“Connecting the mind and body is not just a health strategy. It is a movement of consciousness that can change the world.” ~ Matthew Sanford
This morning I read several news stories about the latest medical news on annual physicals. A number of doctors are now saying that annual physicals below age 50 are a waste of time and money, for individuals and for the entire healthcare system. I paused when I heard this information as I have been going for annual physicals my entire adult life. These medical professionals aren’t saying don’t go to the doctor nor are they saying don’t get recommended routine exams. They’re just balking at going to the doctor for the simple sake of going to the doctor. If you aren’t feeling well, get checked. If you’re feeling good, you’re fine.
Just after reading these articles, I came across Matthew Sanford’s quote. I’ve been a fan of Matthew’s since reading his book Waking a few years ago. He changed my yoga practice and informed my teaching through his words and experiences. The connection between mind and body, and it goes evenly in both directions, is critical to our health and happiness and has a tremendous impact on the world around us.
When we’re tapped into our essence, when we’re on our path, the world rises up to meet us. It supports us in our pursuits. We come into contact with exactly the people we are supposed to meet. We end up being in the right place at exactly the right time to learn exactly the lessons we are meant to learn.
When considering this pursuit, the question I most often hear is “How will I know when I’m on the right path?” I can only tell you how I knew. I knew it in my bones. My body could sense when I was going in the right direction. I overrode its wisdom for a long time until I was finally so tired and worn down that I had to sit still and listen. My mind was so good at covering up my tracks on the wrong road that I didn’t even know I was tired. I thought I was fine. And I wasn’t.
As I sat and listened, I could hear a whispering way off in the distant. It had an urgency but not the clarity I needed to hear its message. Over the course of several years, I had to keep sitting and listening. I had to keep getting quiet to get another small piece of the puzzle. I would hear that small bit of wisdom and then try it out to see how it felt. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it worked for only a short time, and sometimes it didn’t work at all. And still I would listen; I would wait for more information; I would tap in.
I offer to you the same opportunity. It’s there for all of us. All it requires is patience, curiosity, and perseverance. Your road is out there, too. It will call to you and when it does, you’ll be ready.
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/
View all posts by Christa Avampato
Absolutely! It helps me understand someone as a whole person. I often think about the health of my professional colleagues and how it affects their behavior.
Absolutely! It helps me understand someone as a whole person. I often think about the health of my professional colleagues and how it affects their behavior.
LikeLike