Month: June 2013

beauty, decision-making, dreams, imagination, innovation, time

Beautiful: Feeling Empty Is a Gift

Christa Avampato
From Pinterest

“Abundance is a process of letting go; that which is empty can receive.” ~ Bryant McGill

As I prepare to spend my summer re-thinking and re-shaping my future, I’m unpacking quite a bit of my life: my work, my time online, and the hustle and bustle of my everyday life. I’m taking very little with me in the hopes that de-cluttering my life will open the way for new beginnings.

We sometimes place an unfair connotation on the concept of emptiness. I think of emptiness as a blessing, as a state of being that helps us to re-imagine and re-invent. If every ounce of time and space we have is full, then we can’t be open to the many gifts that new experiences offer.

So I’m making room. I’m letting go. I’m giving myself the gift of fully experiencing life one moment at a time and the chance to celebrate the beauty that each small moment holds.

California, dreams

Beautiful: My Vision Board for My Summer in Santa Monica

Christa Avampato

Here’s a snapshot of what I want from my summer in Santa Monica.

One Fine Yogi Tees

choices, decision-making, discovery

Beautiful: Finding Your Purpose Is The Only Work You Have To Do

Christa Avampato

“Your purpose in life is to find your purpose and give your whole heart and soul to it.” ~ Gautama Buddha

A very dear friend of mine recently lost someone close to her. He was taken at far too young an age; he still had a lot of living left to do. Letting someone go is one of the hardest things we have to do, and it’s also an excellent motivator that helps us make the most of our own lives.

The only way I can make sense of loss is by understanding that it makes me live more fully. I don’t take any day for granted. I don’t assume I’m getting a tomorrow. It all goes by too fast, and I try to grab as much of the whirling, swirling wonder of life as possible.

Deciding on our purpose, what we’re meant to do with the small sliver of time we have, is difficult. The only thing more difficult is not undertaking the pursuit. Our purpose can be a cause, person, community, line of work, or role we wish to play in the story of humanity. It’s the only thing we have complete control over. It’s our choice.

So go out there. Discover what it is that lights you up and decide to make a go of it. In that way, no matter how much time you have it will be worthwhile. You will have done what you came to do, and you’ll inspire others to do the same.

California, fear, health, meditation, teaching, yoga

Beautiful: How Meditation Helped Me Through a Bout of PTSD Triggered By the Santa Monica Shooting

Christa Avampato
Crowds on June 10, 2013, make their way to a campus memorial for the five killed in a shooting rampage on June 7 at Santa Monica College. The gunman was also killed. (Andy Holzman/Los Angeles Daily News)

I thought I was through with it. I don’t panic anymore when I hear fire engine sirens. I’m not afraid to be in my home. My nightmares have disappeared. I don’t end up crying on the street wondering how I got there after forgetting where I’m going. These were all symptoms I had after my apartment building fire almost 4 years ago. At the time, I didn’t know what was wrong with me. I just felt crazy. Then after I started going to therapy shortly after the fire, I realized I had PTSD.

Brian, my wizard of a therapist, and I worked through decades of issues that my PTSD triggered and after almost 3 years of hard work, I found my way to stability and confidence. That was a year ago. Last week the Santa Monica shootings sent me into a spell. I’ll be staying near there all summer on a house swap. How could this be happening to me? I felt dizzy with the what if scenarios. What if I had been there already? What if I was driving and I had been the car that was hijacked? What if I was out walking Phineas and I had been hit by a stray bullet? What if. What if. What if. I started crying. And shaking.

I used my tools. I closed by eyes, placed one hand on the heart, one hand on the belly, and started to breathe. Body into the hands on the inhale. Body into the back of the chair on the exhale. I kept my attention at the third eye. I replaced those racing what ifs with this truth: “You are safe.” I began to wind down, slowly and with a lot of effort. It worked. I was safe, and then I felt safe.

This is what meditation can do for you. It can take you from panic to peace. I can take also take you from helpless to helpful. After I calmed down, I had the most incredible thought. What happened in Santa Monica is awful. There are people there who might be scared, people who might need the gift I have to give. Maybe there’s a way for me to teach what I know. After all, I’ve lived with those what if thoughts for a long time. I learned how to chase them away. I learned how to have power over them rather than the other way around. Maybe the people of Santa Monica need that gift, too. Maybe this summer I will be in just the right place at just the right time for people who need me.

community, meditation

Beautiful: Meditate for a Better World

Christa Avampato

I am certain that if every person on the planet learned to meditate and practiced daily for 5 minutes, we’d have a better world in no time. We’d have more joy, peace, and compassion. We’d have less fear, violence, and instability. If we could all sit and tap in, we’d find that we are so much more connected than we ever realized.

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career, choices, dreams

Beautiful: I Left My Corporate Job 1 Year Ago Today

Christa Avampato

It’s hard to believe that one year ago today I walked out the door of my corporate job to carve a career path of my own design. It’s been a year of consulting, writing, and teaching. Most of all, it’s been a year of incredible learning and adventure.

A million thank yous to so many of you who supported me and cheered me on during this process of discovery. I’m living my dream. My success is your success, too. Love, Christa

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career, choices, creativity, happiness, work

Beautiful: If Hillary Clinton is Comfortable with a TBD Future, Then So Am I

Christa Avampato

Have you read Hillary Clinton’s Twitter bio?

“Wife, mom, lawyer, women & kids advocate, FLOAR, FLOTUS, US Senator, SecState, author, dog owner, hair icon, pantsuit aficionado, glass ceiling cracker, TBD…”

The part I like best is “TBD…” This especially resonates with me because starting June 26th, my future is completely TBD. I’m heading to Santa Monica for two months to take a break and figure it out. A lot of people I know are surprised, some are shocked, and some are confused. Why go to California? And exactly what is it that I want to figure out?

I need a break from everything
I’ve been go, go, going for years. Maybe from birth. I can’t remember the last time I took a vacation just to rest and relax. I’m always going for a class / some kind of training or a service project or to visit family. I never go on vacation just to, well, go on vacation. So I’ll be doing plenty of relaxing and just having fun. Cali seems like a good place to do that.

Trying out a bi-coastal life
For a long time, I’ve had this dream of a bi-coastal life, using both New York and California as homes from which to live and work. I know New York suits me. I just don’t know if California does so I’m going to try it out. If I come back to NYC missing California, I’ll know I’m on to something.

Figure out my career
I left my corporate job exactly a year ago tomorrow. I forged this career path of my own design and it’s been an incredible learning experience. I got involved in some wonderful projects with wonderful people. I made some huge mistakes. I succeeded and failed in equal amounts, and I’m proud of all of those experiences. A life and career change of this magnitude is worthy of some dedicated reflection so that I can more clearly see the path ahead. This requires me to zone out the noise of everyday life and tune into my sense of purpose and passion. A change of scene will help me do that.

Where will this lead?
I have no idea. Honestly, I’ve put every facet of my career and life on the table for consideration. I have no definitive must-haves and must-gos. Like Hillary, the future is completely TBD for me. If someone of her stature can be okay with total reinvention, then certainly I can, too. Here’s the one thing I know for sure: I’m going to do what makes me happy.

meditation, stress

Beautiful: The Simplest Definition of Stress Reduction

Christa Avampato

Meditate“The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.” ~ William James, American psychologist and philosopher

With Phin’s hospitalization, my preparation to leave New York City for two months, the move to my new apartment, and the winding down of some of my freelance work, I’ve felt pulled in many different directions, emotionally and physically. Sometimes, I felt completely off kilter (I’ll be giving more specifics on this in an upcoming post). As a meditation and yoga teacher, I have the tools to bring myself back to center. It takes time and patience (sometimes more of both than I would like), but it happens every single time. My practice has never failed me. It’s never failed anyone I know.

So if you’re under the dark clouds of stress and anxiety, sit down. Close your eyes. One hand on the heart, one hand on the belly. Take a deep breath and place your attention right between the eyebrows (the third eye). Your mind doesn’t control you. You control the mind. You are empowered to replace that stress with peace. You can will it to happen. It doesn’t cost you a dime. It doesn’t require any special equipment. And yet, it is the most valuable gift you can give to yourself. Teaching this simple fact is certainly the most valuable thing I give to the world.

animals, dogs, health

Beautiful: Counting on the Miracle of Modern Medicine and Ancient Wisdom for My Dog, Phin

Christa Avampato
From Pinterest

On Monday night my dog, Phineas, started showing signs of sickness. Just after midnight on Tuesday, he started getting sick to his stomach at least once per hour. Though his energy was still good in the morning for his walk, he wasn’t able to keep down food nor water. And he was getting sick even more regularly. Something was terribly wrong.

I rushed him down to the veterinary hospital and his x-rays showed extreme inflammation in his digestive track. Our doctor explained that it could be anything from an infection to a blockage of some kind. Rather than diving right into surgery, she wanted to try to treat him with constant fluids and meds for 24 hours. Young, strong, healthy dogs are often able to pass blockages on their own and bounce back from infections quickly. Phin falls into that category. I left him at the hospital overnight and the doctor will call me in the morning after they run another set of x-rays.

I came home to my empty apartment and tried to stay busy. I cleaned my entire home from top to bottom and attempted to get some work done. It worked moderately well as long as I didn’t look at Phin’s dog bed, his blanket still curled up the way he likes it when he makes a little sleeping nest for himself. One look at that blanket and I would fall apart.

Finally, I put my work aside, closed my eyes, and meditated. I said a lot of prayers. I summoned up as many healing vibes as I ever have and I sent them all over to Phin. I asked my friends to do the same and I know many of them did. I kept reminding myself that my meditation and yoga practice saves and serves. Right now, I really need it to do both.

animals, creativity, dogs, grateful, gratitude

Beautiful: Gratitude Walks With Phineas

Christa Avampato
Phineas taking in the sights and sounds on one of our morning gratitude walks.

Every morning, Phin and I take at least an hour-long gratitude walk. On our walks, I think about all of the blessings I have in my life. I worked for and live a magnificent life. I’m grateful for good work, good people, and freedom, for the sunshine and the blue sky and the trees. For the ability to feel such a wide range of emotions so fully and authentically. I’m most grateful for my inability to take any moment for granted; I know too well how swiftly it can all disappear without warning. I’m grateful to see opportunity everywhere and be able to action against those opportunities for my own benefit and the benefit of others.

Every once in a while, I ask Phin what he’s grateful for and he just looks at me and smiles. “Back at ya, buddy,” I tell him. He lives in the moment more than anyone I know. He loves fiercely and freely. I try to follow his example. If anyone knows the value of time and gratitude, it’s Phin. He’s an amazing teacher.