adventure, choices, experience, faith, time

Beautiful: All Beginnings Are Hazy. Don’t Let That Scare You.

Christa Avampato
From Pinterest
From Pinterest

“Beginnings are apt to be shadowy.” ~ Rachel Carson, American marine biologist, conservationist, and author of Silent Spring

We have such a strong desire to know what’s next before we leap. It’s understandable; the unknown is frightening. We don’t know what to expect and it’s difficult to prepare when we don’t know exactly what we’re facing. Panic sets it. We freeze and wait for more information.

Although I thought I knew what I was getting in to before I’ve taken any of my leaps, in my career and in my life, the truth is that what seemed to be sure wasn’t really sure at all. Sometimes things didn’t pan out as I expected, and sometimes that was a wonderful thing. Sometimes, it wasn’t. Sometimes, I faltered and lost my footing. Many times I fell, and then I got back up.

When I look back on those leaps that led me to land in a place that was entirely different from what I expected, I am grateful for my ignorance. I am grateful that I didn’t have all the answers. If I had, I may have never taken those leaps at all. And in the end, they were all worth it because they led me to where I am, a place I am so glad to be.

In the past, I worked very hard to collect what information I could and based my decision on that information. To be honest, the information I collected wasn’t all that valuable. All that time I spent waiting to make a decision didn’t yield much except lost time. In the end, my gut always new what to do when I would invariably get myself in a bind. It didn’t need all the answers; it just needed me to have faith in…me.

Now, I’m getting better at trusting my gut from the start. One thing I can always be certain of is my gut’s ability to do what is best for me. And I’ve learned to trust in my own abilities to handle any circumstance, predicted or otherwise, that arises. Hazy beginnings no longer phase me; every journey is apt to have surprise twists and turns. I embrace them; that’s where the fun is.

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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/

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