“Your attention is precious. Don’t squander it. Don’t let anyone or anything steal it from you. Own your attention — it’s all you really have.” -Jonathan Harris
Your attention is your greatest asset because it harnesses your energy and time. Here are 5 ways I safeguard mine:
1.) Keep a book of ideas
My friend, Crystal, bought me a journal for my birthday with the words “brilliant ideas” on the cover. I use it to house my ideas about anything and everything, brilliant or not. This journal reminds me to tap in.
2.) 6 impossible things
Influenced by the famous quote from Alice in Wonderland, I just started writing down 6 impossible things before breakfast to get my creative juices flowing first thing in the morning. More on this in a future blog post!
3.) Meditate
It doesn’t have to be an elaborate, complicated practice. I sit up in bed when I wake up, close my eyes, and just focus on my breath for a few minutes. I remind myself that I am strong, healthy, and capable. I silently express my gratitude that I am alive and that I get to have another day to make a difference – my singular goal every day.
4.) Let go of “stuff”
I’ve never been a big “stuff” person. I don’t have fancy clothes, jewelry, or household items. After my apartment building fire almost 5 years ago, I became even less materialistic and I live without very many personal items at all. I recently had to downsize to take a short-term sublet as I figure out my next step in life. Giving away even more things to people who really needed them made me so happy. My life is richer with fewer physical possessions.
5.) Consciously look for beauty
On Monday, I went to the park with my nieces. My 4-year-old niece, Aubree, said, “Nan (her nickname for me), look!” She was staring out at the lake. “I don’t see anything,” I said. “What are you looking at?” “Look at the sunshine,” she said. “It’s so beautiful!” She is a wise little lady. The sunshine was beautiful. And I was missing it. Everywhere you go, look for beauty. It’s there and it inspires.
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
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