Our creativity is one of the greatest life skills available to us and we're born with it!
It's a ready part of us, accessible at every moment. Sometimes it comes unwillingly, interrupting our linear process. We often stop our creative thoughts because we have been taught we must be logical and serious when it comes to our work and our life plans. The nature of creativity is sometimes like an unruly child - playful, ignoring the rules, blurting out thoughts that seem unreasonable and incorrigible! The part of us that has the "unthinkable" ideas is our creative side and it lives on the Right Side of the brain. The left Side compliments all of that free thinking by capturing it and looking at it, analyzing what it means, asking questions in order to draw a conclusion.
Let's get this out of the way right now.
BOTH THE RIGHT AND LEFT SIDES OF THE BRAIN ARE EQUALLY IMPORTANT.
Because people often have a tendency for one side or the other (and people can be so insecure), this is sometimes argued when they come together to resolve something. Our brains don't argue about this. Quite the contrary. They want to work together to help us put our best foot forward! When we get out of the way and let them do their work, giving each of them equal representation, we find success more quickly ... and it's a lot more fun! This is no small task. Our world has been living in a linear fashion for so long we've come to know all that is logical, structured and sequential as "normal" and "reasonable". We learn it and it is reinforced as good and since we want approval (there's that insecurity), we push away our interruptive thoughts; so much so, they have become known as "silly", "nonsense" and worst of all, as "bad".
It takes practice to learn something well. At first it is uncomfortable and we feel awkward and sometimes embarrassed. The discomfort and awkwardness is natural. It happens to us when we are learning to walk. But we are encouraged then. Our efforts are applauded and Mommy and Daddy help us, guiding us lovingly toward our first steps. We don't feel embarrassed because of this. Embarrassment comes when we feel we have to be perfect. Since there is no such thing as complete perfection at every moment, there is no reason to feel embarrassed; we are catering to a myth.
Time to get real. Relaxing into what is new - no matter which character we are, Right or Left - allowing ourselves to make mis-takes (like in a movie), we get better and better the more we do it! We are more likely to be good at what we do when we are relaxed. Our sense of humor comes forward and holds our hand, falling down with us, laughing with us, playing this game called creativity. How fun it is to learn! How wonderful to feel free to ask all the questions we want! How satisfying it is to look at all sides of a project! How GOOD I feel about myself when my whole brain is involved in my experience!
LEFT RIGHT
intellect intuition
rational intuitive
rational holistic
analytic holistic
analytic relational
analytic synthesis
parts wholes
sequential intuitive
objective subjective
logical random
logical whimsical
convergent divergent
abstract concrete
directed free
propositional imaginative
linear nonlinear
sequential multiple
successive simultaneous
reasoning mystical
mathematical creative
speaking visual-pictorial
accuracy aesthetics
digital analogic
dominates submits
pattern user pattern seeker
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Kittie - I love this. The brain example is totally what went on in our home (well so it seemed to me as a child). Well, not really. But, I love the right as a patter seeker. I do love to see & find patterns, recognize them & I think that they are terrific! However, trying to implement them into my daily routine is always a struggle. It's always fun to see new sides of yourself and where you'll possibly be moving in the future.
ReplyDelete-stacey