Month: June 2010

art, religion, travel, yoga

Step 178: Greek Expectations

Christa Avampato

“The proper response to a great work of art is to enter into it as though there were nothing else in the world.” ~ Huston Smith, religious scholar, on the occasion of his 90th birthday

I’m leaving for the airport in a few hours to head to Santorini, Greece for a yoga retreat with Shiva Rea. Because I’ve never been on a yoga retreat, I’m a little nervous about what I may find. Is it really a personal journey or is it a collective group journey? Is it both, and if so, where is the line? Is my purpose to connect with others or to tap into my own sense of well-being?

In preparation for my trip to Greece, I stopped into the Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art yesterday. They have a set of exhibits now that reflect many of yoga’s historical and spiritual teachings that I studied while in my training program. There were Kali and Durga and Shiva. There were the familiar and powerful lotus and warrior asanas. The sculptures that truly captured my attention depicted Vasudhara, the Buddhist goddess of abundance.

“She is beautiful, isn’t she?” said a voice behind me.

George, a museum guide, appeared seemingly out of nowhere. He must have noticed how taken I was with the Vasudhara statue. With his kind eyes and seemingly unlimited knowledge of Hinduism and Buddhism, George walked me through the exhibit on the 3rd floor, giving me historical context, explaining the casting process of the sculptures, and describing the meaning of the intricate details of each piece. He closed out impromptu tour by explaining that Heaven and Hell are not considered destinations to Hindus and Buddhists; they are within. They are a daily choice.

I thought about that idea as I walked through the other floors of the exhibit. A question came to me as I looked at some of the other installations. I went back down to the 3rd floor to ask George about it. He was gone. Nowhere to be found (and the Rubin Museum is a very small museum with nowhere to hide.) It’s possible he went on break or maybe his shift was over.

For a second, I thought maybe he had been placed there just for me. He showed up just when I needed him, even though I didn’t know that I needed him, and he enriched my experience. Our encounter showed me that it’s possible to be on your own road and still connect to others in a meaningful way. Maybe the two are not separate at all. Just show up with everything we’ve got, as if there is nothing else in front of us except this next step, and see what we find. A little real-time foreshadowing for what’s to come in Greece? I hope so!

I’ll be off the grid while I’m away. I’ll be writing every day in my notebook and sharing those experiences when I return on July 5th. Να είναι καλά!

goals

Step 177: June Accomplishments and July Goals

Christa Avampato

Another month has come and gone. I’m tempted to say, “how did that happen so fast?” though these monthly accomplishment / goal posts keep me from thinking time is just slipping by. It’s flying but we’re all flying with it. Because I’m leaving for Greece tomorrow, I’m posting this monthly ritual post a bit early.

June goals turned accomplishments:

1.) Complete my e-book based upon my Examiner.com column on entrepreneurship. The book will feature the most inspiring entrepreneurs I interviewed during my 15 months writing for Examiner.

There was much rejoicing in my tiny apartment on Sunday, June 20th, when I dotted the last “i” and crossed the last “t” on my first e-book, Hope in Progress: 27 Entrepreneurs Who Inspired Me During the Great Recession. I organized their stories by categories: Foodies, Artists, Healers, Advisors, and Jumpers. The book is available as a free PDF download (which you can also access by clicking the book’s cover in the right hand column of this blog) or for $5 in the Kindle store (which can be viewed on your Kindle, or iPad / iPhone when you download the free Kindle app. You can leave a review of the book on Amazon.com if you’re so inclined, even if you don’t buy the book there.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for supporting me and cheering me on through the process. I’m ridiculously grateful!

2.) Enjoy every moment in Greece without thinking about any stresses from home. I will be entirely off the grid during that week. I will write ahead for this blog and schedule posts – with modern technology, no need to let the blog waves grind to a halt while I’m soaking in the sun! Rest assured, I will be writing every day from the mountains of Santorini and share all of my adventures here on this blog once I return in early July!

This one’s interesting. I’m leaving for Greece tomorrow and I had planned to write ahead. I’ve decided to change that and not write ahead. The whole idea of this year of writing is to take one step every day toward living an extraordinary life. I don’t know what that step will be until I get to that day. So rather than write ahead, I promise you all of the fabulous steps and details once I return. I will be writing every day, with a pen in a notebook – something I have not done in a very long time.

3.) Plan another trip to Florida to welcome my new little niece into the world. She is due June 22nd.

Done! I worried about taking the time off from work almost right after I return from Greece. Silly. 5 years from now, I’m not going to care who at work thought my vacation pattern was weird in the summer of 2010. I will care that I got to spend time with my new niece, Aubree, when she was only a month old. She was born on June 22nd and she’s gorgeous and perfect and we love her to pieces!

4.) Apply for my International Yoga Alliance certification once I have my teacher-training certificate from Sonic in-hand.

I got all of my exams and papers in, and my hours logged. The membership card should be happily nestled in my mailbox when I return from Greece. And then I’ll hopping on the Shakti Express, looking for teaching gigs!

5.) Kick-off my Owning Pink column on relationships, and spend more time on my personal life (which fell a bit to the wayside because of my crazy May schedule.)

I rarely write about relationships here on this blog. I don’t avoid the topic; I just never really know what to say about it in the context of this blog. The fine and gifted team over at Owning Pink asked me to specifically write on this topic for their site and I’m thrilled about it. I write about 2X a month and post the links to this blog. Check it out here. You can also click the Owning Pink icon in the right hand column of this blog. And I picked up the dating baton again this month. I’m enjoying the search!

July Goals:
1.) Soak up the sun in Greece and enjoy every second of my teacher training time with Shiva Rea.

2.) Meet my little niece, Aubree, and hang with my sis and older niece, Lorelei.

3.) Begin actively looking for a weekly yoga class to teach in NYC at an established gym or studio.

4.) Begin thinking about my next e-book. (I’m taking suggestions!)

5.) Continue prep work for my LIM College class that I will start teaching in the Fall: Viral, Guerilla, and Social Media Marketing.

6.) Do some marketing of my e-book.

I’d love to hear how June went for you and what you’re looking forward to in July!

books, entrepreneurship

Step 176: My First Book Is Complete

Christa Avampato

It’s with much excitement that I have self-published my first book – Hope in Progress: 27 Entrepreneurs Who Inspired Me During the Great Recession. It’s a collection of interviews with entrepreneurs that I conducted while writing for Examiner.com. There are two ways to get the book:

Download a free PDF from this blog
Download the book to your Kindle or via the Kindle app to your iPad or iPhone
Download from Slideshare

I’d love to know what you think! The Kindle store and Slideshare accept written reviews and ratings if you’re so inclined.

Thanks to so many who supported my writing over the years as I got these stories down. It’s been a long time coming. These interviews mean a great deal to me and I hope they inspire you to get going on your own dreams. Cheers!

education, social media

Step 175: My First College Teaching Gig This Fall at LIM College

Christa Avampato

In January, I spoke to my friend, Trevin, about my desire to teach in a college setting. At that point I was still considering a PhD program because I thought that would be the surest way to teach at a college. Trevin, now a college professor, in his infinite kindness offered to connect me to a friend and mentor of his at LIM (Laboratory Institute of Merchandising) College in New York. He thought his friend may be able to offer me some advice.

Trevin’s friend offered to take a look at my resume. He said at the time that there wasn’t a teaching position at LIM that matched my background though he’d keep my resume on file should anything come up. He mentioned that I may be a good fit for the Marketing Department so he’d keep an eye out for me. I thanked him profusely and archived the emails. Several months later, the head of the Marketing Department at LIM asked me if I’d come in to the school to meet him. He wanted to offer a class on social media in the Fall and thought I might be interested.

I went into the school, had my interview, and we talked about social media – where it might be going (anyone who says they know for certain where we’re heading is bluffing), how students could learn from the platforms available, and how brands can and should measure the results of social media campaigns. After a wonderful morning, I felt confident that this might have real potential, that I could actually teach in the subject area I’m most interested in without needing a PhD at all. We went back and forth on email over the following months, and then we seemed to reach a scheduling impasse. I thought the opportunity had died on the vine.

And then something really incredible happened. I sat down and really thought about how I’d feel in 5 years if I passed up this opportunity now, and no matter how I turned it over in my mind, I knew in my gut that turning down the opportunity was the wrong choice. (Brian’s proud of me for trusting my gut more often these days.) So I went back, worked out my scheduling conflicts, LIM compromised a bit on my behalf, and voila, problem solved. Compromise only results if we’re really honest about what’s most important to us.

This coming Fall I’ll joining LIM’s faculty as an adjunct professor, my first college teacher role (hopefully one of many). I will be teaching a class entitled Viral, Guerilla, and Social Media Marketing. (I can’t take any credit for the title, but I do love it!) The Marketing Chair and I are working out a cool curriculum, and are uber-excited to see how it all pans out. There’s magic in trusting our gut and going for what we want.

community, yoga

Step 174: Yoga Just Means Union

Christa Avampato

On Tuesday, my friend Sara and I headed to Central Park for Flavorpill’s attempt to break the record for the largest organized yoga class ever held. Sara and I chatted throughout the hour-long wait: spirituality, school loans, and every topic in-between. The time passed quickly. I imagined us on the Great Lawn, doing our sun salutations actually to the sun, breathing together, OMing together. Yoga done anywhere is an amazing experience. Yoga done outside is glorious.

Except when it rains, and rain it did. If it weren’t for the slipping on yoga mats, I may have wanted Flavorpill to stick it out and have us practice through the rain. At first it was just a light sprinkle so we pushed through. Then the torrential downpour started. Literally buckets of rain. Everyone went running, grabbing extra mats and snacks, pushing, poking others with their feeble umbrellas. Apparently yogic behavior doesn’t always survive the rain.

I was just trying to dodge through the crowd to reach the west side of the park. I didn’t much care about getting wet – once you’re soaked, you actually get more soaked – I just don’t like the feeling of being trapped in a giant crowd. While bobbing and weaving (and cursing a little inside my head), I passed by a man on arm crutches. He looked to have cerebral palsy. There he was, plodding along, not complaining, not taking any extra mats or snacks or bags the way so many others were.

At first I rushed past the man and said a little prayer for him. After a few more steps I thought, “Christa, now that’s a lousy thing to do.” I pulled over to the side and waited a few seconds for him to catch up.

“Would you like to share my umbrella?” I asked him.

He smiled the most beautiful smile, and said, “Oh no. I’m fine in the rain, but thanks for asking. No one ever asks.”

“Are you sure?” I asked. “I don’t mind at all.”

“No but thank you, really. That’s very nice of you,” he replied.

I walked a little more slowly now and held that interaction in my mind. His smile was the sunshine I had come to the Park looking for. I didn’t need a mat to do a sun salutation. Yoga is lived as much as it is practiced.

children, family

Step 173: Introducing Aubree Alice, My New Niece

Christa Avampato

Dear Aubree,
We are so excited that you have arrived to sprinkle even more joy into our lives. We are thrilled that you are healthy with ten precious fingers, 10 precious toes, and already a pretty little smile. You are pretty perfect.

Though the world can sometimes seem scary, I know that it will be a better place now that you are in it. You will make us better, happier, stronger people who strive even more to make this world a bit brighter for your sake. We don’t have words yet to tell you how much we love you or how happy we are that you have joined the human race.

We’re so excited to see what you will learn, how you will grow, and who you will become. We promise to be here for you, for every little step, stumble, and wobble. Just reach out your perfect hands and we promise to catch you. Thank you for being here, for being born, for taking this journey with us.

Love,
Your Nan

moving, travel

Step 172: Learning to Leap

Christa Avampato

“Do not confuse motion for progress.” ~ Alfred A. Montapert

With my cold last week, I spent a lot of time sitting. I didn’t go outside much, I slept a lot, and I spent some hours curled up on my couch just lounging. I can’t tell you the last time I just lounged around. I am always on the move, hopping here, there, and everywhere like the white rabbit in Alice in Wonderland. Sitting, I had time to think and consider and mull over some ideas.

My obsession with moving started when I was very young. My dad used to read the New York Times every day and I used to steal the magazine section, not to read the articles, but to look at the travel ads in the back. One summer I ordered every travel guide that was advertised that had a 1-800 number. We didn’t travel much when I was little and these travel guides helped me dream of far away places. I kept them neatly stacked in piles under my bed and I spent as much time as I could pouring through them. Ireland, South Africa, New Zealand, Chile. There wasn’t a single place I didn’t want to travel to. And so began my life of wandering.

I kept that going after college managing Broadway shows and national tours that took me all over the U.S. and Canada. I spent my vacations trekking around, 2 trips to Europe with only a backpack and a guidebook, the Alaska wilderness, and the Caribbean. In business school, I went to South Africa and loved every moment, even the moments after my passport was stolen. In the Fall I went to Costa Rica and next week I’ll be taking in the islands of Greece. There is so much I want to see. The fact that I’ve lived in the same city for the past 3 years is a monumental record.

I’ve always been afraid that if I sat still I’d miss something and thereby miss out on something. I thought motion meant progress. And more importantly, I thought that I couldn’t progress if I didn’t move.

But this last week I experienced a profound change of heart. In the book Glimmer, Warren Berger talks about the idea of jumping fences. When we sit and wait and observe rather than jumping on every new trend or opportunity we have the ability to store up our energy, hone our learning, and jump not just one step ahead, but many. Fence jumpers, Berger argues, are the ones who truly transform our world. They know themselves, they know why they’re jumping (and it’s not just for jumping sake), and they have the strength and stamina to make the leap and stick the landing. Now that sounds like progress.

I don’t think I’ll ever give up trekking around this globe. I’ll keep going for as long as my bank account can take me. But now I’ll also spend some more time re-energizing, and maybe even get in a little more lounge time. Jumping fences sounds like a good hobby to take up.

family, holiday

Step 171: A Father’s Day Tribute to All My Dads

Christa Avampato

I’ve had the great good fortune to have a lot of dads in my life in the truest sense of the world. Men who showed up in my life who loved me, took care of me, and have always been supportive of me and my decisions. On this Father’s Day, a little tribute to each of them:

Joe – my mom’s long-time boyfriend whom we call my step-father because he’s a much more central figure in our lives than just being termed my mom’s boyfriend. We never asked if we could call him our step-father, and he’s never objected to it. We have a good understanding that way. He helped move me in and out of college dorms, then in and out of countless apartments and storage units after college. He danced the Father’s dance with my sister at her wedding. He’s been a big part of all of our holidays, birthdays, and special occasions for 17 years and this summer he and my mom are moving down to Florida to be in the warm weather and be closer to my sister and her family. Without him, I’m not sure my mom would have made this move and I know it’s the best thing for her health. I’m certain that they’re adding years to their lives with this move and for his leadership is moving this idea forward, I’m forever grateful.

Joey – my older brother always felt responsible for my sister and I as kids, though I have to say that sometimes I think we tried to take even better care of him. He bore a large burden growing up as the only son and eldest child. He’s 6 years older than me and almost 8 years older than my sister. When we were little he never shooed us away when he was with his friends. He took us along, taught us to swing a baseball bat, play kickball and tackle football by the rules, catch tadpoles, and climb trees. All those good tom boy traits we always wanted.

Uncle Tom – my mom’s younger brother. I think in some ways he kind of adopted us as his own. He paid for my braces (which were sorely needed!), always encouraged my studies, came to my college graduation, and now is someone I exchange business philosophy with. I looked up to him for his career and independence. He inspired my first interests in business and management, and now inspires me as an entrepreneur.

Great Uncles Joe and John – we always saw them for a bit during every holiday at my grandmother’s house. Joe is my grandmother’s younger brother and John is married to my Aunt Rosie, who is my grandmother’s younger sister. They came to my high school graduation, were always proud of the school work I did, and are always interested in my various travels and careers, of which there have been many. They’re in all of our holiday photos from when we were kids, and they never forget a birthday. I always love hearing their stories about their lives when they were younger, about my family members who I never got to meet, and their lives in the early part of the century. The amount of change they’ve witnessed in one lifetime is staggering.

For all these men who stepped up to raise me in some way, there is never away for me to say thank you enough. Every one should be so lucky to have the dads I’ve had. My Uncle Joe is in the hospital this Father’s Day so I’m especially sending out a little prayer for him, hoping for a speedy recovery. If you could say one for him, too, I’d very much appreciate it.

Happy Father’s Day!

sports, success

Step 170: Going Platinum

Christa Avampato

I love all things pithy and witty. Quotes fill that bill. I used to keep a running list of them on my Blogger blog. Once I moved over to my new WordPress design, I let that be a piece that fell away, though I use quotes all the time in my posts. I love to go back and review my list of quotes – they give me inspiration, counsel, and comfort.

Kevin Kelley writes a fantastic uber-blog of all of his writing called Lifestream. He’s a tech guru who has a knack for making technology applicable to a wide variety of people. He’s also a killer writer, funny, and a fan of quotes. Yesterday, he put up a post with some of his favorite quotes. My favorite comes from Kareem Abdul Jabbar’s 2007 TED speech: “With 300 million people in America, you can fail to impress 299 million of them and still go platinum.” The power of perspective. With that bent, having an idea go platinum seems more probable and possible.

owning pink, relationships, writing

Step 169: My New Column on Relationships on OwningPink.com

Christa Avampato

It’s with great excitement that I announce my new OwningPink.com column on relationships. The brilliant and ridiculously talented Pink team asked me if I’d be interested in being a featured blogger and I couldn’t resist the chance to be more closely linked to them. I was very influenced by Chris Brogan’s recent post on the importance of labs and how they fuel our creativity by pushing us to our edge on a subject we want to understand more deeply. The complexity and wide of relationships (including our relationships with romance, family, friends, money, co-workers, our community, dreams, etc.) is something I want to understand better, so I’m writing my way to understanding through OwningPink.com and inviting all of you along for the ride.

I’ll be posting about twice a month, under the incredible editorial eyes of my dear friend, Joy Mazzola, and her sparkling partner-in-pink-crime, Lauren Nagel. The whole venture is headed by Lissa Rankin, Founder and Pink Doctor of Mojo (what a great title!). Lissa and I connected through Twitter and then I interviewed her for my entrepreneurship column on Examiner. She is a gift in my life.

Would love for you to check out my new column, leave a comment, and click around the site to see all of the other amazing creative work that’s on display.