Category: grateful

beauty, creativity, grateful, learning, teaching

Beautiful: The Road to Wholeness

Christa Avampato

“Nothing in life is trivial. Life is whole wherever and whenever we touch it, and one moment or event is not less sacred than another. it. You’ve got to really look after it and nurture it.” ~ Vimala Thakar

It all matters. The simple and the complex. The difficult and the easy. The joyful and the heartbreaking. Each moment comes to our door to teach us something – about ourselves, about others, and about the world and our place in it.

I’ve been wrestling with this idea a bit this week, trying to make sense of why things go haywire, why they fall apart, and what we do with the pieces that remain. As best I can tell, we pick them up one at a time and help others do the same. They don’t fit together neatly as they did before. But what they create is stronger, more unique, and reflects what we learned in the process of putting it all back together.

Difficult circumstances are hard to live. They’re hard to examine. They’re hard to release. But the process of getting through them, reflecting on what they taught us, and figuring out a way to move forward is an act of sacred healing in and of itself. We can be whole again.

beauty, dreams, grateful, gratitude

Beautiful: Love What Is

Christa Avampato

45b9139e10a6a126038d35f7c74b3618“We spend too much time living in the ‘what if’ and need to learn to live in the ‘what is.’ “ ~ Reverend Leroy Allison

There is a casualty to being a dreamer. Sometimes we spend so much time building a world of our own design that we miss the beauty that is right in front of us. We miss the chance to be inspired right now because we’re so in love with our vision of how things will be.

I have no intention of giving up any of my dreams. I am passionate about carving my own path. However, I also want to make sure that I appreciate exactly where I am on each step of this journey. There is beauty in process, in the act of becoming. In these small, ordinary moments, there are extraordinary things happening. I want to recognize them for all the magnificence that they hold.

career, choices, grateful, gratitude, time

Beautiful: The Art of Living

Christa Avampato

63b511e384dfa2398a6f4ae9b3f63a6aLast weekend, I read the New York Times opinion article by Erin Callan, former CFO of Lehman. Having climbed to the top of the corporate ladder, she found that the view wasn’t worth the work it took to get there. She gave up a lot of her life to reach that position and in the article she expresses profound regret. I am glad that I took the leap from that path long before I lost my perspective.

Now my life is a work of art, and for that I am immensely grateful.

grateful, gratitude, kindness, thankful

Beautiful: The Best Way to Say Thank You is to Share What You Have

Christa Avampato

fabc9fa30d6a4ae0026940317887819d“How do you say “thank you” for sunshine or health…for clear days or gentle rains…for happiness, joy or love? You say it by sharing what you have. You say it by making the world a better place in which to live.” ~ Thomas D. Willhite

Sure you could say thank you a thousand times over. I recommend it. People need to know that they are appreciated. They need to hear thank you much more often than they do. If someone does something nice for you and you don’t acknowledge that kindness with a “thank you”, then you’re essentially flipping them off, but worse – you’re flipping them off with a passive aggressive air of nonchalance. It’s as if you would flip them off, if only it were worth the time. Ick. Say thank you – loud, proud, and often.

“Thank you” is a lovely sentiment. Simple, direct, and classy. And there’s something even better. Say thank you and then turn around and pay it forward. Sure you could turn around in the line in Starbucks and pay for your neighbors expensive caffeinated beverage. You could also extend your kindness to everyone you meet. For a day, just make it a point to smile, say thank you, look everyone in the eye, and mean it. It’s that simple. And it’s so powerful.

At the end of most of my yoga classes, I let students know that it’s my honor to be there with them, that the light that is in me honors the light that is in each one of them. And that isn’t just some gratuitous sentiment. I mean it. I feel it. I want each one of them to know that. They matter and I’m glad that I had the chance to spend some time with them. I hope the classes are helpful to them. They certainly are for me.

Life is all about exchange. Everyone shows up with what they have. It’s a mental pot luck and everyone’s invited. Share what you have and rest assured that it is enough.

beauty, grateful, gratitude, time

Beautiful: Gratitude Sunday

Christa Avampato

Many people around the world regard Sunday as a day to give thanks. If on any given Sunday you doubt that you have much to be grateful for, print out this image and paste it up by your desk, on your fridge, or above the knob of your front door. We are luckier than we realize. We are blessed.

From http://posters-for-good.tumblr.com
From http://posters-for-good.tumblr.com
adventure, beauty, grateful, gratitude, opportunity, time

Beautiful: A Garden of Opportunity

Christa Avampato

bunch-of-beautiful-flower-garden-wallpapers-1024x768“It is not what is poured into a student that counts but what is planted.” ~ Linda Conway

In most of our interactions, we never really know how we’ve affected another person. Something we say or do can have profound effects on someone else years later, and many times that effect surfaces in unexpected ways. We are all students and teachers. We observe and learn. What we say and do serves as an example for others.

When we are teaching through our words and actions, it’s important to remember that no one observes us and follows along in a rote manner. It’s not the information that’s most important. In our fast-paced world, information changes moment to moment. The system by which we process that information – our thought processes, interpretation, and then what we do with it – is what is under constant reflection by others around us.

By our words and actions, we are planting seeds. Just like a garden, some of those seeds will never germinate. We will never be able to influence some people. However, some of those seeds will sprout and take root when the conditions are right, when the person who observes us is ready to hear and act upon the lessons we teach. And it’s not always readily apparent who belongs to which group. The answers may surprise you.

There’s only one way to handle this ambiguity. Approach every situation, every opportunity, as a seed. Give it your best – all of the sunshine, water, and nutrients you can muster. Give it your love. Despite all of your doting, some of those seeds will remain dormant. But I promise you that some of them will blossom. Some of them will bring you an unimaginable amount of joy. So much so that they will make you grateful beyond measure.

Once you see that growth, put your time and attention there. All of it. That is the work of your life – to make a difference wherever and whenever you can. This is the great adventure.

beauty, choices, free, grateful, gratitude, happiness, make, maker, time

Beautiful: Make Your Own Freedom

Christa Avampato

54817320435182285_6WPkO2u4_cAction does not imply aggression. You don’t need to bully and bust your way onto the path that is best for you. It’s so tempting to push and prod and throw an elbow to exhibit strength. But there is a better way. A surer way. A happier, more peaceful option.

Just be your best self. Invest your time and effort not in making others see and behave in the way you want them to. Go about this work on your own and inspire through example.

Live your life. Make your choices. And not for the sake of achieving something or changing someone but only because they fill you with happiness and gratitude. That is the truest definition of freedom, something we all define on our own terms and in our own time.

grateful, gratitude, thankful

Leap: A Shout Out for Gratitude

Christa Avampato
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From Pinterest

“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.

adventure, creativity, failure, faith, grateful, gratitude, time, work

Leap: My Freelance Life Will Continue Into 2013

Christa Avampato
From Pinterest

“I have learned that faith means trusting in advance what will only make sense in reverse.” ~ Philip Yancey via my pal, Lisa, the lovely Charmed Yogi

About a year and a half ago, I decided that I wanted to try my hand at developing an independent consulting practice to freelance full-time on projects that are meaningful to me. A meticulous personal financial planner, I knew it would take me a year to put away enough money to feel comfortable to make this leap with my whole heart. I knew the final number I needed to have in the bank and set up monthly savings goals to reach it.

I made a deal with myself that I would try this lifestyle for 6 months, working my tail off to try to make ends meet. If I could cover all of my expenses by the end of 6 months, then I could keep going. If I couldn’t, I would look for full-time work again. And just to keep things interesting, I had to be very passionate about the freelance assignments I took.

June 15th of this year was Leap Day for me. I had my Mary Tyler Moore moment, wished my former employer a fond farewell, and off I went into the great big world of freelancing. While much of that time has been as close to career nirvana as I’ve ever had, these last few weeks have been slightly fraught with anxiety. December 15th is quickly approaching. I have turned down a fair amount of work because I just didn’t feel passionate about it. There were a couple of assignments I deeply wanted to secure that didn’t come to pass. I started to realize that I may not reach my goal, despite my very best efforts. A full-time job search looked inevitable.

And then in 24 hours it all turned around. I’m elated, over-the-moon, pleased as punch, ecstatic, and grateful beyond measure that I started a short-term assignment yesterday that put me in the black. With a couple of weeks to spare, I hit my goal of covering all of my expenses with freelance work by December 15th. I even have a little bit extra to put back into my savings and this gig has the potential to create a steady stream of wonderful, well-paid work into 2013.

Thank you so much to everyone who believed that this lifestyle could work for me, who cheered me on, who shared in this incredible journey in so many ways. I am humbled by your belief in me and deeply appreciative of the encouragement. I’ll find some way to say thank you that reflects just how much your support means to me. Happy holidays indeed!

grateful, gratitude, holiday, time

Leap: The Miracles of the Season

Christa Avampato
From Pinterest

“It is a miracle if you can find true friends, and it is a miracle if you have enough food to eat, and it is a miracle if you get to spend your days and evenings doing whatever it is you like to do, and the holiday season – like all the other seasons – is a good time not only to tell stories of miracles, but to think about the miracles in your own life, and to be grateful for them.” ~ Lemony Snicket

The holidays are always an intense time of reflection for me. I think about what’s happened over the course of the year – what went right and where I fell off the tracks. I also consider what I’d like to manifest in my life in the coming year and what I might do to bring those circumstances to life. It often involves a combination of letting some things go, making time, exerting effort in a positive direction, and raising my awareness.

After traveling to India in May, I became hyper-aware of everything in my life that is wonderful and good. I found that if I put more investment into those areas of my life, those gifts multiplied while the unfortunate circumstances of my life that weren’t so joyful began to fall away. I also found that if I focused on the blessings right in front of me rather than always looking so far down the path at what I thought I needed, I enjoyed each day more and that happiness extended over the days ahead, soaking deep into every moment.

There were far more miracles in my life than I realized and to finally realize them felt like a much-welcome and long-overdue relief. I do have true friends. I have my fill of good food to eat. I spend my days and nights engaged in things I like to do. What more could I possibly need? The real miracle is to wake up knowing that I do not lack anything, to understand that I live a life of great abundance.

This miracle is at work every day and my first thought in the morning and my last thought at night is always “thank you, thank you, thank you.” May the same revelations find you this holiday season.