A Fork in the Road

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

According to Wikipedia "a fork in the road" is a metaphor, based on a literal expression, for a deciding moment in life or history when a major choice of options is required.

I was traveling to a friends house for a Superbowl party a few years back and had to use my Navigator.  Before I left the house I typed in the address and found the map directions to be quite far but it didn't look too difficult.  As I was driving, one of the instructions was to "take a right at the fork."  I started laughing, visualizing an actual fork sticking up out of the road.  The Navigator was telling me which way to turn and at that moment I realized it was much like my chosen career...the path I have chosen.  The directions were laid out for me and the destination was already known.  All I had to do was follow the instructions.  The plan was already in place. 

We often know exactly where we want to go, or what we want to do with our lives, but have no idea how to get there.  Writing it down and making a plan is often our first step.  Each twist and turn or stretch of road makes its way into our plan.  Then the distance is set with how long it may take us to get to each "fork in the road" and then to our final destination.

There have been several "fork in the road" moments in my life.  Was there a plan?  Sometimes yes and sometimes no.  At those times when I had no plan I found myself camping out a bit before traveling on.  (even in the literal sense, trust me, I don't do camping well... :) )
To get to where you want to be - get your directions first...don't try to wing it - you just might get lost. Keep your focus and follow your passion...you will find your way.

Wouldn't it be nice if we could just type our goals into a Life Navigator and get the directions...?

Cheers,

Cindy

 

Wines With Passion

Well...I believe the purpose of wine is far more interesting than we think. There are several reasons the Passaggio Wines are created. First and foremost Passaggio Wines are created for you to enjoy. When you open a bottle of wine you are opening a whole life time of the vines' passion. The terroir where the vine has its deep roots. The aromas and flavors that are connected to that vine. From your first sniff and taste, you can begin to feel the passion put forth from the winemaker and the grapes as they meld together in your glass.

Secondly, Passaggio Wines are made to pair with food. There is nothing better than sitting down to eat a great meal and having an awesome glass of wine that accents the food before you.

Last but not least...Passaggio Wines are made to share with friends and family. There is something to be said about giving a great bottle of wine to someone. It tells them you are one who likes to share. It shows you are someone who takes the time to pick out a nice bottle of wine to please them.

So the next time you purchase a bottle of wine think about its purpose and the passion that brought it from the vine to your table. Enjoy the display of passion when that bottle is poured for your friends and family.

Cheers,

Cindy

 

This is Your Year

"Since we move in time through a sequence of spaces, we experience a space in relation to where we’ve been to where we anticipate going" ~Ching

I love this time of the year. New beginnings.  New horizons.   Old things have passed away.

Walking through the vineyards this time of the year actually brings a soothing to my soul.  Walking the narrow rows of young living vines during the early morning hours can be quite peaceful.  The sun not opening it's eyes yet as I quietly stroll through the rows of pruned vines.  The dew still on the ground and the fog merging with the sweet smells around me.  The rows tend to disappear into the fog.  The vines are quiet and still, standing at attention as if their commander in chief had just walked by for inspection.  All I can hear is the sound of my own breathing.  I start to sing.  Music soothes my soul.

I begin to think about the vines.  What struggles have they gone through...their souls cut back to bare minimum. They are starting over.  New beginnings are about to emerge.  What is in store for them this year?  The vines will soon bud again and new fruit will spring forth.

Much like our own lives, we need new beginnings.  We need a new start.  Take a walk through the rows of your life and see the new horizons ahead of you...look closely through the fog...it's there.  It will emerge.  New fruit will soon spring forth...start singing.  Be encouraged...

Cheers,

Cindy

Follow Your Passion - They Just Don't Get It

Why do other bloggers write about Following Your Passion as "crappy advice?" If you Google "Follow Your Passion" you will find many articles on why it's the wrong thing to do or why it's crappy advice. Maybe we are missing the whole point. There are two articles I found that I would like to comment on. 

Article #1 - the minimalist  

In one of the questions in this article they talk about Steve Jobs and a speech Steve made at his Stanford Commencement address. He told students (paraphrasing) "You’ve got to find what you love, don’t settle." The writer goes on to say that if you go back and read the social media and press that surrounded that event people took him to say "follow your passion" The writer also says if you read Steve's biography it is not what he did. His passion at the time was eastern mysticism and that he stumbled into Apple computer to try and make a quick buck. I did find more of Steve Jobs quote during this speech which was not in this article. He also said "the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking."

Article #2 - dilbert.com the scott adams blog 

This writer of this article clearly does not get what following your passion is all about. He says "...Passion sounds more accessible. If you're dumb, there is not much you can do about it, but passion is something we think anyone can generate in the right circumstances. Passion feels very democratic. It is the people's talent, available to all. It's also mostly bullshit. Consider two entrepreneurs. Everything else being equal, one is passionate and possess average talent, while the other is exceedingly brilliant, full of energy, and highly determined to succeed. Which one do you bet on?" This writer gives us an example of when he was a loan officer. His boss taught him that it was not good practice to loan money to someone who was following their passion. The example he gave was "you don't give money to a sports enthusiast who wants to open a sports store to pursue his passion for all things sporty. That guy is a bad bet, passion and all. He's in business for the wrong reason."

First of all how do we define success in our lives? What do you consider successful? Are you successful? How do you define passion? What do you consider passion? What are you passionate about? Do you follow your passion? Do success and passion go together? 

Success - I believe success is a personal achievement. It's something that we make ourselves. It is about the lives we touch every day in our own communities. It is about respect. It is about love. It is a personal journey.

Passion - I believe passion is inside each of us. It's an intense emotion that keeps us moving forward. Our passions are what drive us. Whether the passion is something we do as a hobby or something we do as a career...it drives us. Whether the passion is something we use to help others or we use to further ourselves...it drives us. 

How do we define the mother who wants to stay home and raise her children? Success or failure? Can we put a monetary value on her choice? Can she pursue other passions and still be a stay at home mom? Of course she can. Can you be successful in your career like Steve Jobs and still pursue other passions? Of course you can. 

Sometimes, like Steve Jobs, what we call successful careers are handed to us while we are pursuing other passions. Does that mean we are not following our passion? Do we consider "following our passion" a scale for career? I hope not. We can be "successful" in our careers, enjoy our jobs, and make a good living. Our passion do not have to dictate or define what we do for a living or where we work. We cultivate the passion in our lives each and every day. Life is about the never ending pursuit of happiness. We learn and grow. I believe Steve Jobs was right in his quote " ...if you haven't found it yet, keep looking." 

The person who walk into a bank to ask for a loan because he or she wants to start a business based on "following their passion" should be given the same opportunity as that person who walks into the bank to get a car loan. The main reason you give that person a loan is because they have the means to pay it back. Their business plan is one that is well thought out and one that can be proven on paper. It's the passion that drives that person to make it work. Just because a person may fail at their business does not mean they were a risk because they were following their passion. 

We must not put passion and success in a nice square box with a bow on top. We all define them differently. We all reach our life's goals differently. We all touch others lives differently. We all succeed differently.

Our lives change and so do we...

12 Habits of Highly Passionate People

I started the "Follow Your Passion" Facebook group as an opportunity to help others in their quest of following their passions, those going through the evolutions of career change or those who have hit discouraging moments and are in need of uplifting encouragement and advice. This group is all about helping…we aren’t saying that everyone has to quit their jobs to follow their passions; we are simply saying “Follow Your Passion. More about that later. If you haven't joined the "Follow Your Passion" Facebook group and you would like to, just send a request to the page and I'll add you.

I asked the Facebook group,"What are the top essential habits of highly passionate people?" These are the answers we received...I love them all. I took the twelve answers and put what I believe is their meaning. Take a look...

1) Patience - hone in on passion with patience. Be intentional in waiting for those moments when you can honestly say this is my passion. Do not let it be mistaken for a wild fling. Be ready by giving that passion time to develop. Without patience we would not make the right decisions. Important: Patience does not mean "putting it off until tomorrow." Realize when it’s time and get started!

2) Persistence- sometimes we don't realize how close we are to success! We must realize what motivates us and use it to our advantage. I love the old saying by Franklin Roosevelt - "When you have come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on." There will be times when you feel as if you don’t have the strength to go on.  That's when it's time to take a break. Tie that knot, hang on and rest for a minute. Then get back at it!!!

3) Dedication - staying the course. Being diligent to your cause. It requires commitment and perseverance. Just remember to stop and smell the roses once in a while.

4) Optimism - this makes me think of the saying "Is the glass half full or half empty?" Having a positive attitude gives us greater joy on a day-to-day basis. Hanging out with positive people makes for a better optimistic view of what's going on around you.

5) Open-minded - being receptive to new ways or new ideas. Flexible. Willing to change.

6) Leave the naysayers behind - these people will always be around us. Finding those who will counter balance them is the key. The naysayers are some of the most important people in your life so the best thing is to just let them be. Find people whom you can connect with and talk to about your dreams and aspirations. Find people who will encourage you along the way.

7) Stay focused on the goal - Life has a way of adding distractions along the way. We must first determine our goal and use our time wisely to achieve it.

8) Consistency - we all need structure, focus, and experience. Being consistent helps build your technique, your form and your skills. Sometimes we must consistently refocus our minds and keep on the task at hand. This allows us to keep from getting distracted. It's a lot easier to be consistent with the things we love...

9) Belief in oneself - never give up. Never forget you have it within you to succeed. Your self-confidence stems from the belief of who you think you are, who you want to become, and what you believe in.

10) Be Amazing - you are amazing. You are an inspiration to others. Be authentic. An amazing person will make a difference in other people's lives.

11) Supportive friends - share your passion with like-minded, positive and supportive people. I like to call this my supportive community.

12) Wine - my belief in awesome wine is that it brings something magical to the table when you share it with Wonderful friends and Great food...

 

Cheers,

Cindy