Christa Avampato's Blog, page 8

My first Emerson Page novel is free right now and the second book is on sale

My Emerson Page novels traveling in the U.K. in the summer of 2024

The eBook of my first novel, Emerson Page and Where the Light Enters, is free today through Saturday, January 25th, and my second novel, Emerson Page and Where the Light Leads, is on sale. Emerson is a young girl who faces challenges and rises above incredible odds through love, friendship, and community. The times in which we find ourselves now need stories that are empowering, courageous, and rooted in history. Emerson’s story is all those things, and I hope by reading these books you feel inspired and less alone. We’re all in this together. Get the books at https://www.amazon.com/stores/Christa-Avampato/author/B073XX439K. 

How nature rebuilds after a fire

Photo by Caleb Cook on Unsplash

In 2009, my New York City apartment building caught fire. I lost nearly everything I owned, and I almost got trapped in the building. I’ve written a lot about that incident, the terrifying PTSD that followed, and the therapist and friends who helped lead me out of the darkness I’d shoved down my entire life up to that point so I could fully step into the light for the first time. (You can read some of those pieces here and here.)

Watching the coverage of the LA fires and doing whatever I can to help people there wasn’t triggering for me. However, it did leave me with a profound sadness because I know first-hand how painful it is to lose everything and then face the difficulty of rebuilding my life and my mental health. It’s a long and winding road. Fire physically, chemically, and irreversibly alters everything it touches, us included.

When I’m sad, confused, or lost, I often turn to nature. As a biomimicry scientist, it’s become a habit for me to ask, “What would nature do?” Nature has faced fire for hundreds of megaannums; the first evidence of it appears in the fossil record about 420 million years ago, with charcoaled plant remains. (By comparison, the mass extinction of dinosaurs happened about 66 million years ago.) When destroyed by fire, how does nature rebuild? Time, variety, and assistance.

Rebuilding requires time
The dramatic before and after photos of a fire may lead us to believe that the rebuilding begins as soon as the fire is snuffed out. However, without plants to anchor the soil, storms that follow wildfires can cause even more damage through massive flooding and erosion. The post-fire damage can continue for years.

After my fire, my PTSD caused years of difficulty, long after I had a new home and had replaced my belongings. This was also true when I finished active cancer treatment many years later. The effects of life-altering events cannot be immediately known. Healing isn’t linear and it often takes longer than we’d like. The impacts unfold at a pace that we don’t control. Give yourself the space and grace to take it all in, process it, and move forward on whatever timeline you need.

Rebuilding requires variety
After a fire, nature re-establishes itself by re-anchoring the soil. Native plants that have that ability are the first to take root. That includes hardy varieties of grasses, trees, and shrubs that can survive through harsh conditions. Their ability to stabilize the landscape paves the way for an even greater variety of plants to return with time.

When we’re rebuilding, we can feel overwhelmed. We want everything to immediately go back to the way it was, and the fact that we know it can’t be that way can leave us feeling paralyzed. Focusing on one step at a time and prioritizing immediate steps that make other steps possible, can help.

When I moved into my new apartment after my fire, I had 2 plastic CVS bags of belongings and an air mattress I borrowed from a friend. The emptiness of that space gave me so much anxiety. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and asked myself, “What do I need right now?” I needed a toothbrush, a towel, and some soap. So, I went and got those three small things. That was the groundwork I needed on that first day, in that first moment. The rest could wait.

Rebuilding requires assistance
While these native plants begin to grow, invasive species will often try to muscle their way into the space. Rewilders and forestry experts will often give nature a hand by removing invasive species, allowing native plants the time, space, and resources they need to grow and develop.

My PTSD was an invasive species. Anxiety, nightmares, and suicidal thoughts tried to set up shop in my mind and body. Sometimes they succeeded. One time I woke up sitting on the sidewalk crying. I had no idea how I got there, nor how long I’d been there. My PTSD was causing me to have blackouts.

I was afraid to be home, and I was afraid to not be home. Every siren was cause for internal alarm, and New York City has a lot of sirens.

Friends and my therapist offered to help, and though I tried to brush them off, some were persistent. They were my rewilders. They showed up against my objections and began to help me pull the weeds of PTSD from my mind and body. It wasn’t a pleasant experience for any of us, but it was necessary. Without them, I wouldn’t be here. The PTSD would have taken over, preventing my recovery.

When you go through something traumatic, ask for and accept help. When you see someone going through trauma, don’t wait to be asked to help. Show up and lend a hand. None of us get through recovery alone.

Encouragement for Angelenos
Los Angeles, we’re with you. You’re not alone in any of this. This whole nation cares what happens to you, and we’ll continue to care and help you get back on your feet. The ground is already being seeded with love, donations, and generosity. The road to recovery will be long and difficult, and we’ll be there to build it with you. Nature has given us the blueprint.

Imposter syndrome is the tool of the patriarchy

Created by Christa Avampato with Canva Pro

A friend asked me to edit a book chapter they wrote about the intersection of their personal and career paths. As I read through their beautiful story, I was surprised at how much my friend discounted their own experience, questioning whether they were good enough or had a right to do the wonderful work they do.

This friend is one of the most talented, intelligent, kind, compassionate, hardworking, generous people I know. I’ve learned so much from them over the many years we’ve known each other and it hurt my heart to see how much they questioned themselves. Being modest, recognizing and acknowledging those who’ve helped them along the way, and feeling fortunate are all wonderful virtues that my friend has in abundance. However, there’s a line between those virtues and the massive self-doubt that often holds people back from pursuing their dreams.

“Imposter syndrome” is a term I hear all the time, and I want to be very clear about something: Imposter syndrome is the tool of the patriarchy. (And by patriarchy, I mean anyone who attempts to puff themselves up by pushing down other people.) It’s projected onto people as a form of control. If you question your own abilities, it’s much easier for someone who only cares about their own well-being to zip by you. I want you to take the term “imposter syndrome” out of your vocabulary and out of your mind. I don’t want you to spend one more second of your life giving yourself that condition. Don’t take that on. It’s not yours to carry. 

You are capable, creative, and curious. What you don’t know, you can learn. What you learn, you can apply. The world has so many challenges right now. To get through and make this world better for all beings, we’re all going to have to be at our best, contributing what we have to the collective. And we all have something valuable to offer. 

Don’t discount yourself, and don’t allow anyone to discount you or your experience. Keep rising, and as you rise, extend your hand to lift others. We’re all in this together.

The Serviceberry: The world’s wisest economist

Serviceberry. Photo by Georg Eiermann on Unsplash.

Could prizing generosity as much as we covet wealth, celebrity, and power be what saves us?

I recently read the book, The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World by Robin Wall Kimmerer. It explores ecological economics, a field that centers the relationship between the natural world and the human-made economy.

The words “ecology” and “economy” originate from the same Greek word “oikos”, meaning “home”. Ecology and economy both involve studying and managing the environment in which we live­ — ecology being a nature-made home and economy being a human-made home.

With that shared history between “ecology” and “economy”, Dr. Kimmerer asks how we might model nature’s generosity to transform our human-made capitalist economy that works best for the wealthy into one that is healthy, high-functioning, and inclusive so that everyone thrives.

How might we move from a paradigm of haves and have-nots to everyone-has-enough? Can our capitalist economy transform into one rooted in generosity? What would that look like? How would it function?

Nature shows us that the key to generosity is trust. A serviceberry plant freely offers its delicious berries to animals knowing those animals will disperse its seeds. It’s part of their ecological agreement — an equal give and take that benefits everyone. This same type of equitable reciprocity exists throughout natural ecosystems, each member giving its resources and taking what it needs in return. Nature doesn’t hoard abundance, nature shares.

In this new year, already fraught with difficulties and loss on a massive scale, we can emulate the generosity of the serviceberry plant. We all have an abundance of something — talents, abilities, training and education, time, resources, kindness, love. We also all have needs. Somebody somewhere needs what we have, and somebody somewhere has what we need.

That matchmaking, that trust that if a call goes out it will be answered, is what’s helped nature flourish for millennia. We’re a part of nature, and it’s no different for us. Offer what you have to someone who needs it. Trust that when you ask for help in some form, someone who has an abundance of what you need will step forward. Nature shows us that navigating through difficulty is easier when we travel together.

If we can begin to bake nature’s example of trust and generosity into our own lives and extend it into our workplaces, schools, communities, and governments, we can start that shift that Dr. Kimmerer and ecological economists envision for us. Like the serviceberry plant, we’ll find generosity is a gift that returns to us season after season, creating the virtuous loop that is nature’s foundation and can be the bedrock of our future economy and society if we choose for it.

How to stay focused in this mad, mad world

Photo by John Cameron on Unsplash

Please don’t get distracted by claims about Greenland, the Panama Canal, the Gulf of Mexico, and all the madness that is sure to arrive in the weeks, months, and years ahead.

Focus on what needs our attention and support right now: climate issues leading to the devastating fires in Los Angeles (which may be the worst they’ve had in over 30 years), the bitter deadly cold sweeping across the U.S., and the increase in bird flu and Norovirus; social media walking back fact-checking and calling it a win for users knowing it will lead to even more rampant misinformation and conspiracy theories; further restrictions on access to healthcare; continued intense geopolitical wars and unrest all over the world; the ever-growing gap in wealth that has serious consequences, especially for the most vulnerable. There are many more I could add to that list; I’m sure you can add to that list, too.

So how can you keep your focus on what matters most and what you can actually do? Don’t get it twisted. Take care of yourself and your community, preserve your mental health and energy, and do what you can do where you are with what you have. Our collective priority needs to be caring about each other and this planet.

Sign up for Togetherhood – my nature newsletter

Sign up for Togetherhood – my nature newsletter

In my free weekly LinkedIn newsletter called Togetherhood, I share stories about nature’s wonders. Many of the posts are about my area of expertise— biomimicry. As a product developer, I apply nature’s designs to the human-built world to create a sustainable planet.

Read published posts and sign up to receive future posts here: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/togetherhood-7273771832221089792/

A little more about the newsletter – in case you need more convincing to subscribe

1. Why this, why now

Right now we have a window of opportunity to halt and reverse the impacts of climate change. That window won’t be open forever, and if we are to protect and advance progress we need to act, together, now. I hope my stories about the wonders, wisdom, and beauty of nature will inspire all of us to take action to love, safeguard, and regenerate nature.

2. The kind of community you’ll find in the Togetherhood

This community is rooted in love, joy, respect, and curiosity for all species. We are here to learn together and support each other.

3. When I’ll share new stories

I’ll post once a week on Saturdays. I don’t have any plans to make this a paid newsletter. The content is free. It’s my gift to the world to share my expertise, support nature, and inspire wonder.

4. Join me in the Togetherhood

An old growth forest is one of my favorite environments and metaphors for life. It has wonders above and below ground. Every being in a forest is connected to every other being. It’s a web of life, literally and figuratively. I want the Togetherhood to be an old growth forest of stories. Let’s go have an adventure, together.

Read published posts and sign up to receive future posts here: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/togetherhood-7273771832221089792/

The Rose of Jericho shows us how to survive and thrive during difficult times

Rose of Jericho courtesy of Canva Pro

A friend told me the time for his dream had passed. He’d missed his opportunity to do what he really wanted to do with his life. He asked me if I had any advice. I told him the story of a meditation I did to help myself heal when I was going through cancer treatment. I imagined myself as a Rose of Jericho, the resurrection plant.

When there’s a drought, this plant dries up and curls into a ball, shedding 95% of its water. It looks dead and lifeless, but it’s just sleeping, coating its cells with sugars and salts to preserve and protect them. It can stay like that for up to 5 years. If the drought goes on longer than that, it detaches from its roots and tumbles elsewhere with the help of the wind. Once it gets even a minuscule amount of water, the sugars and salts dissolve, and the plant springs back to life without a hint of the difficulty it endured.

Like my friend, you may have dreams you haven’t pursued. Or maybe you tried to pursue them, and they didn’t work out as you’d hoped. Sit down, close your eyes, and imagine yourself as the Rose of Jericho. (You might be rolling your eyes at this. I get it. It sounds hokey. But listen, this meditation is one of the things that got me through cancer so maybe it will help you get through the difficulties you’re facing, too.)

Imagine yourself in a deep slumber, curled up in a ball, wishing things were different, and enduring whatever hardship has found you. Now detach from your roots and let the wind carry you. Imagine you find and settle into a place of abundance, joy, and opportunity. What does that place look, sound, smell, taste, and feel like? (Take your time here. Really get into the multi-sensory experience. Give yourself permission to imagine.) Now imagine a mist of water falling. Take in that sweetness and nourishment. Let it fill you up. Uncurl. Flourish.

In this new year, you may face difficulties. You may think time and the world have passed by you and your dreams. You may think it’s too late or too hard to do or change anything. Let nature be your guide and lead you to higher ground. 

This meditation and example of the Rose of Jericho can be the first small step toward something better for yourself. Rest and retreat. If you can, go in search of a better place for you and your dreams, even if it’s just in your mind for the moment. Protect and preserve yourself now so you can recognize and meet opportunity when a more beneficial hour, and maybe a second chance, arrives.

If you give this meditation a try, please let me know how it goes. I’m rooting for you!

The best start to 2025

This is the face of someone who just paid off her student loans! I started 2025 completely debt free for the first time in my adult life. I put myself through undergrad and three grad programs. I’m grateful for everything I learned, and more importantly, for all the people I met who’ve become friends and mentors.

Sure, I wish the Biden student debt relief that applied to me hadn’t been stopped by the courts and politicians who lack empathy. I wish I’d gotten some scholarship, bursary, or employer funding. Still, my education is the best investment I’ve ever made. I’m proud of myself for working hard, saving, and reaching this milestone. I’m very lucky, and I’ll pay it all forward now that I’m done paying back all these loans.

What a way to start this new year! 

In 2025, I’m rebuilding

Photo by Mike Erskine on Unsplash

Each year I choose a word to live by. In 2024, my word was vulnerability. In 2025, my word is rebuild. To rebuild and do work with our whole heart is to be utterly vulnerable. The two go hand-in-hand. Our greatest work begins once we’re able to be completely vulnerable, giving voice to our deepest dreams knowing we may never reach them and trying anyway because it’s what we’re called to do.

I’ve been thinking about the Mary Oliver quote, “Listen, are you breathing a little and calling it a life?” Sometimes, I’ve done exactly that because I didn’t feel ready, or I was missing something I thought I needed to move forward. I have notebooks full of ideas and dreams that I want to get to “someday”. I’ve decided that someday is today, and this year I’m going to be open to all those words I’ve written for years taking shape. I don’t need more time, money, experience, or training. I need to give my dreams everything I’ve already got. Some will work out and some won’t, and that’s okay. I’ll be a better person for giving those dreams a fighting chance to become real.

2024 often felt like a dark season for me. Maybe it was for you, too. I tried to climb out of it and into the light until I was exhausted. So, I sat in the dark. It wasn’t comfortable but it was necessary. The darkness always has something to teach us, and this is what it taught me: we can only find our way out of the darkness and into the light if we journey together.

My 2025 will primarily be about building community, seeking out advice, trying something, iterating, and trying again, supporting others, and lifting them up as I rise. I’m most interested in being the most generous person in the room, the best listener, and the most collaborative partner. Our world needs so much love, kindness, and healing, and we have to be there for each other, especially when the going gets tough.

2024 taught me that progress isn’t permanent. It needs protection. 2025 will test our resolve, values, and strength. We’ll be called to have courage in the face of intense adversity. What’s on the line is bigger than any of us can face alone; we have to face it together. In 2025, you’ll find me rebuilding bridges and longer tables, publishing writing that ignites curiosity, wonder, and a sense of belonging, and creating spaces, products, and experiences that provide safety, comfort, and care for all beings. I hope you’ll join me for this adventure because I’d love to share it with you.

In 2024, I set out to be vulnerable

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

Each year, I choose a word to live by. In 2024, my word was vulnerability. I admire vulnerable people and wanted to get better at it.

I knew Phineas, my soul dog, was nearing the end of his life. He was struggling physically and mentally. On January 28th, I helped him cross the rainbow bridge. It leveled me. I had a hard time recovering. The grief is so deep because the love is so great. I asked for and receive so much support during this time. I’ll never stop missing Phin; I’m just learning how to better carry the grief. In 2024, I supported more animal charities and had my first foster dog success story to honor his memory. 

My second Emerson Page novel was released in May 2024, and I’d decided to do my first-ever book launch party. That was scary! I had visions of being in a room alone and no one showing up. I’m grateful to every one of you who showed up and packed the event. It was even more special than I ever dared to hope for.

My dissertation for my Master’s in Sustainability Leadership at University of Cambridge was due on July 29th. I’d set myself an enormous task by choosing a topic I didn’t know anything about. I had no idea where or how I would get the data, and I’d never written a full piece of academic writing by myself. I wrote about how storytelling can be used by climate entrepreneurs to connect to family offices and enlist them as partners and investors. Even my advisor was unsure how I could get it done since I had no previous connection to family offices. 

I could’ve chosen an easier, safer, and more comfortable topic. I chose to do work that needed to be done to protect nature. I gave it everything I had, conducted 50 interviews, and built a new practical storytelling model for climate entrepreneurs to pitch themselves to family offices. I’m grateful to everyone who participated and supported me. This dissertation is a beginning, not an ending, and I’m excited to see where it will go in 2025.

After my dissertation, I dedicated myself to the presidential election, canvassing, and taking on social media, voter registration, phone banking, and text banking responsibilities. I’m continuing to learn to use policy to fight for the causes that matter to me.

I wanted to get better at having honest conversations and leave nothing unsaid. This was uncomfortable and difficult for me because I was taught early on to be a grin-and-bear-it kind of person. I’ve gotten very good at balancing radical candor and radical kindness.

I worked hard to prioritize joy, peace, and happier-ness. I spent more time in nature and looked after my health. I challenged myself to learn Italian and improve my Spanish. I spent a lot of time on my friendships and building community – the greatest gift.

2024 held some stumbles, mistakes, and disappointments. I kept showing up and leaned in to curiosity and wonder. I feel stronger and braver, physically and mentally, ready to put it all to good use in 2025.