Small Things Win. Here’s Why.
Announcement:
Happy 2019 and here's to a great year ahead!
If you a member of Women of the Vine & Spirits, next Tuesday Jan. 8th, we are hosting a live webinar "5 Ways to Improve Your Wellness in 2019" at 1pm PST / 4pm EST. Sign up here and we will see you on-line.
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Yes, we can do big things.
But we can do small things too. And that’s where I’d like to start this year: not with monumental changes or tectonic shifts of disruption or pendulum swings toward massive goals, but with nudges and increments and edging ever so much closer.
It has to do with expectations, ultimately, and how they’re different than execution.
Let’s say we go careening into the new year (or a new anything) expecting that “This time everything is going to be so much better. Watch!” We tend to focus on the everything-being-so-much-better rather than the how-to-make-it-better. We tend to focus on the expectation rather than the execution. On the finish line rather than the steps it takes to get there.
The rosy picture at the end is just so much nicer to have in mind than the grit and the nuts-and-bolts of getting there, isn’t it?
I get it. Believe me.
But this year I’d like to make better friends with the grit, with the nuts-and-bolts, and with the small things along the way.
Here are some ways that I can see this happening. (Rosy picture goal in parentheses at the end.)
Eat dinner at the table rather than in front of the tv. (Spend more time with my family.)
Choose tea rather than a latte. (Lose weight.)
Write 500 words rather than a whole chapter. (Complete a life goal, like writing a book.)
Meditate for 10 minutes rather than 20. (Cultivate mindfulness.)
Walk around the block rather than run a 5k. (Exercise more.)
Call two new prospects before 11 am rather than procrastinating till the end of the day. (Earn more money.)
Refill your glass with water instead of another glass or two of wine. (Drink less alcohol.)
Pick up a book for 30 minutes rather than the remote for two hours. (Read more.)
Go to bed at 10 pm instead of midnight. (Get healthier and be more productive.)
Small things are small, it’s true. But stringing together a whole lot of small things with the glue of grit still adds up to something big.
Do I still have big goals for this year? You bet. It’s just that those goals have a partner this time, the way the most eye-catching light fixture also has a bulb. We’re still in the dark without screwing in that bulb, regardless of how beautiful the fixture looks on our desks.
What are the small things for you? How many of them can you glue together, with grit, to make something big? We’d love to hear.
Namaste,
Cathy
Meet the Tribe!
Our community is only as strong as the company we keep, and here we meet some of the folks who make our profession so dynamic.
Ambar Maddox
Wine Ambassador, Pernod Ricard (Australia)
Years In Industry:
Two years. I somewhat fell into the industry with absolutely no knowledge of it after being offered a position with Pernod Ricard as a part of their Graduate Program. As we all know, this industry forces us to learn hard and fast so it’s been quite the journey – especially switching from the entrepreneurial/start-up/non-for profit space over to corporate, however it’s been an absolute blast and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
My Biggest Challenge To Wellness:
Remembering to put myself first. Just as I started out in the industry I was diagnosed with severe Ulcerative Colitis, which is an autoimmune disease similar to Crohn’s that is hugely impacted by stress, diet and sleep – things we all know to be the first things to spiral out of control when the dial switches up and it begins to get busy.
While it might sound ridiculous, most of the time I feel 100%, so despite having a chronic diagnosis it can be easy to forget to slow down and take time for myself when I need it. I’ve learnt the hard way of what the outcome of failing to prioritise your health can be and I can guarantee, living with chronic illness or not, it’s not worth it.
How I Keep It Together To Stay Well:
I try to get outside in nature as much as possible. As soon as I’m either at the beach or in a forest, I can feel my mind and body instantly breathe out and relax. There’s not many things that a swim can’t fix, so whether it be in the ocean or the hotel pool, I always find I’m happiest in the water. I also avoid drinking for the most part (ironic given my title but definitely doable!) and practice yoga and meditation daily.
You can connect with Ambar on Instagram @ambar.maddox or via LinkedIn.
What We’re Reading:
There's no shortage of wine stories and media inundating our IN Boxes. Here's what has piqued our interest this week.
The Most Promising Health and Wellness Trends for 2019 – FastCompany.com
“The Drybar of acupuncture? In-N-Out for plant-based burgers? Startups find new ways to bring healthier food and self-care products to wider audiences.”
Berry Bros. & Rudd Introduces Luxury Wine Services to the US – Michelle Williams for Forbes.com
“Leading counterfeit wine expert, Maureen Downey, advises, in an effort to avoid getting duped, to purchase wine from a trusted source. There are few sources more trusted than London’s oldest wine merchant, Berry Bros. & Rudd.”
Let’s Meet Up!
As work life has it, we are traveling over the next few months and would love to see you.
Guest Lecturer at INSEEC in Bordeaux, Jan. 21 – 26 (Cathy)
Judge at TEXSOM International Wine Awards in Dallas, Feb 18 to 20 (Cathy)
Presenter at the British Columbia Wine Insight Conference , March 12 (Cathy)
Presenter at the International Institute for Analytics conference in Portland , March 13 (Cathy)
Attendee at ProWein in Düsseldorf, March 17 to 19 (Cathy)
Attendees at Vinitaly in Verona, April 7 – 10 (Rebecca and Cathy)
Attendee at MUST: Fermenting Ideas in Cascais, Portugal, June 26 to 28 (Cathy)
Drop a line to rebecca@abalancedglass.com or cathy@enolytics.com if you are interested in getting together for practice, a chat or a great glass together.
