1, choices, dreams, opportunity

Beginning: The Possibilities of You

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

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.

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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/

9 thoughts on “Beginning: The Possibilities of You”

  1. 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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    1. 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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  2. 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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    1. 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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  5. Pingback: Beginning: Standing on My Head « Christa in New York

I'd love to know what you think of this post! Please leave a reply and I'll get back to you in a jiffy! ~ CRA

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