Wednesday, May 22, 2013

CELEBRATE THE DIFFERENCE

Hi Friends:

Next month celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Equal Pay Act signed by President John F. Kennedy in 1963.   This landmark law promised pay equality for women.   Fifty  years later, we're still making 77 cents to a man's dollar.    Thank you U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand  (D-NY) and her fellow cosponsors who are pushing the Paycheck Fairness Act, a bill that will strengthen the Equal Pay Act and make it harder to pay women less for the same job a man holds. The Paycheck Fairness Act has been reintroduced over and over again but if passed, this year, will close major loopholes in the Equal Pay Act of 1963.  Change is inevitable because we do not give up. Write your representatives to support the bill.

Things are different today.  You can be who you want to be and let your cloths reflect that.  Today, you can be feminine without  girdles or garters   I'll never forget visiting the lingerie store with my mother.  Mr Klein, the owner, whose mom worked the cash register,  would bring out boxes and boxes of satin elastic girdles and long lined bras.  Mom choose the zippered high waist girdle for hip and tummy control. These were seriously strong garments and looked like they would last a life time.  There was boning over the tummy which was encased in satin because she had to have the waist needed for fashion in the 1950's.  Mom would laugh at the scene in Gone With The Wind as Scarlett held on to her bed post while Mammy tightened her corset.  She laughed because she was the modern woman with a long line bra and zipper girdle with bones for her figure hugging dress.  Can we say compression tank???  Today with so much going on in our lives, we want to feel comfortable and look good.  We say easy!!!

All good things...

Gail

But what minutes!  Count them by sensation, and not by calendars and each moment is a day. -
Benjamin Disraeli

Tell me what you think about the blog.  You can write a comment or send your feedback directly to gail@comfortclubapparel.com  Share a story with us.  If it's chosen and we put it on our blog, we'll send you a free goody bag! 


Wednesday, May 8, 2013

DO YOU HAVE THE CONFIDENCE TO BE QUEEN?

Hi Friends:

In the last 50's and early 60's there was an American television game show called Queen For A Day where each contestant publicly disclosed a recent financial or emotional  hard time she had been through.  The contestant with  the hardest circumstances won the prizes she requested and was pronounced Queen For A Day with crown, robe and throne.    Every woman should feel like a Queen.  Yes, there are those days when we want to go into cave mode so how do we call-up the courage to move forward and hold our head high?  Oliver Baxter, a neurolinguistics trainer and program manager at the Herman Miller Insight Group tells us "The only difference between excitement and anxiety is perception",  "Think of professional athletes: when they get knots in their stomach and sweaty palms, they think of that as drive and motivation - it's the thing that gives them the edge over their competitors."

"Go back to a time when you were confident and take on the physiology of that time," says Baxter.  "Or take a person you admire and mimic their qualities.  Think of the way that person carries themselves - for example, chest out and shoulders back - because your body can influence your mind."  Wear something comfortable, something soft that makes you feel good when you put it on. 

Think of something that makes you smile - find memories of positive experiences you can capture and hold on to them.  Honor your body - take a long shower, drink lots of water.  Think positive thoughts - negative thoughts are very powerful - don't let them in, they can consume your mind and body.  Watch a funny movie and laugh. It tells us hope and possibilities are always with us.  Now hold your head up like your wearing your crown and walk.

All good things...

Gail


Worrying wont stop the bad stuff from happening, it just stops you from enjoying the good - Unknown


Wednesday, May 1, 2013

GET READY...GET SET...NO

Hello Friends:

OH MY GOD, this has been such a bad week!!!  I haven't felt this beat up in a long time.  Yes, we all struggle on a day to day basis and somehow manage to get through it and move on.  I was in a place where despair ran from my brain and spread throughout my body.  No matter how hard I tried, I was not moving away  from it.  Me - -  I'm a prayer warrior which gives me an amazing amount of hope and then there are those times, even while I'm still praying,  I fall, you fall, we all fall.  I remember just wanting to feel the comfort of being home with something soft and warm wrapped around me and a big cup of tea. Of course there's a reason I paid a visit to the Hopeless Hotel.  I was working so very hard, putting a gazillion  percent of myself out there, trying to make things happen and kept getting rejected every  step of the way.  But here's what I learned and hope you can take something away from it.  When you hang in there, whatever you're feeling, no matter how bad it gets, you come out through the other side and things start to change.  It's inevitable!  We are women, we are strong and as we know,  cannot be kept down. Chances are we're not going to get what we need in 5 minutes (darn it...ok, just kidding) but when that sliver of light comes to us,  latch on because the climb begins.  Ah,  the difference a day or two or three makes but you get it...change will happen because we will make it happen.  And...yes, we are going to make visits to the Hopeless Hotel but that's ok because we're not  full time residents.  While I haven't figured it all out yet (tee he he)  my head is above water and there's a plan which believe it or not I started to craft at the Hopeless Hotel (just didn't realize it then).  Life is wild and crazy - - oh the things we go through!!!   But  we are still here!!! Hey, I'm swimming again. There's an island in the distance that looks like it's getting closer and closer. No, I'm swimming harder and I'm moving closer to it (am I surprised, we're always working  it). I know what's on that island and I'm ready to take it on.  Who knows, there may be other things waiting.   Yes, life is crazy and life is wonderful.    LET'S GO!!! 

By the way, thanks for being here.  There is a sigh of relief that comes from writing, sharing with each other.  That's when we realize we're not alone. So look forward to hearing your story. 

All good things...

Gail


"The way I see it if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain"  Dolly Parton