“There is no power on earth that can neutralize the influence of a high, simple, and useful life.”
~ Booker T. Washington, American political leader and educator
“I release this,” I thought to myself today more than once. “I am removing myself from any attachment to the outcome of this conversation. I am free to do what I love, to do what’s useful.” This simple statement gave me a very powerful feeling and a rush of energy that I wasn’t expecting. It gave me room to breathe.
For all of the times we feel powerless or helpless or victimized, there is one remedy that we can practice that gets easier the more often we try it: release attachment to the outcome. So much of our pain is generated by trying to hang on to something that has slipped away, or worse yet something we have willingly left that has left a mark on our hearts.
So how can we let go of what hurts in favor of what heals and nurtures?:
1.) Visualization is a powerful tool. Imagine leaving something painful behind. Wrap it up, tuck it away, and then walk away knowing that it’s done.
2.) Remember that something which causes pain can also provide us with incredible learning. There is a principle in yoga that says the world gives us exactly the learning we need exactly when we need it. Something that didn’t go the way we had planned is not time wasted. We’re better for the trials we endure.
3.) A friend of mine once sent me a quote during a very difficult time. It said, “the world is a very generous place. It will give you the same lesson over and over again until you finally learn it and don’t need to go through it anymore.” Learn the lesson and move on.
4.) Tough times clear out what our lives no longer need. If we release what’s causing us pain, what’s no longer useful to us, we make room for a life composed of things that bring us joy and make our days worthwhile. When you’re going through tough times, remember that at the end of that tunnel, and no matter how bad things are there certainly is an end, there is a great and glorious light waiting to receive us. Trust the journey and keep going.
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
“There is no power on earth that can neutralize the influence of a high, simple, and useful life.”
love this. when the lesson is over, leave the classroom.
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So true, Col. You gotta know when to hold ’em, know when to fold ’em….
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Christa:
Yes, when you focus on the destination, you miss the journey. We need to find bliss in this gorgeous moment.
Life is a process, after all, and it is a work-in-progress.
Ever notice a toddler/baby at play? These adorable people are lost to the world: they are fully engrossed in what they are doing. They are not trying to achieve anything or reach any goals/objective. That seems to be an adult preoccupation. Ah, we egotistical, self-important adults!
Truly, sometimes, “child is the father of man.” What say?
And I want you to feel healed and nurtured because you deserve it. If you want to feel whole again, please read Dr.Deepak Chopra’s, “Ageless Body, Timeless Mind.”
I enjoyed reading this book, and so I want to recommend it. I have a feeling this is the book you are looking for at the moment and it should be sitting on your book-shelf.
Reading this book also helped me to sort out life issues, which we all have to face from time to time. Cheerio!
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#4 is exactly what i’m working on right this very. identifying and releasing what’s wrecking my life. (in the realm of volunteering). turning over those responsibilities to others who need those embedded lessons while i move on to new ones.
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Go, Jeanne, go!!!!!! 🙂
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Hi Christa – #4 (Tough times…) is especially meaningful for me right now. Thanks for the many insightful thoughts. Mom xxxooo
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