The Writer’s Life: Exercise Your Right Brain

A lot of information has been published recently about the right brain/left brain difference. By now you have probably heard that the left brain dominant thinkers are logical, sequential, analytical and look at the parts. And, the right brain dominant thinkers tend to be intuitive, holistic, synthesizing and look at the whole.

But whether you are dominant on one side or the other, we often get pushed to value left brain dominant work in our culture.  That is why I am taking a moment today to talk about how to exercise your right brain. Regardless of your dominance, you will probably feel much healthier, balanced and more creative if you regularly do right brain activities.

I read an article this week that was very helpful to me to become more mindful about how to engage my right brain skills to balance my left brain dominated ways of thinking.  The Secret to Making Life Decisions With Too Many Options is a blog post written on Zen Habits: Simple Productivity, by Cath Duncan of Mine Your Resources.  Cath points out that,

Left-brain-directed thinking is concerned with following established social norms and rules, rather than inventing new ones. The left brain loves to identify existing rules and categories and fit stuff into those rules and categories, but it’s not good at inventing new possibilities.

We have both too much and too little information to rely solely on information-driven decision-making strategies. Traditional educational systems have taught us to believe that the answers are “out there” and that you just need to collect more information to be able to make the right life decisions. In our information-rich age, this belief can easily lead you to get stuck in research and analysis-paralysis, become overwhelmed with all the details and lose touch with what’s essential and most important to you.

Left-brain-directed decision-making processes are more concerned with being “right” than with being happy.

Cath has some excellent reminders and suggestions in making decisions in our information saturated world. She recommends that we employ our emotional navigation system.

In an information-rich world where we have abundant options, when it comes to making important life decisions, we need to be able to synthesize lots of information, see the big picture, spot themes and relationships, intuitively sense what information is most important to us, and invent possibilities that don’t even exist yet. These are all right-brain-directed thinking skills that we can employ through our emotional navigation system.

Cath suggests that we tune into our fear and anger for clues.  And, to go towards feelings of freedom. She encourages us to stay tuned in and agile in this overwhelming world of information when we make decisions. Check out her inspiring article for more.

Videos to Feed Your Right Brain

For a really good video that illustrates the abilities that come from our right brain, watch this TED talk (if you haven’t already)  with Jill Bolte Taylor, a neuroanatomist who experienced a stroke. It is truly amazing what she was able to observe.

To develop your creativity muscles, check out Author Whitney Ferre, “The Artist Within: A Guide to Becoming Creatively Fit” and her Creatively Fit Program. The program’s goal is to develop right brain thinking so that our left and right hemispheres operate in perfect balance.

Right Brain Exercises

Exercises for your right brain muscles include many enjoyable activities, and include:

  • painting and sketching, arts and crafts – visual “doing” and “creating”
  • learning to play music and singing
  • sports activities
  • creating and writing your own stories (sound familiar? doing some of the other activities will help our writing, too)
  • map reading games
  • visiting art galleries
  • theater games

Just get into play, improv and your imagination – this is the fun muscles to exercise!

How have you been doing this week? Our #writerlbsOff time is coming to an end soon when April is over. Let us know how you are doing below in the comments or on Twitter.

At the conclusion of our four month time in #writerlbsOff, I will continue to have a hashtag to connect us together and discuss topics related to The Writers Life, so the new hashtag that will take over is #writerslife. I have also considered doing a #writerslifeBC which stands for writers life book club that would be done in a weekly chat format. I would really like to begin by discussing Julia Cameron’s – Artist’s Way going through her 12 week course with a group of writers? Sound interesting?


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29 responses to “The Writer’s Life: Exercise Your Right Brain”

  1. This blog has been very enlightening. I believe I am pretty close to having both, but I know my struggles and how they correlate to a lesser right, I am definitely going to buy the Artist Within. Thank you for posting these videos.

  2. […] for left brainers who are writers or whole brainers who are struggling to switch gears. Here is a blog post I found that discusses exercises for the right brain. This blog suggests arts and crafts, […]

  3. […] Most writers have to retrain their right brain to come out and play. Last week I talked about Right Brain Exercises, which are vital to prevent this scenario, described by Dan […]

  4. Um, allow me to apologize for all the spelling errors – sheesh! I’m supposed to be a writer!
    But the real reason I’m posting a second reply is to tell you all that I saw the dancer turning counter-clockwise, and no matter how hard I tried to make my mind see her turn clockwise, I could not do it. That is so odd, and fascinating!

    1. Deanna,

      That is fascinating. Try watching the solution in my next post and see if it starts switching on you. Some of us who do switch between left and right brain tasks a lot noticed that after awhile, the dancer would start switching on us. We also wondered if, for some of us, it may depend on what work you have been doing that day as to which side of your brain is more activated at the time. Very interesting stuff.

  5. Anne, I must first apologize for being so late! I know you understand, what with all that craziness going on in my life lately, but had I just stopped in that craziness may have felt a bit easier.
    I could just echo Jemi’s reply – I’m definitely far right-brained, and have been labeled by my family as, well, many different phrases, the gentlest of which is “scatter-brained”. However, even with that right-brainedness, (is that a word), if I force myself, I can be completely left-brained when I need to be, and I do need to be for my day job, where I keep track of more than 500 maintenance contracts and subscriptions, (among other tasks). But I do have a terrible time trying to joing the right and the left brain sides of me, so I really appreciate these wonderful resources! Thank you!

    Aside from that famiy emergency we had a couple of weeks ago, I’m doing okay, (though I really envy you Candice – even drawing out floor plans for your characters’ homes? wow!) Thanks to the weather cooperating, and things at home calming some, I am starting to get back into the flow of writing, and am enjoying it so much. I find it amazing how much I missed that!
    It sounds like I need to read The Artist’s Way. I may get bashed for this, but I’ve got to tell the truth – I read Julia Cameron’s memoir, Floor Sample, and was so UNimpressed that I didn’t want to read anything else by her. I mean, there was not one contraction in that whole book! Who talks like that? But, I’ll set that experience aside and pick up The Artist’s Way, thanks to all the recommendations here.
    Thanks again Anne for a wonderful post!

    1. Hi Deanna,

      Sounds like you are coming along fine through all your busy times and crisis times. Good for you.

      I haven’t read “Floor Sample” so I can’t comment on that. But I have really love “The Artist’s Way” because it reminds me of the deeper spiritual connection we have to creativity and it feels very healing to me when I spend time in that book. It helps me go further into the right brain territory and connects my creativity with my higher self.

  6. Anne,

    As someone who has always been planted firmly in the left brain (think orderly rows of corn, not random splotches of flowers) it is always a challenge for me to unleash my right side. I’ve no artistic talent whatsoever, I can’t play any sports and I tend to lead an orderly life. Which I guess explains working in a library. You should see me walk through the stacks – I can’t stand to see a book too close or too far from the shelf edge. Ok, maybe that’s OCD, lol.

    Anyway, cool stuff here, Glad I’ve found it.

    Cheers

    George

  7. Anne,
    Thanks so much for listing my book, The Artist Within, as a resource!
    I wanted to address the “right brainers” out there. Take it to the next level by looking for “clues” as to what your next step may be or who can help you. Left brain thinking tries to control the process while the right brain can let it unfold. Get more “creatively fit” and take your mental energy to a new level at Creativelyfit.com.

    Let’s all “jump some fences” today!Thanks for your voice, Anne!
    Whitney

    1. Whitney,

      So nice to here from you – thanks for the advice, and the great book!

  8. Great post Anne!

    I particularly like: “Traditional educational systems have taught us to believe that the answers are ‘out there’”.

    I have strong opinions as to our current educational system, but I guess that’s out of topic, eh? 😉

    1. Hi Mari,

      You picked up on one of my issues, too! That is one reason I homeschooled my kids for 3 years and probably will again in the future – don’t get me started!!

  9. This is fascinating, Anne. Wonderful. What about those of us that do not possess logic and desperately needs some? LOL.My mind is scattered with thousands of ideas,which is great, right? But I have a hard time organizing and prioritizing, and then I just forget everything. Perhaps you can give us righty’s some tips for using the left brain more.

    I love your friday articles here and your fiction (of course).

    Have a great week, Hon!

    1. Thanks so much, Jodi!

      I think that is an excellent idea, and I will definitely do some posts about how to manage our wild right brain lives!

  10. Great post, Anne! So much talent is supressed trying to fit into the norm. I am very right-brained (and very odd!). There’s a nice visual test on youtube. I can only make the dancer go clockwise (right brained) whereas the average person sees her going counterclockwise or has the ability to change her direction.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CEr2GfGilw

    1. Oh man, you pre-empted me – I was going to post that next week, continuing the right brain stuff. Well, I still will, and I will include the solution too.

      1. Oh, and I can only see the clockwise turning also – totally right brained – even with the solution, I can’t see the counter-clockwise.

  11. Thanks, Anne! These are some good resources. I’ve been doing well, although I haven’t had much time for being online lately. I’m searching for a new job where I don’t have to work 12 hours a day, and I had a promising interview next week, and a second interview being scheduled. Keep your fingers crossed for me everyone!

    I’ve been finding the time to write, and I actually got a Friday Flash posted this week! Check it out at http://www.cheshirescribe.com. I’ve written a few scenes for the novel I’m working on and have been doing lots of research. All my characters are fleshed out except one, and I have a basic outline in place. Moving forward. I even drew floor plans of the houses where my characters live and marked their locations on a map!

    I’ve been exercising every day, stretching, and still eating fairly well (although not always as well as I should). I’ve lost 17 lbs. so far since Jan. 4th – 4 more lbs. to go, and I’m back to where I was in college!! I haven’t been there in quite a while, so it’s quite the accomplishment for me!

    So overall, doing well and moving forward in a positive direction. If I could just get out of this hell-hole that I work in and away from these crazy people, it would be MUCH more positive.

    Wish me luck!! Good to see everyone!

    1. Hi Candice,

      Glad to hear you are doing well! I have all my fingers and toes crossed for you to find a new job. No one should have to work 12 hour days! I hope you find a great position that will make both your left and right brains happy!!

  12. Hi Anne,

    So glad you found my article useful! Here’s to breaking through boundaries and using our whole minds… and of course, hearts, bodies, spirits… the whole bang-shoot!

    Love your motto, “Don’t fence me in,” by the way!

    Big love,
    Cath

    1. Hi Cath,

      I’m so glad you found my post. Your article was so helpful to me personally right now because I am trying to decide which of two jobs to accept. My left brain tells me one choice, and my right brain tells me the other. Your article helped clarify so much for me in my confused mind. We are told so often that if our left brain has figured something out by logic and analysis, then it must be the right, rational, responsible choice to make – and it gets us all in a lot of trouble. That may be one of the reasons so many people are trying to find that one career that will better fulfill them and give them more creative opportunities – we are making decisions based on only half the data.

      Thanks again for your article.

  13. Thanks so much for this post, Anne, and for reminding me about Julia Cameron’s book. I’ve owned a copy of The Artist’s Way since 1992; it’s time to pull it out again.

    1. Hi Clara,

      Glad you rediscovered a great resource. I have owned the book since 2003 and get it out every few years. It feels new, fresh and just as relevant every time. It is great when a book can meet you wherever you are in life and still be so helpful and inspiring.

  14. Great post, Anne. I’ve always found ths concept very interesting. And I think you are right – right brain thinkers are pushed to use the analytical side of the brain more than the left-brainers are encouraged to try more artistic things.

    There’s a lot of food for thought here, for all brain sides.

    1. Hi Laurita,

      Thanks, and yes (as I mentioned), we are told that to be viewed as productive and intelligent, we need to be strongly left-brained in our educational system. We all seem to be trying to re-capture and re-train ourselves as adults to bring more creativity into our lives. Wouldn’t it be great if there was just as much focus on intuition, spiritual practices, creativity, seeing the whole picture and overall patterns in our initial education.

  15. I’ve got pretty strong right-brain tendencies, although I can channel my dad when I want to be left-brained 🙂 My entire family is very left-brained, so I was always the odd one out – which was kind of fun!

    1. Hi Jemi,

      I hear you. I am very strongly right brained, but didn’t realize it until a few years ago. It explained a lot to me. I developed a lot of left brain skills because that is what you have to do through our educational system to succeed by their standards – sad that so much talent is being squelched.

  16. I hope you enjoy the right brain resources I provided for you today. I am out on Friday at another seminar – gotta keep up my continuing education requirements.

    I had a more normal week without so much illness in the family, job interviews and running around. I had more time to write and it felt really good. The spring weather has helped get out to walk and feel better in general when the sun shines. Spring is definitely a boost to the resolutions to exercise, feel better and increase the creativity for writing.

    I even took on the challenge of the Create Your Own Adventure writing this week. Check it out – there are so many threads to follow – it was fun!

    I will catch up with you all tomorrow night and Saturday. If you didn’t have a chance to go to the party I threw last weekend, you will want to check out the crazy antics that transpired at the party in Las Vegas at The Sands (1960s) – 89 comment Flash Fiction.

    http://annetylerlord.com/the-writers-life/fun-the-writers-life-at-the-sands

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