One of my favorite movies, Bottle Shock, is about the then nascent California wine industry and its victory over the French in a blind taste test celebrating the 1976 bicentennial.  The film is based on the true story of a man who ditched his legal career to pursue a dream of making the best wine possible. Jim Barrett put his life into Chateau Montelena; to do so was a huge risk, and he had to have unwavering faith in himself and trust in the process of such a delicate, complex and time-consuming task, whose results were not necessarily guaranteed.

As with any such journey, there were many twist and turns and ups and downs along the way, but in the end he triumphed not only because he beat the French at their proudest export, but also because in doing so, blew the field wide open for quality wine to be produced in countries around the globe, and the world has never been the same.

Orson Welles, in his famous commercials would say, “ We will sell no wine before its time.”  It takes time for lasting success to develop, and there is no better activity than viticulture to demonstrate that. There are cycles of planting, pruning, harvesting, fermenting and numerous other magical alchemical things that need to happen for that perfect glass to arrive at your table.  As I always say in my seminars, “Remember that grapes do not turn into wine overnight!

With last week’s Solstice officially ushering in the summer, we are reminded that to Every Thing There is a Season.  The historic vote to legalize same-sex marriage in NY three days later was decades in the making; several societal changes and generations of progress had to occur in order to have the majority of the population now be ‘ripe’ for its acceptance, and we are all stronger and better for having gone through the process.

Since we are halfway through the year, be sure you are working internally and externally towards whatever goals you set for yourself; know that as long as you consistently do things that you love and care about, you are fertilizing your life, making it as rich as possible. Focus your thoughts, words and deeds in the direction you want to be going, knowing that all will come to fruition with a perfect union of patience, persistence and perseverance – in time and on time.

You can’t put the cart before the horse, so if you’re feeling a little frustrated and impatient in pursuit of your passions, give me a buzz and I’ll be a future sommelier explaining the uniqueness and quality of your vintage, or the judge that casts the deciding vote to make your dream a reality!

A client of mine recently had a job interview and the first question posed to her was, “So what do you do for fun?” Caught off guard like a deer in headlights, she searched the cobwebs of her memory to come up with something from the last decade.

I often advise folks to relax and take time off and have to convince them that a healthy dose of pleasure is indeed productive. When I suggest that they do something that is a treat for them, an automatic excuse is that they “can’t afford it”, but there are many things you can do that don’t cost a lot of time or money.

You can find joy and relaxation in simple pleasures like listening to your favorite music, taking a Zumba class, playing bridge, laughing with a good friend, cooking a delicious meal, being on the beach at sunset or sunrise, talking a walk at lunchtime, riding a roller coaster, drinking a cold beer on a hot summer day, cuddling with your pet, reading a good/ trashy novel or fashion/tabloid magazine, or enjoying the swirly goodness of Pinkberry made extra special by half -off happy hour prices!

And don’t forget, our bodies are built for pleasure, so be sure to make time for that, too, and reap the scientifically proven benefits that accompany a good roll in the hay with that special someone in person, or in your head….(Javier Bardem anyone?)

One of my favorite songs this (or any!) time of year – is Will Smith/DJ Jazzy Jeff’s  Summertime. Nearly two decades old, it still has a timeless, classic vibe and sweet groove that embodies the flava of the season.

With the solstice now behind us, summer has officially started. We’re in the midst of many endings and beginnings – school finishes, camp commences; text books begone, trashy novels devoured; serious films scaled back, popcorn vampire explosion movies released in full force; beach and barbeque gatherings abound.  For a couple of months we allow ourselves to take more time than usual to enjoy outdoor, fun, social and recreational activities without much of the guilt or low priority often assigned to them the rest of the year.

We’re also halfway through the year – a good time to check in with yourself and see if you need to rev up your engines, shift gears or just cruise along with your roof down taking in the scenery while listening to some fly tunes.

For many you can simply let all the hard work you put in the first six months of the year marinate a bit more before putting it on the grill. But if you’re far away from where you set out to be in January, feeling restless instead of relaxed, or not even sure what your focus should be with these long hot days ahead, give me a buzz. I’m here to help you make the most of your energy and time… then you can just sit back and unwind. 

(*Today’s PGG was originally posted on June 22, 2010)

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If you like what I write, you’ll love what I have to say in person!   Click on above links for info about my coaching and speaking services and contact me today.

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CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE Personal Growth Gab (PGG) Volume One FROM AMAZON

Well hello. Yes, it’s been three weeks since you last heard from me – the longest PGG pause in 5 1/2 years! So much has happened in the world recently that I would have liked to comment on through these missives, but allow me to take a more personal note at this time since my focus has been intensely elsewhere these past couple months.

Many of you know my mom had been dealing with several health issues for quite some time now. Some of you might have met her years ago at a Women’s Mosaic event, or remember the PGG about her amazing spirit in What’s Your Number? You might have also read about when she had open heart surgery in Heart & Soul and The Patience of Patients.

Today I am writing you about the loss of one of the most generous, beautiful and vibrant women I know, click here to read more.

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If you like what I write, you’ll love what I have to say in person!   Click on above links for info about my coaching and speaking services and contact me today.

Join Mailing List
 

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE Personal Growth Gab (PGG) Volume One FROM AMAZON