The Best Success Course One Can Take + #MyPostMonday Link-Up

Have you ever thought that adversity might be the best success course you could ever take? Yes, if you can come out on the other side of adversity, basically alive (actually, the only requirement), you just got yourself one of the best secrets to success ever invented! If you come out of said adversity with greater knowledge, a stronger character, more self-confidence, and self-respect, that's even better! Think about it, if you can come out of adversity with self-respect, don't you think the next goal you want to accomplish might seem just a little easier? Next time I go through something hard, not by my own choice, something that is thrust upon me, I will look at it in the face and say, go ahead, make my day! Make my life! 'Cause when I get through this, that's just another notch in my life experience belt. Too bad they don't list trials that we pass through on resumes, right along with degrees held, certifications, courses, and public service. It would look something like this (by the way, this isn't my own list of trials, although I do have an impressive one of my own!):

• Survived cancer in 1999, went through chemo, radiation. 
• Lost home due to medical bills.
• Went through extreme discrimination in job, was passed over for promotion, but managed to survive and am still working.
• Home business failed, but will know what to look for next time in a home business.
• Had to play nice to ex for sake of the children. Was tough but did it.   

What we have gone through, our life's trials, how we have handled them, and how we have climbed and clawed back speaks more than a little piece of paper in a frame. It defines our core, our values, and the reason we exist. So, why pay for success seminars when you have them for free, custom-made just for you, and built right into your own life?

Image by Ed Whitmore

 Today is "My Post Monday!" It's all about original content from bloggers who care to share what is on their minds--from Crafts to Camping, Wellness to Wealth, Fashion to Food, and whatever else is on the brain!  I, for one, love to explore other sites for original, non-sponsored posts, tips, pictures and videos! Sponsored posts are great and I appreciate the information from well-written and authentic sponsored posts, I write them myself! But this linky is for non-sponsored posts because they are all about what the writer thinks, believes, and knows. It's not about a specific brand and what it compensates the blogger to promote! If I happen to find a great original, non-sponsored post, I'll link it up and share it with you here and on Twitter via the #MyPostMonday hashtag!  It's like being featured!  I can miss some amazing posts, but I don't want to!  So, in addition, if you'd like to link up yourself, you can do that too!  I'll visit your site, comment, promote and publicize! Remember, any link to your posts helps your blog numbers increase! (Affiliate links OK)

Lengthen And Strengthen Giveaway by 'Essentrics'

Get ready for summer and all the fun that goes with it!
Welcome to the 'Lengthen And Strengthen' Giveaway Sponsored by Essentrics--the method that allows you to lengthen and strengthen your entire body, using your own weight to achieve the most amazing results. You don't need a gym, just your own mat, a sturdy chair, maybe a thick book, and a towel. That's everything you need to see your body make amazing changes from where you are now! And it can be done in just a few minutes every day!

Miranda and Sahra Esmond-White are the mother/daughter duo behind one of the most successful exercise movements today--Essentrics! The innovative techniques have been coupled with well-researched scientific documentation, to create a dynamic stretching and strengthening program that increases range of motion, strength, and mobility. And as a natural consequence of those health improving measurements, a more toned and attractive looking body!
 "We flatten and tone your abs without sit-ups or crunches, tone your arms without weights, define your waist, and create lean, strong, legs."
There is a learning curve in doing the exercises properly, since it is a blend of ballet, Tai Chi and some pilates. That's why we are offering one lucky winner 'Toning For Beginners' by Essentrics. You will be shown the basic movements of the practice and once you have become familiar with it, you will be able to move on to some of the more targeted and challenging exercises. 
The 'Essentrics' program can also be seen on PBS on 'Classical Stretch' with Miranda Esmonde-White. Each day she targets a different area of the body, although all 620 muscles are activated. So while it is a full-body workout, it is targeted as well! You can read more about Essentrics and the philosophy behind it here!
Time for the Giveaway! Open to U.S. and Canada, 18+ and over, one entrant per household and no previous winnings from 'Essentrics' within the past 12 months. Good luck! Ends 4/27/16!
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7 Health Benefits I've Gained With 'Essentrics' Workouts!

Daily exercise is essential--most people know that exercise is important and acknowledge it. But daily? Yep, the new recommendations are: in order to keep optimal health, daily exercise is essential! 

 

This blog uses both affiliate and non-affiliate links for convenience. A GAL NEEDS...is a member of the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program

When I first learned that there was a 30-minute program on PBS that actually translated into just 24 minutes of stretching and strengthening, including a warm-up, my lazy self was already sold. At the time, I believed that the only true way to get a fit and attractive body was to train for hours in the gym doing spinning, lifting, or aerobics. But I was sick of it. I didn't want to dedicate at least 10 hours per week to fitness. As a matter of fact, I was ready to concede that if it took that much time, I was ready to put it on the alter and sacrifice fitness in my life. I just didn't have the motivation. But I was willing to do 3 hours a week and 'Classical Stretch' by Essentrics was my answer. And so every day I did a 'Classical Stretch' session.

It's been several years since then and if I've failed at everything else, I have at least managed to stay on point doing at least 5 days a week of 'Classical Stretch' by Essentrics. Sometimes that is the only thing I have managed to do towards my fitness. At other times, I actually do things like biking, light lifting, walking, or playing disc golf in addition to 'Classical Stretch' sessions.

'Classical Stretch' is a dynamic stretching and strengthening program, designed to simultaneously do those two things in just 24 minutes per day. The program is done to relaxing or upbeat music that subliminally causes one to increase their own efforts without realizing that they are actually doing so. Another great bonus is the certified instructor--whether that be Miranda Esmonde-White on the T.V. series, dvds, or a certified 'Classical Stretch' trainer in your own city. The instructor goes through extensive training to understand the physiology of the body, the philosophy of the program, the correct mechanics of the exercises, and the proper sequence and flow of the workout. They are there to model the exercises for you and to also help you at your level of fitness with the goal to increase your fitness at your own pace.

Miranda Esmonde-White, creator of  'Classical Stretch'

 In my own fitness journey with 'Classical Stretch', I have managed to stay injury-free and heal injuries that had occurred earlier in my life. For example:

1) My chronic, periodic back pain that used to leave me immobile for several weeks each year, has completely gone. This means that I now have 3 weeks of extra time that had previously been spent bed-ridden and incapacitated.

2) My frozen shoulder, of which condition is inherited from my Dad's side, has been dramatically improved. It turns out that we have an unusual spur on our shoulders that, as we age, gets calcified and grows even more, because of build-up, becoming extremely painful. Both my Dad and brother have gone through shoulder surgeries to have the calcification removed that causes painful bursitis and to replace the sockets that had become useless. I had started to get this condition, but Classical Stretch has completely erased that problem by keeping the shoulders properly lubricated and activated so that unwanted sediments don't collect in that area!

3) My quads are completely stretched out and have lengthened out and have become leaner to match my hamstrings. I started out already being able to do the splits, but not being able to bend my leg back further because my quads were tight. Now, I am able to bend my leg all the way back because my quads are longer and leaner.

Before Classical Stretch

After Classical Stretch

4) My waist has become leaner and has lengthened out to house my organs, allowing my stomach to be flatter and stronger.

5) My posture has become better and I walk with my shoulders back and my head up!

6) My seasonal depression is much better and I am more motivated and able to accomplish much more than before.

7) My focus and memory has improved because of the increased blood flow that happens each time I practice 'Classical Stretch'.

You judge--Is 24 minutes a day worth it to keep yourself young and vibrant at any age? My own answer is a resounding YES! Whether you are at a beginner level or at a more advanced level, 'Classical Stretch' has something for everyone.

Visit the Essentrics website to get the perfect workout dvd for your own fitness level. You can also sign up for online work-outs. Also get the New York Times bestseller, Aging Backwards, by Miranda Esmonde-White! 

Hard Choices + #MyPostMonday Link-Up

Alice in Wonderland was at a crossroads when she met up with the Cheshire Cat. She asked him advice about which way she should take. He said, "That depends on where you want to go. If you do not know where you want to go, it doesn't matter which path you take." Such a profound thought! Before you decide on any path in life, decide where you want to be. Ask yourself, Where do I want to be in 10 years from now? Where do I want to be 20 years from now? Where do I want to be next year? And based on your thoughtful decision, you can then start to choose between the many different crossroads that come up each and every day. It's not as if we choose between two distinct paths and then forget about it once we've chosen. It's more like we choose between two paths many times each and every day and that ultimately leads to our final destination. If you have a clear picture of where you want to end up, it will be much easier to make those small route choice each and every day. Most of the time, the route choice will be the harder one because Murphy's Law says that everything you want to do ends up being harder than you thought! But if we have that clear picture, it will definitely be easier to choose that harder way because we know we want it!

Image - Ed Whitmore

 Today is "My Post Monday!" It's all about original content from bloggers who care to share what is on their minds--from Crafts to Camping, Wellness to Wealth, Fashion to Food, and whatever else is on the brain!  I, for one, love to explore other sites for original, non-sponsored posts, tips, pictures and videos! Sponsored posts are great and I appreciate the information from well-written and authentic sponsored posts, I write them myself! But this linky is for non-sponsored posts because they are all about what the writer thinks, believes, and knows. It's not about a specific brand and what it compensates the blogger to promote! If I happen to find a great original, non-sponsored post, I'll link it up and share it with you here and on Twitter via the #MyPostMonday hashtag!  It's like being featured!  I can miss some amazing posts, but I don't want to!  So, in addition, if you'd like to link up yourself, you can do that too!  I'll visit your site, comment, promote and publicize! Remember, any link to your posts helps your blog numbers increase! (Affiliate links OK)

One More Step + #MyPostMonday Link-Up

Sometimes it's hard to continue doing something that we don't see reaping immediate rewards. But know that as long as you continue to move forward, it isn't failure. Granted, sometimes one needs to step back, take stock, and possibly reinvent themselves or their strategy, but that counts as moving ahead, not failure! There are so many successful people who had, in their minds, abysmal fails at what they were trying to achieve. But they got back up and kept going! And eventually, their persistence paid off. Some well-known examples of initial failed attempts at success are Oprah Winfrey, Tina Fey, Arianna Huffington, Warren Buffet, Bill Gates, and so many others! 
Challenge: Find someone that you admire and do some digging about what their life really looked like before their success. Most likely you will find that the very things that challenged them or looked like failure, made them stronger! 

As for myself, I consider emerging out on the other side of winter only 7 pounds heavier than when I went into it a resounding victory! And that will spur me on to continue working on my health and wellness during the spring and summer months. What are your goals for this Spring? Is it health, organization, a project, relationship nurturing, or something else? Is the project you started currently out of  commision? Don't worry, just dust it off and get started once again, if only just a tiny step forward!

Image - Cole Gleave

 Today is "My Post Monday!" It's all about original content from bloggers who care to share what is on their minds--from Crafts to Camping, Wellness to Wealth, Fashion to Food, and whatever else is on the brain!  I, for one, love to explore other sites for original, non-sponsored posts, tips, pictures and videos! Sponsored posts are great and I appreciate the information from well-written and authentic sponsored posts, I write them myself! But this linky is for non-sponsored posts because they are all about what the writer thinks, believes, and knows. It's not about a specific brand and what it compensates the blogger to promote! If I happen to find a great original, non-sponsored post, I'll link it up and share it with you here and on Twitter via the #MyPostMonday hashtag!  It's like being featured!  I can miss some amazing posts, but I don't want to!  So, in addition, if you'd like to link up yourself, you can do that too!  I'll visit your site, comment, promote and publicize! Remember, any link to your posts helps your blog numbers increase! (Affiliate links OK)

Baby Animal Season At 'This Is The Place Heritage Park' #Giveaway

Spring is officially here and baby animals are everywhere on the farm at 'This Is The Place Heritage Park'! One of many season events, Baby Animal Season is one of the most thrilling for visitors of every age! It's so much fun to see all the baby animals and pet them, feed them, and learn about them.  Mention A GAL NEEDS...at the ticket office and get $2.00 discount per ticket!

We are so happy to partner up with 'This Is The Place' in Salt Lake City and give away 2 awesome packages, just in time for this eventful season! Enter in the Rafflecopter below. If you have won something from 'This Is The Place' Park in the last 12 months, you are not eligible to win! Good Luck!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Spring Hair Ideas For Medium Length Hair

Spring is here, even though it snowed this evening. March is such a fickle month! But it's definitely time to start thinking about that spring look, including the hair. I took a look around the net to see what I might find for inspiration for you and myself. Since I have medium length hair, I'll focus mainly on that.

First of all, I love a beautiful curl but most of the time, just don't want to spend the time to get it!  To get those perfect curls on your head you need to know how to hold the curling iron! The trick is to hold the curling iron upside down! Who knew? Instead of clamping it in the iron, simply wrap it around the barrel. It makes a truly gorgeous curl!

Another style that will have you on point this spring is the tousled beach waves look. This look is a little different than the classic curl. You use sea salt spritz on wet hair to define the hair but making it as light as possible, avoiding the roots. After it is dry, use a curling iron and take random sections holding it only 3 - 5 seconds. Then you can tousle your hair with your fingers or leave it for tighter curls. Finish with hairspray.

Straight hair is glossier and more swingy than ever! Get the look with lots of straightening serum, straightening irons, hairspray and a paddle brush! If you don't like extreme heat on your hair, there are these alternatives:
1. Brush your hair until it dries and smooth it with hairspray
2. Wrap your hair before bed and secure it with a scarf.
3. Roll your wet hair with large rollers the size of soda cans, letting it dry completely before removing rollers.

Hair Accessories are huge this spring as well! The more creative, the better. Use scarves, pins, barrettes, ponytail holders, ribbons, flowers, or whatever else you feel is fun and stylish! There are so many beautiful hair accessories out there! Try Anthropologie.com for starters! It's going to be a great hair year!

For all 3 of the above hairstyles--curly, tousled and straight, the use of a heated styling wand or iron is suggested. Not all stylers are the same and an educated guess about which to use on your particular hair type is recommended! You need to decide how much heat your hair can stand, what kind of look you want, and then decide how much you want to invest in the ideal instrument. It is an extremely wide range! 
 I know I'm now more motivated to try something cute and new! I hope that you too get excited about your spring look too! There are so many options out there and it surely is motivating to do something different, once winter is behind us!

The Best Way + #MyPostMonday Link-Up

I love going out into nature and experiencing the beauty of it all. I've got to be outside at least once a day. If I'm not, I become very despondent.  But it isn't the most important thing that I need to be doing. If I really want to feel happy and content, I need to be out with other people and trying to make their lives a little bit better. I think that is why I love my job in Special Education. Each day I get to see kids that have been removed from their homes, plus have disabilities that qualify them for Special Services. All in all, they are good people. They have been dealt some heavy things though. Some of them don't even realize what bad luck they've had. They try the best they can to make sense of their existence and for the most part, make the best of what they've got. 

Sometimes just giving them an extra piece of candy or gum can really make their day brighter. Today, a kid in my class was in my general area, while I was doing something else. He had been rather glum when he first got to school and who could blame him? It was the first day of Daylight Savings Time and so it was actually 6:00 AM regular time, a very ungodly hour! But as we continued our parallel interaction, he mentioned that he was feeling happy, for some reason. I said I was glad for him, because he hadn't looked so cheery earlier. I wondered what the change was, and how it had happened. Could it be that he was feeling safe and non-threatened in this environment? Whatever it was, I was happy too!

Don't get me wrong, a great bargain at the mall can get me more giddy than I want to admit, but if that was all I had to look forward to, it would become very boring. All I'm saying is that I need to have a variety of things in my life, and it shouldn't all have to do with me, myself and I! 

Image - Bill Eastburn

 Today is "My Post Monday!" It's all about original content from bloggers who care to share what is on their minds--from Crafts to Camping, Wellness to Wealth, Fashion to Food, and whatever else is on the brain!  I, for one, love to explore other sites for original, non-sponsored posts, tips, pictures and videos! Sponsored posts are great and I appreciate the information from well-written and authentic sponsored posts, I write them myself! But this linky is for non-sponsored posts because they are all about what the writer thinks, believes, and knows. It's not about a specific brand and what it compensates the blogger to promote! If I happen to find a great original, non-sponsored post, I'll link it up and share it with you here and on Twitter via the #MyPostMonday hashtag!  It's like being featured!  I can miss some amazing posts, but I don't want to!  So, in addition, if you'd like to link up yourself, you can do that too!  I'll visit your site, comment, promote and publicize! Remember, any link to your posts helps your blog numbers increase! (Affiliate links OK)

The Boyfriend Watch from Speidel + 15% #DiscountCode!

Classic watches will never go out of style! Yes, I know there are the Fitbits and the Apple Watches that do everything from preheating your oven to starting your car! And you can even make them look almost decent, when you do matchy matchy with the bands!
But there is something about a classically designed watch that is timeless. It can add to your accessories like nothing else can. It's amazing what a watch can do to help accessorize your wardrobe and make you feel awesome! Owning and wearing my new watch made me think about what style is and I came up with my own personal philosophy about it! Style is finding both comfort and a sense of fun simultaneously. Style makes your life better! But you shouldn't be a slave to it!
 (This post was facilitated by Speidel Watches and I was provided product for review purposes! All opinions are my own!)

One of the heavy hitters in the history of U.S. timepieces is Speidel (pronounced Spy-Dell). Founded in 1904 in Rhode Island by German businessman, Frederick Speidel, the company helped to blaze the trail for the American watch industry that flourishes today. That's 124 years! There aren't too many U.S. companies that are that old. It speaks to the staying-power, adaptivity, and business sense that this company has had and continues to have! They practically invented the watchband, and then introduced the interchangeable band later on. Remember the scissor action bands that conformed to your wrist size without having to get it sized? Yep. Speidel.  And of course, the still popular Twist-O-Flex band was introduced back in 1959.
Speidel makes watches and bands for every demographic--from children, to teens and adults! The prices are not outrageously expensive either. If you want a sensible yet attractive, no-nonsense timepiece, you can choose from several from as low as $39.95! Children's watches are a very reasonable $19.95! What a great Easter Gift for a child! Their first watch!

One of their truly charming and exciting pieces is the new 'Boyfriend' Watch.

It comes in 7 different styles. I chose the Silver-Toned Style. It comes with two interchangeable bands--the non-expandable silver band and a stylish blue plaid band. I love the fun playful numbers, with the stone encrusted face! It is water resistant and comes with a 2-year warranty. I love wearing a piece of history on my wrist, but yet feel like it is relevant to today's woman. I am definitely a 21st century gal, and don't like to be wearing ancient feeling pieces. This is not your grandmother's watch for sure!

You can easily find a dealer in your area because Speidel dealers are literally everywhere! Or you can order online! Right now you can receive a 15% sitewide discount when you use the code GALNEEDS15 at checkout! Valid thru April 12th! At any rate, you should definitely do some serious investigation into a truly special piece of Americana!

Follow me on Instagram, where I will be styling the blue plaid watchband which is also included in 'The Boyfriend' Watch package!


You can also follow Speidel on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram!

Just Around The Corner + #MyPostMonday Link-Up

Most of us do the same things day in and day out, with a routine that becomes tedious, to say the least. One of the most mind-numbing things I can think of is to sit at a traffic light for 2 minutes. It is 2 minutes of hit-my-head-against-the-dash kind of boring! And this morning was particularly bad. I decided to take the "short-cut" to work. Of course, how often does that work out for you, taking a different route from the proven, albeit boring, navigational path? What it got me was catching not only a light triggered by a pedestrian, but as soon my light turned green, the light rail came through, with its own set of sensors, lowered bars, and flashing lights. By the time all that nonsense was done, it had been almost 5 minutes. Gah!!!!

But seriously, I just had to laugh. What are the odds? And what are the patience gods trying to teach me today? 

When it comes to times like these, there are a couple of things I can recognize and put to work for me to make life more remarkable than I ever thought!

Capture the wonder. First of all, I can take myself back to when I was a child, when everything was so exciting and fresh! If you can't go back that far, think of the cutest child you know and about how they look at everything in life! Re-capture that sense of wonder for yourself! On the route that you take each day, look at the things around you and notice the beauty. What time of day is it? Can you see the sun, or are there clouds? 

Image - Derek Sturman

Notice the details around you. While I was waiting for the light to change, I started breaking everything down into small details, and imagined what might be happening in that small space. I saw the silhouette of a man on the train. I imagined where he was going and what his family was like, before he sped out of sight. I looked at the car in front of me and also wondered where they were heading to. I listened to the words of the song on the radio, I took a concentrated gulp of my lemon water, thinking how good it was for me, as it made its way down my throat, esophagus, and into my belly. 

Envision and Dream. Finally, while I am busy appreciating the here and now, it's still OK to picture the future. I can make plans for my tomorrow, my week and month. It gets me more motivated to enjoy today and make the most of it so I can have a better tomorrow! It will make things like that trip to the grocery store or that load of laundry so much more pleasant if I know that just around the corner is something amazing!

 Today is "My Post Monday!" It's all about original content from bloggers who care to share what is on their minds--from Crafts to Camping, Wellness to Wealth, Fashion to Food, and whatever else is on the brain!  I, for one, love to explore other sites for original, non-sponsored posts, tips, pictures and videos! Sponsored posts are great and I appreciate the information from well-written and authentic sponsored posts, I write them myself! But this linky is for non-sponsored posts because they are all about what the writer thinks, believes, and knows. It's not about a specific brand and what it compensates the blogger to promote! If I happen to find a great original, non-sponsored post, I'll link it up and share it with you here and on Twitter via the #MyPostMonday hashtag!  It's like being featured!  I can miss some amazing posts, but I don't want to!  So, in addition, if you'd like to link up yourself, you can do that too!  I'll visit your site, comment, promote and publicize! Remember, any link to your posts helps your blog numbers increase! (Affiliate links OK)