Tamara Stanfill, PR Manager (Treasury Wine Estates and Harvest Inn), Founder of Part of the SOULution, Meditation and Yoga Teacher

Years in the Industry:

I’ve been in the wine industry for the past 16+ years and have held many positions from ‘grape to glass,’ with my earliest jobs working in the tasting room at Dr. Konstantin Frank’s in the Finger Lakes and then doing retail sales in New York City at Best Cellars. I also worked as a cellar hand in Tuscany in 2007 with Bibi Graetz at Castello di Vincigliata (aka Testamatta), then ventured into PR, holding positions at Millissime PR in NYC, Westbury Communications in London, and Accolade Wines in the UK. Moving back to the US in 2014, I joined Boisset as Communications Manager for a couple years, before landing at Treasury Wine Estates in 2016. 

Prior to working in the wine industry, I was an actor in New York, performing in various ‘Law & Order’ episodes, the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater, as well as many other stage and screen appearances. Before that, I spent four years working as an Entertainment Performer at Walt Disney World in Orlando, doing various parades and shows, putting to use my Theatre Arts degree.

My Three Top Challenges to Wellness:
1. Making the time to take care of myself first -- and making myself the priority.

2. Commitments to others, aka wanting to please others -- putting others’ needs ahead of my own.

3. Resistance/Aversion, often disguised as procrastination, laziness, sloth, lack of motivation, numbing out, etc.

How I Keep It Together to Stay Well:
Each day I try to ensure I do a few key things for my own well-being, and I’ve found the things that make me feel good/contented/joyful include:

• Meditation, at least 5-30 minutes, preferably to start my day in the morning, but sometimes I’ll end my day with meditation and that’s helpful for transitioning into sleep

• Physical movement. I try to do some form of movement at least once a day – a walk, yoga/stretching, bike ride, hike, etc.

• Sleep. I’ve found lavender cannabis oil rubbed on the soles of my feet before bed is really helpful to drift peacefully into slumber, as well as an eye mask, and a cool room temp.

• Try to stay away from caffeine. Matcha green tea lattes instead of coffee dramatically improved my overall sense of well-being, and I believe contributed to reducing the “negative self-talk chatter” that often co-existed my day to day activity.

• Try to eat a paleo diet. I also try to avoid red meat.

• Be mindful and conscious of what I’m consuming. What I see/watch, what I listen to, what I eat, who I’m around, conversations I choose to partake in, etc.

• Find a moment for creativity/play/inspiration/curiosity, etc. I try to do something ‘fun’ each day that sparks my creativity, to follow my folly, chase curiosity, etc. for no specific reason, other than its something that calls to me.

• Incorporate mantras and positive affirmations throughout my day. I’m often saying to myself, “all is well”, or “peace, harmony, well-being” – anything to help me course-correct throughout the day to feel better and lift my energy.

• Practice gratitude and thankfulness. I know its cliché but it really does put me in a much better frame of mind.

As a special treat, I go to Monarch Skin Studio for a facial once every couple months, to see Tessa Mazotti (who I used to work with at Boisset). She literally is the best facialist I’ve ever been to! So, it’s a special self-care reward to myself. It’s the day I take off entirely and just indulge in relaxation.

What Inspires Me:
People who are living true and authentically as themselves. Really being in their own skin – allowing others to truly see who they are, and they’re unabashedly themselves.

Learning about people who have faced challenges and chosen courage and bravery in the face of fear, doubt, risk, etc.

People who have faced hardship, struggle, failure, etc. and have gotten back up to tell their tale/share their story in order to inspire others.

Kindness, compassion, humility – I’ll happily follow a leader with these skills any day.

Quotes I Love:
This quote literally stopped me in my tracks one day walking near the Ferry Building in SF: “Everything you want is on the other side of fear.” ― Jack Canfield

You can connect with Tamara on her website, Facebook and LinkedIn.