ June 13th, 1965)

My Bucket List

Adult Play
Attend a Rodeo

“Before my story began…” (Heather Houston 3-6-22)

1972 Me…at my Aunt Carrie’s Baby Shower

“Play is needed by adults and children alike. Some assume to play is childish. However, adults need play just as much as children. We are just older and often society has shamed us into not playing. This is why you see so many adults in sports leagues, practicing hobbies and getting silly. Play is normal, so carry on!” (Heather Houston 3-6-22)

“Play has become my life…I live in one continuously, delicious, never-ending best date ever with my beloved!”❤️

–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 73-74 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 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

Hope
Mammoth Cave National Park

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

1972 Me…at my Aunt Carrie’s Baby Shower

“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 3-4-26

On By Heather HoustonIn My Abundant Life2 Comments

March 4th, 2026

Priming the Pump for Inspiration

“The well of Providence is deep. It’s the buckets we bring to it that are small.”

Mary Gladys Webb (English Romance Novelist and Poet; March 25th, 1881 ~ October 8th, 1927)

“You need to create a reassuring ritual for yourself to access your inner reservoir–that place deep within you inhabited by imagination.”

My Bucket List

Bath Soaking Ritual
Zion National Park

“Before my story began…” (Heather Houston 3-4-26)

1972 Me…at my Aunt Carrie’s Baby Shower

“Soaking in an aromatherapy-infused bath in the outdoors is the ultimate luxury and path to Providence.” (Heather Houston 3-4-22)

“I find when I prepare my blog writings ahead so that in the moment I can be with my thoughts and creatively write is the best for me. The week can get away from me quickly. Today I was unwell and had probably my 3rd migraine ever and this one had the whole halo and colors to boot. I ended my day at noon, travelled home, changed into comfortable clothes and napped on the couch for several hours. I followed this up with a lazy watching of ‘The Lion In Winter’. The most important thing is I listened…listened to what my body and the Universe was screaming at me.”

–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 71-72 of 501.

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