Tag: Mindfulness

My Abundant Life 4-15-26

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April 15th, 2026

Discovering the Momentum of Creative Movement

“The body is shaped, disciplined, honored, and in time, trusted.”

Martha Graham (American Dancer and Teacher; May 11th, 1894 to April 1st, 1991)

“The world as I know it is divided into two types of women–those who exercise and those who don’t.”

“Those who do exercise seem to have more energy, less stress, fewer weight problems, and generally a more positive and optimistic outlook on life. Women who are fit will tell you that regular exercise is the single most important thing they have ever done to improve their life.”

“Women who do not exercise don’t believe them and have every excuse in the world for why they can’t or won’t find out for themselves: they don’t have the time, they’re too out of shape, they’re coming down with the flu, it’s too cold or too hot, they’re too tired, they’re too depressed, maybe next week.

“Whenever I feel like exercise, I lie down until the feeling passes.”

Robert Maynard Hutchins (American Educator and Former Chancellor of the University of Chicago; January 17th, 1899 to May 17th, 1977)

“This is not good. This is not self-nurturing. This is not healthy. We know this intellectually.”

“Don’t refer to the activity as exercise or fitness any longer. If you must call it something, call it creative movement.”

“Think of creative movement as a life-enhancing, enjoyable pastime, because it is. Just pause for a moment and imagine all the ways that you could move creatively that bring you pleasure: dancing (ballet, jazz, or tap), swimming, fencing, horseback riding, racquetball. tennis, golf, riding a bike. …Start moving, a step at a time, step after step. The positive momentum will take if from there.”

“With enlightenment and self-awareness, we can reguide and realign our whole selves: our bodies, by finding new ways of moving and celebrating them and by adding good food in amounts they tell us they need; our souls, our sense of ourselves as good and worthwhile, by connecting them to the earth and to each other.”

Diana Roesch (Theater and Film Producer)

“I have always loved movement and feel more of myself when moving. I have learned to move in new ways in this chapter of my life. Specifically, my husband introduced me to rowing regularly which eases the stress on aging joints. BRILLIANT! I had coached rowing for years and in all that time, I rarely participated. Now I have an rowing ergometer in our living room. WINNING!”

–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 119 to 120 of 501.

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

My Abundant Life 4-14-26

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April 14th, 2026

When You Hunger and Thirst

“The body must ne nourished, physically, emotionally and spiritually. We’re spiritually starved in this culture–not underfed but undernourished.”

Carol Hornig

“When I first became aware that when I ‘swallowed’ life I was really hungry and thirsty for joy and serenity, it was a turning point for me in learning self-nurturance. Finally, I understood that I wasn’t underfed but spiritually undernourished. I realized I could go within and ask my soul–my authentic self–what I needed. I learned to stop and ask myself the questions ‘How can I care for you? What is it you truly need?'”

“As you nurture your spirit with kindness, your physical cravings will loose their grip.”

“Realize today that your hunger and thirst for a reason. Ask your authentic self to reveal your deeper needs, so that Spirit can quench and satisfy your parched and ravenous soul.”

“I love food for all the ways it flirts with me in smell, taste, texture and sight. I used to only look as food as fuel and from a lens of scarcity. I have never been an overeater, more of a grazer. I eat when I’m hungry. I often get engrossed in whatever I am up to and forget to eat until my project is done. When this happens, I assess what my body needs and take in the fuel my body is demanding…usually protein. I really have never been much of an emotional eater. I notice more my desire based on cravings which usually point out other deficiencies in my daily diet. I do my best to listen.”

–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 118 to 119 of 501.

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

My Abundant Life 4-13-26

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April 13th, 2026

The Only Weight-Loss Aid You’ll Ever Need

“Self-love is the only weight-loss aid that really works in the long run.”

Genevieve Marie Craig (Jenny Craig) (American Businesswoman; August 7th, 1932)

“…food is not our enemy. If we’re alive, we’re supposed to love to eat. Food is the source of vital fuel our bodies convert to energy in order to survive.”

“Don’t fight your hunger. Instead, respect it and respond to it with nutritious food that appeals to all your senses–not just taste but sight and smell as well.”

“..the more we starve ourselves, the more weight we eventually gain, and then we end up hating ourselves.”

“The only way to stop this heartbreaking cycle of self-loathing is to stop dieting and use our common sense. Eat when you’re hungry, drink when you’re thristy, sleep when you’re tired, get in harmony with your body through regular exercise, and nourish your soul through prayer and meditation.”

“Be really whole, and all things will come to you.”

Lao-Tzu (Chinese Philosopher; 571 B.C.)

“Taoism–the Eastern philosophy of Lao-Tzu–teaches that the only way to be made Whole is to yield. Yield to the fact that your body answers to a Wisdom that’s higher than wanting to look like the waif on the cover of Vogue.”

“Every woman has an ideal weight that’s ideal for her opposed to an ideal weight. This is the weight at which you feel the most comfortable, have the mot energy, can stay well and feel good about how you look. We can achieve that weight whenwe begin to trust our bodies. Forget size and abandon the scale. Instead, of weighing yourself, let your favorite clothes tell you how you are doing. Above all, trust the guidance of your authentic self. Go within and visualize her. See what weoght she carries. Ask her to help you achieve your perfect weight through the power of Love. Today, be willing to believe that self-love is the only weight-loss aid you’ll ever truly need, because it’s the only one that works.”

“All of this advice is true. For the last 30+ years I have been counseling and working alongside all types of people desiring to get to their full potential. Whether that be weight, athletics, mental toughness, etc. they all had to let go or yield to what they thought they knew and listen to their bodies.”

–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 117 to 118 of 501.

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

My Abundant Life 4-3-26

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April 3rd, 2026

Secret Lives: Gleaning Tips from Our Imaginary Selves

“Inside myself is a place where I live all alone and that’s where you renew your springs that never dry up.”

Pearl S. Buck (American Writer and Novelist; June 26th, 1892 ~ March 6th, 1973)

“Each of us leads many lives vicariously and often simultaneously. By acknowledging our secret lives and tapping into the wisdom of our imaginary alter egos, we can glean tips to help us develop our own personal sense of style.”

“Now write down who you’d be if not you. Now write down your secret selves.”

“Before my story began…” (Heather Houston 4-3-22)

1972 Me…at my Aunt Carrie’s Baby Shower
  • Singer (Heather Houston 4-3-22)
  • Writer (Heather Houston 4-3-22)
  • Musician (Heather Houston 4-3-22)
  • Own a pair of snappy cowboy boots (Heather Houston 4-3-26)
  • Build a daily medicine bag and learn native medicinal healing (Heather Houston 4-3-26)
  • Get or have made a cool signature hat (Heather Houston 4-3-26)
  • Make some moccasins (Heather Houston 4-3-26)

–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 105-106 of 501.

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

My Abundant Life 4-2-26

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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

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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

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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🎂

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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

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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.