I’m going to use my left brain for a moment and have some logical thoughts starting with the assumption that the fact that you are reading this right now means you are a human. I will even go so far as to deduce that you also have a brain. This oval, bumpy, seemingly symmetrical mass between your ears not only regulates all your organ systems, but it also gives you the ability to analyze, engage in logical reasoning, experience emotions, and get lost in imagination. Because it’s your brain, you have full access to all its nooks and crannies, yet you probably tend to hang out in the folds where you feel most at home and have experienced the most success: logical reasoning or creative expression.
As adults, we have grown up with the label “left brain” or “right brain” thinker which was most likely determined by our teachers, parents, or an online right vs. left brain quiz. Knowing how we naturally process, interpret, and interact with our world is a helpful tool to navigate career choices and relationships. However always defaulting to the same way of thinking can limit our growth and lead to a lopsided noggin.
Right brainers and left brainers are like fans of rival sports teams; each is loyal to their team but also envies the success and ability of the other. As a right brainer, I love the journey my creative spirit has lead me on, but I admire those that are analytical and orderly. I often experience paralysis when I over analyze and I have yet to find an organization system for my life that is efficient and effective. When a left brainer asks me what I do and I share I’m an Expressive Arts Facilitator, without fail the response is, “oh, I have no artistic ability.” This belief is stated as a fact, but behind their words I can sense a desire to make a mess for no logical reason and without following a formula.
The exciting part is that we aren’t limited to just two vacation weeks in the other side of our brain a year; we can vacation their whenever we choose. The journey to the right brain does not require you to pack any bags, research the tourist destinations, or find someone to feed the animals and bring in the mail. The moment you squirt paint on your pallet and have brush in hand, you are teleported to the right brain, the birth place of your creativity, intuition, and imagination. Arriving in the other hemisphere may result in culture shock; however the more you experience the lay of the land, the foreign thought process will become more familiar and integrated into your daily life back home.
For all you left brainers with, “no artistic ability,” I promise that your right brain has boundless potential to be just as powerful and electrifying. Exploring your creativity and trusting your intuition might feel just as disorienting and scary as driving on the left side of the road or not knowing how to communicate basic needs like, “where’s the bathroom,” but DO IT ANYWAY, AND TRAVEL OFTEN! Get lost in the local culture of paint on the hands, under the nose, and in the hair. Experience a love affair with a color that makes your heart pound and your belly flutter. Listen to the sounds of the brush gliding, dragging, or splattering across the paper as it creates an artifact of your journey. TAKE DEEP BREATHS AND OPEN YOUR HEART TO THE POSSIBILITY.
