“Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree.” ~ Martin Luther King Jr.
The future is a funny thing – we do our best to shape it, even when we know it has a mind and a plan of its own. I don’t think our planning efforts are a waste. I just think we have to be prepared to change direction, and even to change our convictions, when presented with new, compelling information. We were meant, as a species, to evolve.
I’ve found that a lot of prep work that I thought I was doing for a certain path has served me well as I took a completely different direction, often one I never imagined. My theatre work lead me to yoga and gave me the best business training of my life. My time living in Florida gave me an amazing mentor and taught me the art of fundraising. That fundraising work led me to join a nonprofit board once I had crossed back over to the for-profit world with a bank (go figure!) My unique childhood lead me to become a writer. Groundwork is laid when we’re not looking. After all, we need to put down the tracks before the train can arrive.
Often the plans we’re making don’t turn out to be for the result we assumed. And that doesn’t matter. Plant that tree. Go on that trip. Take that class. Meet that person who showed up in your life when you least expected it, and smile. There’s no telling where this all will lead, and truthfully where it’s leading is none of your concern. Just show up, heart open, awareness heightened, and just commit to bear witness to what unfolds.
The image above is not my own. It can be found here.
Published by Christa Avampato
The short of it:
Writer. Health, education, and art advocate. Theater and film producer. Visual artist. Product geek. Proud alumnae of the University of Pennsylvania (BA) and the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia (MBA). Inspired by ancient wisdom & modern tech. Proliferator of goodness. Opener of doors. Friend to animals. Fan of creative work in all its wondrous forms. I use my business skills to create passion projects that build a better world. I’ve been called the happiest New Yorker, and I try hard to live up to that title every day.
The long of it:
My career has stretched across Capitol Hill, Broadway theatre, education, nonprofit fundraising, health and wellness, and Fortune 500 companies in retail, media, entertainment, technology, and financial services. I’ve been a product developer and product manager, theater manager, strategic consultant, marketer, voice over artist, , teacher, and fundraiser. I use my business and storytelling to support and sustain passion projects that build a better world. In every experience, I’ve used my sense of and respect for elegant design to develop meaningful products, services, programs, and events.
While building a business career, I also built a strong portfolio as a journalist, novelist, freelance writer, interviewer, presenter, and public speaker. My writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The Huffington Post, PBS.org, Boston.com, Royal Media Partners publications, and The Motley Fool on a wide range of topics including business, technology, science, health, education, culture, and lifestyle. I have also been an invited speaker at SXSW, Teach for America, Avon headquarters, Games for Change, NYU, Columbia University, Hunter College, and the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America. The first book in my young adult book series, Emerson Page and Where the Light Enters, was acquired by a publisher and launched in November 2017. I’m currently working on the second book in the series.
A recovering multi-tasker, I’m equally at home in front of my Mac, on my yoga mat, walking my rescue dog, Phineas, traveling with a purpose, or practicing the high-art of people watching. I also cut up small bits of paper and put them back together as a collage artist.
My company:
I’m bringing together all of my business and creative career paths as the Founder of Double or Nothing Media:
• I craft products, programs, and projects that make a difference;
• I build the business plans that make what I craft financially sustainable;
• I tell the stories that matter about the people, places, and products that inspire me.
Follow my adventures on Twitter at https://twitter.com/christanyc and Instagram at https://instagram.com/christarosenyc.
View all posts by Christa Avampato
“Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree.” ~ Martin Luther King Jr. 
Christa Avampato 
