Let’s imagine you walking along the beach. You watch as the waves wash over your toes, pulling the sand in. There’s a moment there where it all begins to blend…the water, the sand, and your toes. At that moment, when these separate forces come together there’s an incredible feeling of peace, just for that 1 blended second.
Beginnings
Our academic beginnings do not do a great job at blending. Subjects like math and science are separated. There’s 1 time for creativity and that’s in art or music class. These segmented classes only seem to come together in special enrichment programs like STEAM ((science, technology, engineering, and math) or STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math).
In the younger years, there’s no room for self-exploration in school. Only the lucky kids whose parents can afford to send them to camp or partake in other activities have the opportunity to blend what they learn separately together. This blending allows space for creativity, innovation, and self-exploration.
Think back to that time when you were younger, what did you like to do?
Do you still do those things today?
Often when we pigeon-hole ourselves into our boxed futures, we miss out on the opportunity to learn how to blend or become innovative using all our strengths or likes.
Blending
Childhood is an awesome time to explore and exploring has been traded into college preparation and decreases of funding to creative programming. Fast forward to beyond the college years and you find people stuck in careers that no longer fulfill them. They go through the motions because they are told that’s what they are supposed to do.
I find that these people I coach often have that nagging feeling that they are meant for more. They’ve lost touch with the things they like to do and so now they are in a rut, working in a company they are not passionate about. They may look for other ways at work to blend, like shadowing or volunteering in outside departments. That’s one way to blend-your job with other areas of interest.
There are many other ways to blend the things you like. First, we need to know what those things are and figure out ways they can blend.
What do you like?
For example, in college, I studied psychology, business, and dance. I’ve blended psychology, business, and performing arts in all I’ve done. Maybe not dancing literally, but public speaking instead.
Another personal example here is that I love writing and coaching and so those 2 things blended to form this blog. 
Blending can also be things you like to do, like talking to your friends and taking a walk…call your friends on your walk, and there you go!
Want to learn more ways to blend for work-life balance? Read this post here
Finding your Peace
Creating a peaceful whole like that moment on the beach isn’t solely about combining things you like.
Blending is a feeling
It’s that moment where you find happiness where things that aren’t supposed to come together so easily. Sand and waves. Oil and water. Sun and rain. A peaceful whole is when those things come together.
It’s finding the art in the mess. The passions you have a mix like the lava lamp you had in your college dorm. Swirling around in a positive flow of energy that is mesmerizing and beautiful.
There’s no limit, be creative and find ways to blend what you like. There’s magic at that moment.
