Happiness is one of the most sought-after possessions in the world. It’s a process, an ebb and flow. Sometimes it’s elusive and other times it’s present in great abundance. Science has recently taken an increased interest in happiness recently, releasing a number of studies on how to attain it and how to keep it.
I came across an article in Yes Magazine that details 10 things we can do to improve our own personal happiness. It’s a very short read and completely worthwhile. It also got me thinking about the 10 things that make me happy in my day-to-day. In no particular order:
1.) My dog, Phineas. The other day I got home from grocery shopping and ran into one of my neighbors. We chatted for a bit, and Phineas heard us so I opened the door and let him run around the hallway a bit. He ran right up to my neighbor with his characteristic joy as if he hadn’t seen her in years. She turned to me and said, “With that to come home to, how could your day ever really be that bad?” She’s right. He makes my day-to-day life so joyful.
2.) My network. I’ve got great friends and a great family. My relationships are, and always will be, my most valuable asset. They’re priceless.
3.) Time. I’m very lucky that most of the time my working hours are very manageable and allow for lots of free time to pursue my own projects. My yoga and writing are possible because I have a well-paying, mostly 40-hour / week job.
4.) A quiet home. Many years ago, I lived in Washington Heights in a much larger and less expensive apartment than I live in now. And while I loved the culture of my neighborhood, it was so loud that for a year I barely slept. It was an exhausting existence. Now I have a peaceful home. It’s small but it’s enough. My own little place where I can go to get away from it all. And I’m so grateful for it every morning when I wake up, rested.
5.) The freedom and resources to learn. Sadly there are so many areas of the world where people are not free to be curious and industrious. Too many people now, even in this country, don’t have the means to get the best education. I was lucky to go to college during a time when federal aid was readily available and fairly affordable. My education made the life I have now possible. It’s an amazing gift.
6.) New York, NY. Let people say what they want. This is the greatest city in the world. It’s a fascinating, bubbling place of diversity. The whole world really is here, just a few steps outside my door every day. You really can be anything you want to be in this city. No matter what pack you wish to join, it’s here. Or feel free to just go it alone, too. This city has freedom in abundance. It’s a place for people who want to build their own road, by their own design.
What keeps you smiling?
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
Happiness is one of the most sought-after possessions in the world. It’s a process, an ebb and flow. Sometimes it’s elusive and other times it’s present in great abundance. Science has recently taken an increased interest in happiness recently, releasing a number of studies on how to attain it and how to keep it. 
Great idea to get us thinking about the little things that make us happy. I’m thankful for my family and friends, of course. Running makes me happy and, to take it one step further, my running group makes me happy. I’ve been with the group for nearly a year, a record for me as far as joining activities go! I’m happy that I have a few people who are employing me as a freelance writer, and that there are many people out there who have been willing to tell me their stories during interviews. And finally, my hometown of Baltimore makes me happy. People are actually really friendly here (most of them anyway); it’s kind of like having a community and a city at the same time.
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Christa,
I think what is remarkable about you is your willingness to share so much of your personal journey and how that also relates to your professional life.
You make that connection clear, which is why your writing is lucid and flawless. And you capture the reader’s attention.
Following your story has been a moving experience. You have been through so much and you have come out on top. You have experimented and taken risks and look at you now.
Cheers to your life.
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Thanks, Archan. I’ve learned so much on my journey and I hope that these small stories on this blog will also help others along their own journey. Stories are gifts.
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