Christmas, kindness

Beautiful: On the Fourth Day of Christmas, Let There Be More Kindness

Christa Avampato
From Pinterest
From Pinterest

Let’s make kindness the new black. It takes more energy and effort to be unkind than it takes to be kind, and the rewards and benefits of kindness are so rich. They’re contagious, too. When we’re kind to ourselves, we have the capacity to be kind to others. This creates a ripple effect so that your kindness extends from your acts into the acts of others, and others, and others. There are chain reactions of kindness happening right now, all around us. It’s the one gift that keeps on giving, and it costs nothing. Smile at someone. Compliment them. Hold the door open. Say please and thank you and you’re welcome. And mean it. That’s all it takes, and it gives so much.

This post is part of the “Let there be…” consecutive series of Christmas wishes. 

Christmas, peace

Beautiful: On the Third Day of Christmas, Let There Be More Peace

Christa Avampato
From Pinterest
From Pinterest

“Peace. It does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work. It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart.” ~ Unkown.

So much of our history has been about wars of all shapes and sizes. Conflict. People who lived and fought and died for ideals. History is a wonderful teacher but it need not define the future. We can change within our own hearts to generate change in the world. It is often said that in times of peace, we should be prepared for war. I disagree. We generate what we prepare for and I hope we are always prepared for peace, that we can be willing to accept peace, and work for ways to foster and build it. Peace within our own heart, with our past, and with others. In a world that is so full of violence and discord, I believe that peace is the surest and best way forward on all paths.

This post is part of the “Let there be…” consecutive series of Christmas wishes. 

Christmas, community, compassion

Beautiful: On the Second Day of Christmas, Let There Be More Compassion

Christa Avampato
From Pinterest
From Pinterest

“It is only with true love and compassion that we can begin to mend what is broken in the world.” ~ Dr. Steve Maraboli

When I posted my first day of Christmas wish (love), my friend, Lorenzo, said he wished to see more compassion in the world. On the second day of Christmas, I make this same wish. Let there be more compassion in the world. Compassion for ourselves and others, which will lead us to love, as Lorenzo so beautifully said.

Sometimes we are too quick to judge and blame others. We beat ourselves up over mistakes and mishaps – I am the queen of this. We aren’t perfect, and neither is life. It’s messy and complicated, as are we. We have only just so much information, about our experience, the experience of others, and the ways in which the world works. Compassion is a way to bridge the gap, a way to say, “I don’t understand and still I choose to be curious, to put my own opinions aside and see things from a different vantage point.”

This post is part of the “Let there be…” consecutive series of Christmas wishes. 

Christmas, love

Beautiful: On the First Day of Christmas, Let There Be More Love

Christa Avampato
From Pinterest
From Pinterest

Christmas is a magical time for wish making and wish granting. There are 12 days until Christmas and I’m counting down to the holidays with a series of posts called “Let there be…”. Starting today I’ll write a post each day about what I’d like to see more of in the world. These are things we can seek out and they’re things we can create for ourselves and others.

On the first day of Christmas, I’d like to see more love in the world. Love for self. Love for others. Love for community. Love for love. There is no such thing as too much of it. It can only help and it never hurts. It heals, saves, and serves in every circumstance. It makes everything better, always.

choices, decision-making

Beautiful: The Power of Choice

Christa Avampato
From Pinterest
From Pinterest

We stumble. When that happens, we take a pause. We look down the road ahead and wonder if we should continue or stay where we are. Stumbling shows us what matters most to us. Do we care enough to get up, with scrapes and bumps and bruises, and try again? Or does it show us that the effort is not worth our energy? Either decision should be celebrated. We have only so much time. We have only so much space in our lives. How we use it is the most important choice we ever make.

dreams, encouragement, work, writing

Beautiful: Discover the Hidden Pieces of You

Christa Avampato
From Pinterest
From Pinterest

There is unmapped territory in all of us. This week Facebook is giving you the option to review your biggest moments of the past year. Almost all of mine revolve around writing. I was surprised by this because I didn’t decide to write full-time until the end of the summer. The desire to pursue it was there all along, and I had a lot of support to take it, but it took me most of the year to decide to make the jump. It’s funny how we can so clearly be on a path and not see it until we’re ready.

This reminds me that we don’t always know exactly what our journey is nor where it will lead. Sometimes we can only see what’s immediately in front of us. It takes a while for things to become clear and to increase our visibility down the road to our future. Some of our talents and gifts lie hidden until they’re needed. The only way to find them is to keep living – fully, deeply, and freely. Don’t worry about how you’re going to get somewhere or how you’re going to do something. Just decide to figure it out. You’ll learn what you need to learn to make it happen.

inspiration, letter, writing, youth

Beautiful: CBS This Morning Features Emotional and Inspiring Note to Self by Congressman John Dingell

Christa Avampato
Congressman John Dingel being sworn into office
Congressman John Dingel being sworn into office

CBS This Morning has an incredible feature called Note to Self that asks prominent people in our society to write a letter to their younger selves and share it with the world. Art Garfunkel, Oprah, Dr. Ruth, Tyler Perry, and Maya Angelou comprise a small handful of people who have participated in the project and each brings a unique blend of comfort, wisdom, humor, and profound understanding to their letters. Congressman John Dingell is about to begin his 58th year serving our nation and his letter is the latest addition to this fine collection. I was transfixed as I heard him and watched him read his four and a half-minute letter to his younger self on Monday’s episode of CBS This Morning. As much as we try to live life in the moment, it can only be fully understood and appreciated in hindsight. Thankfully CBS This Morning is capturing these words so that we may all benefit and learn from them at any age.

Video of John Dingell’s letter to his younger self:

dreams, goals, work, writing

Beautiful: Write It Down

Christa Avampato
From Pinterest

“There’s only one corner of the universe you can be certain of improving and that is your own self.” ~ Aldous Huxley

It is an act of strength to stay the course, to focus our energy and efforts keenly during times of feast and famine. There are distractions, temptations, and doubts that try to derail us. Don’t let them. Right down your goal as simply as you can. Don’t worry that it’s too big or too difficult or too unlikely. Write it down and post it. Everywhere. You can’t hit a target if you can’t see it.

childhood, children, creativity, opportunity, Second Step

Beautiful: To Stay Young, Believe in Possibility

Christa Avampato
www.terranomada.com
http://www.terranomada.com

I sat behind a boy on the train as we rolled by empty lots between Newark airport and New York City that are littered with trash, surrounded by graffiti laden buildings, and completely devoid of life.

“They could build an arena here. Make it better,” he said to his father.

Kids see potential in a way that most adults don’t. They see possibility, hope, and the opportunity for reclamation. They remind me that despair is something we create, something we’re taught, not something that we innately know. We are programmed for wonder, to seize opportunity. The trick is to hang on to that even as the world attempts to change us. If we can stay focused on what’s possible rather than what is, we can create what we seek.

love, work

Beautiful: Work from Love

Christa Avampato
From Pinterest
From Pinterest

“Let all that you do, be done in love.” ~ I Corinthians 16:14

My leap into writing full-time grew from one simple wish: to make a living by doing what I love to do more than anything. It’s the best strategy I know. There are a lot of rough patches, hard knocks, and disappointments. However, the bruises are easier to bear because I love the work so much. I’m still excited every day to try again and again and again. When I get knocked over, I never think of staying down. Giving up is never an option I consider. I do the best I can every day. When I figure out how to do better, I do better. When our work grows from love, it’s no longer work at all. It becomes a source of joy, energy, inspiration, hope, and wonder. And once we have that, we have everything we need.