3 Quick Skills for Using Your Right Brain
SKILL 1. The Power of Images
The Right Brain loves images. All you need to do to tap into your magical Right Brain is to focus your attention on your communication partner or some sight around you. As long as you remain aware of this visual image you are using your Right Brain. If you use this strategy to change an emotion such as anxiety , you may need to hold it as long as 90 seconds. This gives the present emotion enough time to drain out and you will notice you feel different, probably better. This is because the Right Brain does not DO fear. Only the Left will allow anxiety and fear to show up in your brain and your body.
SKILL 2. Outcomes and Your Brain
I realize this sound like magic, but the following idea is true. What is especially interesting in how the brain works is that if it knows what you want, in see, hear, and feel data, the natural processes of the brain will search the world around you to find the pieces that will help you gain your goal. So if you give the brain a picture of what you want today, and how you will feel when you gain it, the Right Brain’s processing becomes your best assistant. One way to implement this idea is to make a hasty sketch each morning of your outcome for the day. Then notice what happens. You will be surprised at how effective this is.
SKILL 3. Asking your Body to Find the Answer
If you have an important decision to make, you might ask your body to find the best answer. Your Right Brain is wired directly to each part of your body, so whatever information your heart knows about this situation is directly available to your Right Brain.
Simply find a quiet spot and have paper and pen close by. Then secretly ask different parts of your body for information about this situation. Pay attention to any sensations and guess if they mean “Yes” or “No” or what.Start with the right foot, then the left, then one leg, then the other, then one knee, etc. Write down the answers you guess in a column. Your guesses are probably right on.
When your body exam is completed, check the entire list for useful insights. This exercise breaks the hold on your decision making that the Left Brain has acquired through the years. The Left brain uses different data than the Right Brain. You may want to check out your decision with your Left brain before you act on it. How do you access your Left Brain? Just, remember the past, and make a new list.
By using both sides of your brain, your decision has more data and has a better chance of being the “right” decision.
Genie Z. Laborde, Ph. D. is an internationally known author, seminar leader, and training professional. Her book, "Influencing with Integrity" has been sold in 6 different languages and total sales are over 151,000 copies. Her seminar clients include IBM, Chase Bank, Intel, HP, Dell, and 102 other major corporations. Her Certified Trainers and she have taught the skills of her seminars to more than 50,000 people in 16 countries. She founded both International Dialogue Education Assoicates, inc and Syntony Publishing. Recently she has become fascianted with the new information on the potential of our Right Brains.