My journey
Christine A. Blehm
I think of myself as a guide, helping people discover a more inspired and efficient life.
Me in a nutshell
-7-
quirky facts
- 1 -
Trust and freedom were the greatest gifts my parents ever gave me. At the age of 16, I spent 6-weeks backpacking around Australia on my own. One of my adventures in the Outback ended with me riding a camel to dinner. (It's quite the coming of age story, a 24-hour comedy of errors. Feel free to ask me about it sometime.)
I celebrated my 17th birthday doing humanitarian work in Bosnia while they were at war. I saw night skies streaked with tracers and an entire city on fire. I also had the privilege of visiting a refugee camp — an experience that changed the fabric of my being.
- 2 -
As a child, and even through my college years, I said that I was never going to get married, or have kids. In 2000, I got married and in 2003, I had my first child — I’m still married, and now I have two children!
I’ve learned to never say never: because one thing I do know is that I never know when my mind will change! But, I’m grateful that it does, because then I'm not stuck with old ideas.
- 3 -
My favorite breakfast, the dish my family makes for me on Mother’s Day, is biscuits and gravy.
Sadly, breakfast isn’t much of a “thing” here in Massachusetts. In Colorado, where I grew up, we’d meet friends out for breakfast, not brunch, and biscuits with gravy was always on the menu.
- 4 -
If I had to choose a character from Kung Fu Panda to represent me, I’d have a hard time choosing between Po (the Panda) and Tigress.
I can totally relate to wanting to sit around eating dumplings all day (why walk when you can roll!) and wanting things to be orderly and directed. Luckily, I don’t have to choose — like you, I can be anything at anytime!
- 5 -
Swimming is one of my all time favorite activities. I skipped trying out for the swim team in school because I thought I was too fat to wear a bathing suit in front of everyone.
Looking back at old pictures I have no idea what I was thinking — I wish I were that thin now! Just goes to show that what we think is not always "The Truth".
- 6 -
There are 3 pieces of art hanging in my living room:
✧ A photo I took, looking out the window of a bombed church, while doing relief work during the Bosnian War.
✧ A framed map of the United States with all of our family road trips highlighted and pinned.
✧ And a printed quote (incorrectly attributed to St. Therese)...
“May today there be peace within.
May you trust that you are exactly where you are meant to be.
May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith in yourself and others.
May you use the gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you.
May you be content with yourself just the way you are.
Let this knowledge settle into your bones and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love. It is there for each and every one of us.”
- 7 -
While St. Therese was Catholic, I myself was raised, in my very early years, as a Seventh Day Adventist. We left the church when I was in elementary school and I have not belonged to a religious organization since.
But, as a lover of nature and people, I can't help holding with awe and wonder the existence, order, beauty, complexity, vastness, mystery, and diversity of this universe we inhabit. I’m glad to be here with you!
The rest of the story...
I was always jealous of the people who knew from a young age what they wanted to do "when they grew up" — those whose career path was definitive and linear.
I, on the other hand, changed majors three times when I was in college. I had a hard time choosing from my long list of interests: art & photography, anthropology, economics, marine biology, computer science, and engineering.
In the end, I graduated with a degree in Industrial Engineering, largely inspired by Lillian Gilbreth, the founding mother of Industrial Engineering and Organizational Psychology. She was a feminist and educator, the first female engineering professor in the United States, and also a mother of 12!
As much as I loved studying Industrial Engineering, by the time I graduated in 2000, I already had a career in imaging science and computer programming. So I applied my freshly minted degree to making things run smoothly at home. Compared to running a manufacturing facility (what I'd been trained for), it was easy!
In 2013, a friend said to me, "I always get the best ideas and resources from you. You should be a coach." I took that to heart and pursued two years of coaching/mental well-being training — it was transformative! However, actually becoming a life coach didn't resonate with me.
Luckily, one might say inspiration hit, and the idea for Inspired Storm was born. Then, in 2017, fate gave me a nudge. The research program I'd been working on was scrapped, allowing me to focus on my work here to create Heart-led Productivity.
Even though it often hasn't felt that way, in hindsight, my path has been perfect. It's the accumulation of all my experiences that allows me to be of service in a way that changes people's lives, which, in turn, nourishes mine.
Thank you for taking the time to get to know me a little. My fingers are crossed that I get the opportunity to meet you soon too!
JOIN ME AT AN UPCOMING EVENT.
We'll have fun and discover something new in the process!
