creativity

In the pause: Find your door

Christa Avampato

“If it doesn’t open, it’s not your door.” ~Anonymous

Robert Spekman, my marketing professor at Darden, used to tell us that the only way you can feel better while beating your head against a wall is to stop.

Yes, you should absolutely work hard for what you want but if the joy goes out of what you’re doing, if you feel like it’s the battle of your life instead of the path of your life, then stop. At least for a moment. Sit back, close your eyes, and breathe. Is it worth it to keep going? Are you doing this out of obligation and habit, or passion and purpose? Sometimes the only way to find our door is to walk away from the one in front of us. We only have so much time. Let’s make every day, every action, count.

creativity

In the pause: More authenticity, less BS – what the world needs now

Christa Avampato

My unfailing honesty and integrity has cost me a lot of potential paychecks over the years, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. Our world and our companies needs more authenticity, less BS. I’m doing my part during this interview process, not only for my benefit but for the benefit of these companies and organizations whose time and talent I respect and admire. The fit has to be mutual between a company and a candidate, and the only way to get there is through trust. We build that trust by being upfront and truthful from the very beginning of the interview process. Let’s drop the gloss, and get down to business with grace and dignity. The world needs all of us to be in the right roles and at the right companies that help us to live our best lives. Anything else is a waste of time.

creativity

In the pause: Remember who you are

Christa Avampato

“She remembered who she was and the game changed.” ~Lalah Deliah

Don’t try to fit in. Focus on who you are at your core. Not who the world wants you to be, who your family and friends expect, or who you think you need to be.Put away all the titles and degrees you’ve earned. Close your eyes and take a deep breath. Remember who you are. You are enough, just as you are, right now. You don’t need to change anything about yourself to change everything around you. Crawl inside your own authenticity and then live it out loud.

creativity

In the pause: You can change your life today

Christa Avampato

“You’re always one decision away from a totally different life.” ~Mark Betterson

Being stuck is a state of mind. We can make decision to let things go that don’t serve us. We can decide to smile more, love more, and worry less. We can choose to see beauty in us and around us. We can stop beating ourselves up for things that are out of our control. We can take a deep breath. We can be grateful for what and who we have rather than mourning what’s no longer ours or was never ours to begin with. We can believe in magic. We can be the light, for ourselves and for others.

We have more power than we think we do. Change your mind, and you change your life.

creativity

In the pause: Thriving in our storms

Christa Avampato

“Some women fear the fire. Some women simply become it.” ~R.H. Sin

There’s something to be said for being able to sit in the middle of the storm and embrace it rather than fight it. The storms of our lives, as difficult as they may be, have powerful lessons to offer us. Sometimes we need to grow from them. Sometimes they help us to appreciate the bright skies. And sometimes they give us the ability to empathize and help others in new and needed ways.

I’m not suggesting that these storms happen for a reason. I think many storms come to us for no reason at all. That’s what makes them so gnarly to deal with. Storms are just part of life, part of our world, and eventually they find everyone whether we like it or not. I do think that we can make meaning from every storm, that we actually have to make them mean something in order to get through them and help one another.

We begin to create meaning once we stop fighting them and start embracing them, once we look them dead in the eye, wink, and resolve to get through them. We might end up a little battered and bruised, but we tell ourselves that we’ll survive. Then we get about the business of not only surviving, but thriving in their aftermath. I can’t wait to see you thrive.

creativity

In the pause: A wonderful set of New York City museum outings

Christa Avampato

I’ve been spending a lot of time at museums lately. Here is a collection of exhibits I’ve recently seen that are worth the visit:

The Met. Irving Penn: Centennial. Known popularly as a photographer for Vogue, Irving Penn also created incredible still-lifes and portraits that are prominently featured at The Met alongside his stunning fashion photography. The exhibit closes today so if you can get there, do!

New-York Historical Society. Eloise at the Museum. If you’re a children’s literature fan, I highly recommend taking in the adorable Eloise exhibit. Feisty and confident, Eloise is a hero for all of us and she gives us a glimpse into what it’s like to live at The Plaza.

Children’s Museum of Manhattan. America to Zanzibar: Muslim Cultures Near and Far. For all of the talk in our media about Islam and Muslim culture, how much do we really understand it? This thoughtfully curated and approachable exhibit discusses architecture, travel, commerce, religion, food, art, and fashion in the Muslim world across the globe.

Museum of the Moving Image. The Jim Henson Exhibition. I am an enormous Muppet fan. Like many people, I count Jim Henson as an idol and inspiration. The Muppets provided my earliest thought that I could work behind-the-scenes in a theater. I’m heading over there this afternoon, and can’t wait to immerse myself in that colorful, hopeful world.

creativity

In the pause: Hey, wonderful you over there

Christa Avampato

“How cool is it that the same God who created mountains and oceans and galaxies looked at you and thought the world needed one of you, too.” ~Unknown

Whether or not we believe in God or any kind of greater mover and shaker of the Universe, we can appreciate that the mountain, oceans, and galaxies are pretty damn marvelous. Just to share their existence, be in their presence, and appreciate their beauty is a wonder. And so are you. How fortunate we are to just be here, to be an integral part of something so miraculous. Let that idea of your own magical nature guide your weekend. See where it takes you.

creativity

In the pause: Every storms passes; you go on

Christa Avampato

“You can’t calm the storm, so stop trying. What you can do is calm yourself. The storm will pass.” ~Timber Hawkeye

One day this week tapped into my prime stressors. I had a too-packed schedule, my blood sugar started dropping because I forgot to eat, subway delays abounded and made me late to my final meeting, and I had an unexpected discussion about my apartment building fire that threw me into some uncomfortable flashbacks. All of it was manageable, but together in a short span of time those stressors added up into a palpable storm.

As I stood in the subway on my way home, I closed my ways halfway, focused on my breath, and reminded myself that despite all of these circumstances, I was okay. I got through the schedule, I grabbed something to eat, everyone understands the subway issue, and I had survived the fire. Slowly the stress seeped away into the street below my feet as I made my way home. By the time I reached my apartment, I was back on solid ground.

Letting go of our troubles isn’t a one and done deal; it’s a continual process. Smiling helps. Breathing helps. Gratitude helps. Friends help. My dog helps. If you’re facing a storm now, of any proportion, give yourself a break. You’re doing the best that you can. Eventually, every storm breaks. You will go on. Believe.

 

creativity

In the pause: Let the Universe reveal your path

Christa Avampato

Plant the seeds of your dreams and see what grows. Some of that growth is out of our control. Some of it has to do with our actions. Your way will find you if you continue to do your part. Show up. Work hard. Be kind. Let the Universe take care of the rest.

creativity

In the pause: Magic plus action = dreams realized

Christa Avampato

“Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.” ~Roald Dahl

This weekend, I decided I was going to spend this week doing two things:

    • Believing something magical would happen with my job search
    • Working my tail off to make said magic happen

I believe in the power of articulating our dreams. I believe that wondrous things can blossom from good intentions. I believe that commitment makes meaning. And…I think that belief is not enough. We have to work—diligently, consistently, and over a long period of time—to make our work work. Our magic isn’t separate and apart from our actions; action is the highway that magic rides upon. Without action, we’re just wishing and waiting. We can do better than that, for ourselves and for each other.