“The important thing, it seems to me, is that we believe in the possibilities of one another.” ~ Feo Aladag, Director of When We Leave, to Cinema Without Borders
Yesterday I promised to tell you about the second dream I had in Florida that was so vivid, so eerie, that I felt it was more of a message than a dream. This one is about options, possibilities, and just how many of them are all around us.
The dream
In the dream I was seated in a very dark room, so dark that I actually wasn’t able to see anything. I didn’t feel frightened or alarmed in any way. It was as if I was just sitting cross-legged on the floor and with my closed eyes had blocked out all the light. There was a very clear voice, not my own and not belonging to anyone I recognized. The only thing I was certain of is that the voice was male.
Very clearly and calmly that voice said to me, “You’re not as penned in as you think.” I started on why I need to keep my day job with the fact of my pesky student loans right at the top of the list. Then the voice asked me to really think about that reason and see if it’s true. And just like that, the dream ended and I woke up.
A lesson from my younger self
I thought about my students loans. While the total dollar amount is higher than I’d like, the monthly payment is lower than my student loan payment was when I first graduated from undergrad in 1998. And what did I do in 1998? I went running off to New York City to chase a crazy dream of working on Broadway shows. I didn’t move here, get a day job, and chase my dream on the side. I went for it, both feet in. It was difficult, I struggled, and there were plenty of days when I wondered what I was really doing. When those days hit, I just buckled down, showed up, and kept going because moving forward was the only thing I knew how to do.
Maybe the voice in my dream had a point. Maybe it is time for me to let go of the guideline that I have to pay off my student loans before I can leave a stable day job. If we want to live extraordinary lives, then we can’t spend all our days living our dreams on the side. The only box we are really in is the one we build around ourselves; we’re not as penned in as we may feel. We have to believe in our own possibilities and the possibilities of one another.
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
“The important thing, it seems to me, is that we believe in the possibilities of one another.” ~ Feo Aladag, Director of When We Leave, to Cinema Without Borders
Christa Avampato 
Christa,
Thank You. Invariably, your posts provide food for thought.
I think the voice in your dream has an important message for you.
Let nothing stand in the way of living your dreams–do not delay.
Carpe Diem: Seize the Day. More than that, seize this moment.
Right now.
By living your dream on the side, you are delaying the process of achieving the dream. However, for the time being, that is okay.
Once you have things in place, it will be time to take the plunge. Until then, it is better to play the waiting game.
The reason: it is better to take a calculated risk than a foolish risk.
So, at the moment of making the decision, ask yourself: do you feel comfortable leaving your day job and working on Compass Yoga full time? If the answer is yes, you can move toward self-employmen.
Just my opinion, that’s all. May you live your dreams. Cheers.
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That inner voice is so powerful isn’t it, Archan? We do know when it’s time to “get on with it” and in the mean time, we can make hay while the sun shines.
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Christa,
After reading your latest post, this idea crossed my mind. Just want to share it with you. I think it may work for you. Hope it helps you.
Keep your day job (for the time being).
Publicise Compass Yoga using a PR agency and your own contacts.
Let people know what kind of services you are offering, where you are situated, what are your charges and your qualifications, etc.
Pilot-test your idea in your free time, say, on the weekends. See how many clients you are able to attract: the more, the merrier. Are they satisfied? Are you receiving repeat clients? How about new clients?
Once you feel comforable with making a full time income, rinse and repeat the process. And ask your clients for feedback through surveys and questionairres. That will help to improve your services.
You can leave your day job only after you feel comfortable with the progress you are making. Your intuition will guide you when the time is ripe to leave your day job. Until then, hang in there.
After all, living your dream takes time and patience. Namaste.
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Hi Archan! I love this plan. Small steps and many hands make light the load, right? This incremental method you suggest makes so much sense, and I really love this idea of bringing a PR agency on board to grow the business. I am definitely going to seek this out!
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Awesome and beautiful! Thanks for sharing!
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Thanks, Suzy. It was an eerie, beautiful experience to have dreams with such powerful messages about life.
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YES!!!
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Thanks, Trish, as always! 🙂
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