“Silent gratitude isn’t much use to anyone.” ~ Gladys Bronwyn Stern, British writer
Say thank you. To the people who inspired you, whether you know them personally or not. To the people who made a difference in your life. Who encouraged you at every turn to be more than you ever thought you could be. Who helped you reach further, run faster, rise higher, and breathe deeper. To the people who set the example by which you live. To the people who showed up not only to celebrate your victories, but also to comfort you in your hour of defeat. The people who helped you dust yourself off after a hard day so that you could try again tomorrow with a full heart.
There is something so sacred, so liberating, about expressing gratitude. Thank you is free, and it multiplies. You say thank you to someone and it inspires them to pay it forward. You can never say thank you too much. You can never be too grateful. So go ahead and overdo it. Way overdo it. Throw it around far and wide as if it has no end because it doesn’t. It is one of the few resources in this world that is truly infinite. It’s one of the gifts you can give anyone and they will love it more than anything else they’ve ever received. They will remember it during their darkest times and their greatest triumphs. It’s that rare possession that we can take with us wherever we go.
Say it out loud. Say it online for the whole world to see. Write a letter. Send an email. Text. The method doesn’t matter so long as the message is sent loud, clear, and often.
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
1 thought on “Leap: A Shout Out for Gratitude”
A practice of expressing gratitude opens the heart and gathers everyone in a circle of love.
Christa Avampato 
A practice of expressing gratitude opens the heart and gathers everyone in a circle of love.
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