career, choices, decision-making

Beginning: Spend One Day in Your Ideal Job

Christa Avampato

“What you are is what you have been. What you’ll be is what you do now.” ~ Buddha

You and I have been doing some soul-searching. In Mary Oliver’s beautiful words, we’ve been working hard to figure out what to do with our “one wild and precious life”. Yesterday I wrote about being at a crossroads in defining my soul’s work, and I’ve been spending a lot of time laying the foundation for Compass Yoga. Yesterday, I lived a day in my ideal job running Compass, and it was by all measures one of the happiest working days of my life. This is no small revelation.

I started out the morning at a reasonable time without feeling rushed – I walked Phineas, got ready, had some breakfast and was able to spend a few moments in meditation to prepare for the day ahead. I then went to meet with a group of attorneys who will potentially take Compass Yoga on as a client in their pro bono practice. I took away a few key items and decisions to speak about with the board when we convene for our first meeting in a couple of weeks. Then I gave a presentation on how yoga and meditation alleviate the body’s stress response at a men’s health fair at Jericho Project, a nonprofit partner that provides assistance to the homeless and like Compass has a particular interest in helping returning veterans.

It was a very good day, an ideal, fulfilling career day. And this got me to thinking, “Why couldn’t every one of my work days feel like this?” The answer of course is they can be, given certain decisions that I am on the doorstep of making. It was a motivating experience.

This day in my ideal job gave me a whole new perspective and new confidence in pursuing my entrepreneurial path. I felt such a sense of peace and satisfaction on this road. Even at a couple junctures when there was a bit of stress, it dissipated quickly and completely. I didn’t go running for the hills when the work day was done. I just eased into my evening. It’s been too long since I had a work day wrap up like that. I must remember Buddha’s wise advice – what I do now, today, becomes the basis for who I am tomorrow.

Give it a whirl
Maybe you have an idea of how you’d like to spend your work days. Maybe you have an idea of a venture you’d like to consider. Is it the right path for you? Should you leave behind your current job? Perhaps. My advice would be to take a day off and really live that ideal career day. See how it goes. Your body will tell you if you’re on the right path. Listen to it, and let me know how it unfolds.

Unknown's avatar

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/

2 thoughts on “Beginning: Spend One Day in Your Ideal Job”

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

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.