“As human beings, our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake the world as in being able to remake ourselves.” ~ Gandhi
This winter weather can really take the wind out of our sails. Today it’s heading to 60 degrees in New York City and I think Central Park may have a mob scene on its hands by the time happy hour rolls around tonight. I might be part and parcel to it myself. I need to literally stretch my wings and let the sunshine pour down over me. I’ve felt too-couped up for the past few months. I needed the rest, and now it’s time to put my new-found energy to work.
All this excitement of remaking my life comes on the heels of having paid down a huge chunk of my student debt. With that goal accomplished far ahead of schedule, I’ve turned my attention toward reinventing my day-to-day life. The options of what to do next are endless, and paired up with a multitude of interests I’ve got more options for re-invention than I know what to do with!
The process of remaking our lives can be a daunting task, and luckily I’ve made a habit of it so this path is a well-traveled one for me. I’ve found that the keys to surviving and thriving during the reinvention process are:
1.) Make it a game. Try out new ideas. Put them to use, tinker, and see how it goes. Play.
2.) Don’t take any of your mistakes or successes so seriously that you’re afraid to make your next move. Don’t beat yourself up for wrong turns or paths that didn’t pan out. It’s all good learning (and good writing material.)
3.) A loose plan of how to move forward helps to focus your energy, but also gives you room to learn and change direction as needed.
If all else fails, reinvent again
Like any new start, remaking your life will have its ups and down, moments of excitement and anxiety. The greatest joy we have in this life is a new start every day. We can wipe the slate clean and start from scratch, creating something new that the world has never seen before. It’s the blessing of being an individual, and should be exercised and celebrated.
Get out there and start something, anything, that gets your heart jumping. Don’t worry about having to change and impact the whole world. Just focus on impacting your little slice of it and build from there. Reinventing our own lives is more than enough work for any of us.
This blog is also available as a podcast on Cinch and iTunes.
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
“As human beings, our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake the world as in being able to remake ourselves.” ~ Gandhi
Christa Avampato 