Wine Industry Personal Peace

Great imagery - “The Wine World Is A Tossed Salad Right Now” - the unpredictable, complex, and fragmented areas of life mixed up in one little bowl. I’m not seeing the tumbling, jumping in the air pieces of me within the picture - or the fun of it. Rather, I’m the funk all mushy on the bottom of the bowl right now.

We know life isn’t going to hand you “troubles” one at a time - it comes in a tidal wave over your head when you just wanted to take in a bit of sun. What I can’t seem to handle, and have never been able to handle, is what to do with the sales gig that doesn’t stop either. Both need time allowance - you have no time. Both need a release of emotion in an emotionless situation. It’s black and white, and all you have are colors to work with. Doesn’t seem fair, does it? It isn’t, but it is also unavoidable. Curse the people that put you in these situations, curse the clock that tells you the day is over when you have 4 projects to finish, and blame it on the rain/your mother/your existence. Let’s chat about how to get out of the wet lettuce around you:

Plan, plan, find another plan, and then do the plan you didn’t plan on: I sound like a broken record, but sometimes, the only solace I find in this world is my plan. I have a written “planner”, a bullet journal, a digital space I make planning “lists” I check about every other hour, notes on my phone - should I continue? There are napkins with scribbles on how to save the world, post-its with names that I’ve either made up or found on a random website, and screenshots of things that linger in my “to think about” lists. It seems like controlled chaos, and that is what it is. These plans tell me where I am, where I am going, and where I want to be. When I can’t use my brain to its full potential - like when all things are not making sense - these plans reach out a hand to hold me in a solid place. I can draw invisible lines between all of them, and I seem to put myself back in place to become effective in my job. Your steps in the sand are complex and should be outlined. You do get a surprise, though, when you go through this horrible hodgepodge of curating loads of actions and ideas; the idea you don’t think will work usually does. There is a gem in there, I promise you.

Keep your wandering mind to yourself: EVERYONE, yes, EVERYONE has a wandering mind - we are human, we are complicated, and we are capable of many, many things. What I’m saying is that you don’t need to share your misery with your co-workers or your boss - they don’t care. Listen, sure they do, but they really don’t. Your relationship with coworkers is built on YOUR PERFORMANCE. If, for some reason, there are serious issues that do not allow you to perform, of course, seek professional help, go to HR, and find that help. But, if you can’t handle the day because you have bills to pay, you had a fight with your partner, you need a nap, or your family is causing you drama - better off putting a lid on it. I am moving in about 3 weeks, and I am NOT telling my boss - he doesn’t need to know. Is this causing me MASSIVE stress, and taking half of my brain energy away - he doesn’t need to know. Will I survive - of course I will. Will I sell in product, plan wine dinners, work with sales representatives - it’s not stopping because I want to stop and take a breath. That is all he cares about, and should care about - he is here to manage a situation. I am in his situation.

Become your own KPI: I have a co-worker who will now roll his eyes and make me burn my computer for saying this - but damn it, key performance indicators WORK. When you are down and out and may need to show your worth or find the next steps, strategy always wins. KPIs will help you track your success, they will guide you in building the vision you need to continue, AND - and this is a biggie because we are talking sales - AND they will hand you your analytic growth. If there is no growth, take a new oath. (I just made that up!) In a state of unrest, you need your focus back. They are designed around a SMART framework - sales 101, but we can dip a toe into this stuff if you like. This kind of thinking turns me on, so just let me know if you need a deeper dive. (I’m already mind mapping, template building - I need to be stopped…)

The obvious - walk away: But come back. That’s the part no one ever talks about - your return can be legendary. Time and space is important, but it doesn’t make the hurt and disorder figure ITSELF out. It is divine how you can find vision through hobbies - yes, hobbies. I have about 8 hobbies going at the moment, and I’m looking for more. They help me release, but make me sharp as a knife. The major takeaway of a hobby is that they make me WANT to return to my professional life. My rebound is clear and full of positive vibes - how can it not be? I’m still a bit jumbled up in the head, but there is something in me that is restored, and that can see through the haze.

This wine gig is tough, but life is tougher. The wine gig can be put aside to handle real-life tragedies - please be kind to yourself. I’ve seen burnout, misery, things that should have been said and never said - and really bad outcomes. Find your posse - the ones you can trust. Lean on them. They understand your day-to-day.

Or call me - I got you.