In the past few months I’ve become a big fan of the DailyOm. I don’t know how those people on the other side of that message know exactly what to say at the exact moment I need to hear their sage words of the day. All I know is that every time I open their emails, I feel like they’re living inside my mind. My pal and writing partner, Laura, introduced me to this email and I’ve been basking in its glow ever since.
Today’s message: “There are times in our lives when all the signs seem to be pointing us in a particular direction. Our thoughts and dreams are echoed in the songs and stories we hear and the media we see. And when we are open and listening, the next step is to take action and go for it. Wherever your dreams are pointing you today, take a step. Take action and manifest your inner urges and soul whisperings.”
Now is the moment of our own reinvention. Tonight I went to a Darden alumni event about innovation and entrepreneurship. I had the chance to speak with one of our Deans who was hosting the event. I asked him how the students are feeling, how the faculty is feeling. Are they scared, nervous, concerned, anxious? In his signature calming style, he said that there is a lot of concern flying around Charlottesville, though this is really the time to reinvent, to become a better version of ourselves. Yes, we could hang our heads low and bemoan all of the change that we are facing. We could pine for the good ol’ days. Instead, the Dean was advocating for a new and crazy good way forward. I couldn’t agree more.
Yesterday evening, after a day spent in bed not feeling so great, I got up and stretched and went to my yoga mat. I meditated, moved through a series of asanas (the fancy name for yoga poses), and let myself accept a new way forward in my life, free from fear and anxiety about change. In the words of my brilliant yoga teacher, Johanna, I assumed a strength pose with the intention “bring it on”. I am ready for massive upheaval and change within my own heart and mind, a crazy good way forward.
I rolled up my yoga mat, logged onto Mac, and signed up for a yoga teacher training class at my yoga studio which will begin in February. I’ve wanted to have this full certification for a long time, and the time has arrived. This is my next step toward a life of multiple income streams pursuing things I love. This is my next bend in the road of reinventing me.
The image above is not my own. It can be found here.
Published by Christa Avampato
IN BRIEF
Author, journalist, digital product manager, and licensed New York City tour guide. Creator and host of NYC's Secrets and Lies. Alumna of the University of Pennsylvania (BA), the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia (MBA), Arizona State University (Biomimicry), and the University of Cambridge (MSt in Sustainability Leadership).
I build digital media platforms, report on urban climate resilience and biodiversity, and produce live narrative experiences that connect communities to history, nature, and place.
THE DEEP DIVE
My work centers on a single thread: building systems and stories that foster deep connection to our shared world. Across digital streaming, environmental reporting, and live civic storytelling, I design experiences that help people understand complex ideas and the environments around them.
DIGITAL PRODUCT STRATEGY & MEDIA LEADERSHIP
At Carnegie Hall, I serve as Digital Product Manager, leading product strategy, operations, and technical delivery for the video streaming platform Carnegie Hall+. I translate artistic mission into scalable, high-performance streaming architecture that reaches audiences globally. Previously, I led agile product and delivery teams across operations and compliance at American Express, managed Broadway theatrical productions and national tours, and guided strategic initiatives across cultural institutions.
ENVIRONMENTAL JOURNALISM & AUTHORSHIP
As a freelance journalist, I investigate how living systems, urban infrastructure, and human culture intersect. My reported features on urban decarbonization, biodiversity, coastal resilience, and biomimicry appear in publications including Smithsonian Magazine, The Washington Post, Mongabay, Natural History Magazine, and Foreign Policy Magazine. In fiction, I write the Emerson Page young adult novel series, alongside upcoming historical fiction and nonfiction works on New York history, mythology, and human resilience. I also write Togetherhood, a LinkedIn newsletter focused on urban ecology and community restoration, and co-host the podcast Frameworks in the Wild.
LIVE EXPERIENCE & CIVIC STORYTELLING
As a licensed New York City tour guide and live event producer, I transform urban landscapes into shared narrative encounters. I created, produce, and host NYC's Secrets and Lies, an interactive live storytelling series staged across cultural landmarks including the New York Transit Museum, the South Street Seaport Museum, and the historic tall ship Wavertree. I also design and lead site-specific walking tours exploring coastal ecology, food history, and neighborhood evolution, often with partners at Climate Week NYC and the Natural Areas Conservancy.
DOUBLE OR NOTHING MEDIA
Through my independent production studio, Double or Nothing Media, I develop ventures across media, ecology, and public history:
Digital Products & Strategy: Architecting scalable digital platforms, streaming experiences, and operational models for mission-driven institutions.
Environmental Reporting & Publications: Delivering long-form reporting, books, and newsletters grounded in climate resilience and regenerative design.
Site-Specific Live Storytelling: Producing immersive live shows and educational walking tours that engage public audiences in community history.
CONNECT
Website & Production Hub: doubleornothingmedia.com and christaavampato.com
Newsletter: Togetherhood on LinkedIn - linkedin.com/newsletters/togetherhood-7273771832221089792/
Instagram & Threads: @christarosenyc
Emerson Page Novels: emersonpagebook.wordpress.com/
View all posts by Christa Avampato
In the past few months I’ve become a big fan of the DailyOm. I don’t know how those people on the other side of that message know exactly what to say at the exact moment I need to hear their sage words of the day. All I know is that every time I open their emails, I feel like they’re living inside my mind. My pal and writing partner, Laura, introduced me to this email and I’ve been basking in its glow ever since.
Their message (2nd paragraph) is very insightful !
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I agree Nikita! I am amazed every day by how much truth can be found in each of their posts.
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