I am blessed with a life filled with inspiring friends. I love to feature the important work they’re doing out in the world. Today’s features fall to Monica McCarthy and Sara Alvarez, two women finding their voices through their writing and their practice as coaches.
Monica McCarthy with pup, KenyaMonica McCarthy, the Lifestylista One of her mantras: “It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.” ~ e.e. cummings
Monica and I met through Twitter. I was heading out to a Meetup for Tech Nerds and Monica tweeted me that it sounded interesting. I invited her to join me, and we’ve been karma pals ever since. While she’s been blogging for quite some time, she has recently revamped the blog as one piece of her broader life coaching site. Monica’s mission to help creative professionals and entrepreneurs craft lives they love.
On her gorgeous site, she officially describes herself as “a Certified Holistic Health Coach, Recovering Actor, Writer, Speaker, and proud pup parent (isn’t she pretty?) with no plans of retiring. Ever.”
Though these are the parts of her self-description that I love the most and explains why we were such fast friends:
“I Feel most alive when I trust my intuition.
I Dream of having a second home in France where I ride my bicycle to the café to read and eat my daily chocolate croissant.
I Fear mediocrity.
I Lust after all things travel and have been fortunate enough to live/work/perform in Germany/London/Scotland/Japan.
I Drink Green juice, Joe’s iced coffee, Malbec, and Guinness with equal fervor
I went from bartender to Broadway to being my own boss.
I met Sara through yoga teacher training at Sonic Yoga and since then she has proven to be a bright, shiny, supportive light in my life. She recently completed her Holistic Health Practitioner certification and started a blog called Blissful Brides where she “tracks her personal experience as a Yoga teacher, Holistic Health Coach, and BRIDE.” Her business provides yoga and holistic health counseling for artists and professionals. With a heart as big as her home state of Texas, she is “dedicated to helping others follow their bliss and learn to make healthier lifestyle choices which will empower them to succeed in every aspect of life.”
Sara’s focus on a wellness plan that is “flexible, fun, and rewarding” makes her the perfect choice for people not only looking to improve their nutrition, but to also improve their lives.
I’m mighty proud to have these two ladies in my life, and I hope you’ll take the time to get to know them, too.
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
4 thoughts on “Beginning: Monica McCarthy and Sara Alvarez Begin Their New Coaching Journeys”
I am so honored Christa! Thank you for so much for your kindness, encouragement, and generosity!
In my humble opinion, your posts are always inspiring. This one, in particular, is like the icing on the cake.
It feels great to know that you are bumping into like-minded people. These kindred spirits are sort of like soul sisters.
As time goes by, I would like for you to meet even more people like this, who are a source of inspiration: people with common interests.
Together, you can pursue your passions and achieve your dreams–kind of like a support group. You should encourage each other and work together to build bridges and mend broken fences.
This is what is great about you: your ability to reach out to others. Your ability to attract the right kind of people into your life. Live long and prosper; be happy and achieve success.
Hi Archan,
I am always on the look out for inspiring people. I’ve been so lucky to meet so many and I find that the more I seek, the more I find. And isn’t that true of everything in life? Cheers!
Christa Avampato 
I am so honored Christa! Thank you for so much for your kindness, encouragement, and generosity!
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And I am honored to feature you so the feeling is mutual!
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Christa,
Thank You.
In my humble opinion, your posts are always inspiring. This one, in particular, is like the icing on the cake.
It feels great to know that you are bumping into like-minded people. These kindred spirits are sort of like soul sisters.
As time goes by, I would like for you to meet even more people like this, who are a source of inspiration: people with common interests.
Together, you can pursue your passions and achieve your dreams–kind of like a support group. You should encourage each other and work together to build bridges and mend broken fences.
This is what is great about you: your ability to reach out to others. Your ability to attract the right kind of people into your life. Live long and prosper; be happy and achieve success.
Cheerio.
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Hi Archan,
I am always on the look out for inspiring people. I’ve been so lucky to meet so many and I find that the more I seek, the more I find. And isn’t that true of everything in life? Cheers!
LikeLike