Look at Life Differently, Let Go of Stress
Try these techniques to change your state of awareness, in other words, engage the right side of your brain. At the very least, they will give you a few minutes of relaxation in our busy lives. Turn off the phones, the TV, and try this:
Draw Upside Down
This is not about making art, the goal is to muddle your verbal mind by copying a picture that you have turned upside down. If that feels intimidating, buy a paint by number kit and turn it upside down before completing it. The inversion of shapes will confuse the left hemisphere of your brain, and you will begin perceiving nameless colors and shapes. Verbal thinking will slow down, and beauty will emerge from things you have never even noticed.
Open Your Focus
When our eyes are in “sharp focus”, our stress responses increase, when they are in soft or open focus, we relax. Softening your eyes releases the processing of the left brain and turns on the perception of the right. After reading this paragraph, look up at whatever is in front of you. Then, without moving your eyes, allow your attention to broaden, taking in everything you see. Slowly expand your attention to include everything you can hear, smell, feel and taste. As your focus opens up, you’ll stop thinking in words, become more present, and see beauty everywhere. Research shoes that if we do it consistently, this practice affects the brain like meditation on steroids. Try it, it works.
Feel the rhythm of life
The right brain learns kinesthetically, through the movement of the body. If you absolutely won’t dance, engage in another activity that requires repetitive, rhythmic action- swimming, drumming, skiing, whirling like a dervish. I’ve felt this transform my perceptions while running, rowing, pulling weeds…
