Month: June 2016

creativity

Wonder: Face this week with a wink and a smile

Christa Avampato

“A strong woman looks a challenge dead in the eye and gives it a wink.” ~Gina Carey

Challenges are all around us—at home and work, in our community, in every relationship, and even within us. It’s easy to get pulled into them and not seeing anything else. This weekend as I was in the midst of packing I read this quote by Gina Carey.

Given my schedule and move, this week will be filled with challenges so I’m going to try an experiment: every time I meet a challenge (or a challenging person), I’m going to smile wide before I say anything. In my mind, I’m going to look my challenges dead in the eye and wink. That’s my choice. Care to join me?

creativity

Wonder: How to survive packing and moving

Christa Avampato

I started packing up my apartment this weekend to get ready for my move on Friday. I’m excited about my new home, adopting a second dog, and learning a new neighborhood as well as I know my current one.

And then a funny thing happened yesterday. I started to get nervous, really nervous. I was worried I was running out of time, supplies, and energy. So I sat down, right in the middle of my packing supplies, closed my eyes, and took a deep breath. And another and another. Phineas and Otis climbed into my lap. When I opened my eyes, things looked different. I had made progress.

Moving is stressful. My job’s stressful. I’m tired. I’m worried about so many things, moving-related and otherwise. I just got overwhelmed by all of it. It’s going to be okay. I’ll get it all done. I’ll figure it out. And in the mean time, I’ll just keep breathing.

creativity

Wonder: Imagine your life 3 months from now

Christa Avampato

“Imagine your life 3 or 6 months from now. It looks better,” said my friend, Alex, who always knows exactly what to say when I’m having a tough day. I often call her when I’m at a loss and just don’t know what to do or how to think or feel about something.

I felt that way this week, and she repeated this advice to me again. She’s right. She’s always right. No matter what’s upsetting me, chances are I won’t even remember that it happened a few months from now. This day will likely fade into the distance as unremarkable, and what seems like such a big deal today will be completely insignificant by then.

After Alex gave me that advice, I instantly felt better. The future does look sunny. I got through my day holding my head a little higher, standing a little taller, and feeling a little lighter. I hope you do, too.

creativity

Wonder: Kids need the arts

Christa Avampato

Our First Lady said it best on The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell on MSNBC: “No one should ever think that dance and music and theater are a luxury…because for so many of our students, they are truly necessities. They’re the reason these kids show up [to school].”

The arts give a lot of people meaning in their lives. They aren’t an extra. They aren’t a luxury. They are the reasons that many of us get out of bed in the morning. Let’s do everything we can to ensure that every child has a right to express themselves through art.

Are you with me?