Month: June 2012

adventure, writing

Leap: Diving Off the Cliff is Only the Beginning

Christa Avampato
From Pinterest

Every year, I choose a theme for my posts on this blog. In January, I made the New Year’s Resolution that I would Leap into entrepreneurship full-time by December and write about that journey every day.

I left my corporate job last Friday, 6 and a half months ahead of schedule. Many people came forward to tell me that my Leap inspired them and that they want to make a Leap of their own. They asked for my advice, help, and encouragement, and I’m completely happy to offer up all 3 and then some. Leaping isn’t the end; it’s just the beginning!

To that end, I’ll be writing daily about the following topics for the remainder of the year:

  • My own journey as I start my new company, Chasing Down the Muse, and continue to grow Compass Yoga. You’ll hear the ups, the downs, the challenges, and the rewards.
  • The journeys of other people who have taken a Big Leap in their lives. Originally, I planned to post these stories under an entirely new site, The Geronimo Project. Instead, I am going to host The Geronimo Project series here.
  • Pictures, quotes, and tidbits of inspiration that I find useful and that I hope will be useful for you, too.
  • Guests posts from writers who want to share their Leap stories.

I hope you’ll join in the conversation, share your own stories, and be inspired. Let’s go – we’ve got a lot of living to do!

business, career, time, work

Leap: My First Day Working Solely for Myself

Christa Avampato
From Pinterest

Yesterday was my first day as the head of my new company, Chasing Down the Muse, where I develop new products, services, and programs for companies on the leading edge of their industries and where I teach classes to creative professionals to help them learn how to tap their imagination at will. By all accounts it was the best first day I’ve ever had at a new job.

With respects to time, my day played out like this: I woke up early, had a staff meeting with myself (Phineas was there too), planned my work for the week, gave an in-class private session to my friend, Sara, at ISHTA Yoga, saw Brian (my coach), and then came back home to get going on my weekly goals. I did all of my work on my Mac, had music on in the background, and enjoyed the sunshine as it steamed through my open windows and filled my entire apartment. I made all of my own food right before I ate it and ate it, only when I was hungry, on real plates with real silverware. I took a few walks with Phineas to clear my mind and give him his exercise. It was blissful to have control over my time.

Here’s what I didn’t do yesterday: waste a single moment in a meeting or on a phone call with no meaning, feel frustrated at executing against business decisions I didn’t agree with, nor ask permission to do what I know to be the right thing to do. I felt passionate about my work and empowered to act in every moment.

I felt free, and that is something I’m happy to get used to feeling.

adventure, business, career, community, creativity, work

Leap: My New Company – Chasing Down the Muse

Christa Avampato

I am so excited to announce the launch my new business, Chasing Down the Muse. I create products for companies on the leading edge of their industries and teach classes that help people build their own creative habit. To learn more about my services, click here.

Thank you so much for all of your support leading up to this big day. If you’re interested in this new business, here are a few ways to be involved with the company:

1.) Be an Inspired Instigator! As I craft products, services, and programs, I will be reaching out to a small group of people to get their feedback and advice prior to launch. I’d love to have you as part of the group! The time commitment is very small (mostly done in short 10-question surveys every other month), entirely optional, and fun. Plus, there will be prizes and plenty o’ recognition. Contact me if you’re interested in learning more.

2.) Keep me in mind for any projects you or your company have that match my experience and pass on the URL of Chasing Down the Muse to anyone you know who would be interested in learning more.

Thanks again for all of your energy and excitement around my leap into a freelance life. I’ll be sharing the journey with you every day right here and I hope you’ll share your journey with all of us, too!

career, time, work

Leap: Freelancing is a Remedy to the Sunday Night Blues

Christa Avampato
From Pinterest

While waiting at the elevator with my dog, Phin, on Saturday afternoon I began to run through the list of things I needed to get done before heading to the office early on Monday morning. And that’s when it hit me. I’m not going to the office on Monday morning. In my newly started freelance life, I’m working at home on Monday morning and then heading to the yoga studio to teach a private session. I realized that I wouldn’t have the Sunday night blues that I’ve often experienced over the last few months. That chapter is over.

This realization felt like a dip in a cool pool on a hot day. I let this insight wash over me and sink deep into my skin. What’s more, it motivated me to work incredibly hard at building my own business because it was such a welcome feeling to know that my time is now my own.

Viva la independence!

creativity, fear, priorities

Leap: Stop Planning and Start Doing

Christa Avampato
From Pinterest

Planning to leap, peering over the edge of the cliff into my dreams, was scary. Leaping was not.

When I walked out my corporate office yesterday and into a freelance life, I knew I was making just the right change at just the right time. All these months, I went through every fear in the book. I teased them out, one by one, and then I stacked a plan against each until the fear was manageable. I kept waiting to have no fear at all, and then realized that day isn’t coming. And it shouldn’t.

Used in the correct way, with the correct perspective, a bit of fear can be a wonderful motivator to act more and act often. Once I saw it as a tool and not a roadblock, a funny thing happened: the fear actually did subside. It reminded me of that saying, “Once I accept who I am, then I can change.” We have to get out of our own way in order to act.

There’s a lot of power in action. I’m a huge fan of planning but only to the extent that it’s used as a gateway to action, and the sooner that gateway opens the better.

career, change, courage, entrepreneurship

Leap: Today I’m Trading My Corporate Job for a Freelance Life

Christa Avampato
Thanks to my friend, Trish, for sending me this photo this week!

“And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” ~ Anaïs Nin

Today is that day for me. After many months of thinking about taking the leap into full-time entrepreneurship, I’m ready to go. My desk is clear, my email inbox is empty, my to-do list is done, and I’ve said all of my good-byes (which are really more see-you-laters.) Now there is nothing left to do except leap. June 15th will be forever etched in my mind as the day when I chose to be free, the day I chose to take the leap and build my wings on the way down.

I had an incredible run during the toughest economy we’ve ever faced. For 4 years I had a front row seat to the economic crisis – its unraveling and its knitting back together, albeit more loosely and in a different form. I met some of the very best people I’ve ever encountered, and some of the worst. I learned from all of them and will be forever grateful to each for helping me to find this new path, my path. I leave my corporate job with a lot of heart for the company and the people, and even more gratitude.

As Milan Kundera so brilliantly wrote, I now understand what it means to experience the unbearable lightness of being. That is exactly how I feel – as if I don’t even need wings, as if the wind will just rise up and allow me to float to the other side. It’s so empowering to take my future into my own hands. I feel like I could just tear my dreams right out of the sky and plant them here on Earth. Like Adele, I could set fire to the rain. Freedom feels that good.

And to all of you, I owe an enormous thank you. Ever since I started this blog 5 years ago, ever since I set the New Year’s resolution 6 months ago to make this leap, you have been cheering me on and offering up your own stories – through comments, emails, tweets, texts, and conversations online and off. I wish there was a way to adequately say thank you. There isn’t. The best I can do is make the most out of this new road and take you all right along with me.

Take my hand. 1, 2, 3, jump…

career, change, entrepreneurship

Leap: Stop Waiting For The Other Shoe to Drop; It Won’t

Christa Avampato

Perhaps I have a serious case of rose colored-glasses but I actually think I look younger since giving my notice at work.

Tomorrow will be my last day at my job before jumping off the cliff to work for myself. I keep waiting to bolt upright out of bed in a total panic. A funny thing keeps happening: the closer I get to the goal, the more solid I feel in the decision. I’ve never felt so sure of my path and I have to admit that there is a lightness creeping into my being. I’m walking taller; my mind and heart are opening in ways I never thought possible.

After so many years of looking around for the perfect job, I finally understand that creating that job is up to me. It’s empowering to be firmly in the driver’s seat and to have an unexplainable trust in the wisdom of the Universe to work out the details. All I had to do was commit, show up, and be prepared to take the journey. Come along with me – I can’t wait to see what lies on the other side.

grateful, gratitude, television

Leap: Mr. Rogers Asks Us to Take 10 Seconds of Silence to Think of the People Who Helped Us Be Who We Are

Christa Avampato

I recently saw this video on KarmaTube of the acceptance speech Mr. Rogers gave when he was presented with an Emmy for Lifetime Achievement. In it he asks all of us to take 10 seconds of silence to think of all of the people who helped us be who we are. Though it was a short and sweet speech, there is a strength and emotion in it that leaves everyone who watches it with a profound sense of gratitude. Have a look and follow his example. You’ll be glad you did.

Video from KarmaTube

business, career, entrepreneurship, technology

Leap: Got a Technology-based Startup Idea? LaunchHouse Wants to Hear It!

Christa Avampato

The world just got a little brighter for tech entrepreneurs who are looking for a combination of funding and support to launch their ideas out into the world.

Introducing LaunchHouse: an Ohio-based seed capital investment fund, like Y Combinator or Tech Stars, will invest $25,000 in 10 technology-based entrepreneurial teams from around the world. And the best news is that you still have time to grab your shot at being one of the 10 brilliant teams to receive funding.

What is LaunchHouse looking for?
New startup technology-based companies with 2-3 cofounders, 1 of whom must be a programmer
Willingness to relocate to Cleveland, Ohio for a 12-week, full-time commitment to the LaunchHouse program

What kinds of applicants is LaunchHouse looking for?
High school graduates to baby boomers, LaunchHouse is looking for the 10 best ideas for new startups from around the world. Period.

When is the application due?
July 1st

What happens once all of the applications are submitted?
In July, there will be an “un-conference” where the 30 top teams will be invited to Cleveland to compete in a pitch session to clinch one of the 10 final spots in the program. Then the top 10 teams roll up their sleeves and get to work for 12 weeks building their dream companies.

What’s the goal of LaunchHouse?
Identify 10 promising teams of entrepreneurs and work with them over 12 weeks to launch their new companies and set them up to either raise follow-on funding and secure their first paying customers.

Your dream of entrepreneurship could be just an application away. Stop waiting. Start doing. Apply here.

communication, encouragement

Leap: Keep Feedback in Perspective

Christa Avampato

Feedback is everywhere. Everyone will offer up their advice, unsolicited or otherwise, on every aspect of your life. It can be incredibly helpful to collect these critiques and opinions. It can also be downright dangerous and soul-crushing. So what’s a thoughtful, sensitive, eager-to-always-improve person to do with all these opinions? Keep what bolsters you up and throw away the rest.

This doesn’t mean that we should ignore feedback that gives us ideas for places we can improve; it just means we should only take feedback that’s clear and constructive. Recently I got feedback that praised my enthusiasm, then in the next breath said I should consider being less enthusiastic so I appear more grounded, and then in the next breath said I was really grounded. Huh?! I thanked the person for their feedback and then left it right there where I found it.

I’m all for feedback because I’m such a huge fan of continuous improvement. However, the only feedback that helps us improve is feedback that’s clear, concise, and given with a sense of support. If those 3 criteria aren’t met, do yourself a favor – accept it with grace, push it aside, and move on. Focus your energies on doing the work you’re meant to do with all the magnificence that is you.