Introduction:

The brain is considered to be one of the most complex organs. A deep furrow separates the cerebrum to two halves known as the left and right hemispheres.

It is believed that the two different sides of the brain control two different modes of thinking. We generally follow our dominant side; however, we can teach and train our less dominant side.

Bill Lee:

"The right half of the brain controls the left half of the body. This means that only left handed people are in their right mind."

We have a tendency toward a specific way of thinking; however, The two sides of our brain work together in our lives. They work well together but one side is usually more dominate.

I’d always thought I was way to the left side of my brain; however, I recently took a quiz and to my surprise found that I was pretty evenly matched. You may be surprised to find you are not so much one or the other as you are both.

Some of you may be heavily to the right or left hemisphere but you’ll recognize that the two come together nicely.

Take a Quiz

Circle one of the choices for each question.

1. Are you better at math or literature?

2. Would you rather take a class in science or an art class?

3. Would you prefer to read a book or hike in the woods?

4. Would you rather paint by numbers or paint an abstract?

5. Do you prefer groups or do you prefer to be alone or with one or two other people?

6. Do you prefer to read fiction or to read non fiction?

7. Do you require quiet when you’re working or can you work in a noisy situation?

8. Are you better at creating original projects or at filling in the details for a project?

9. Would you rather help someone with their math problem or their marital problem?

10. Do you understand better by looking at pictures or reading text?

Right Brain answers Left Brain answers

1. Literature 1. Math

2. Art 2. Science

3. Hike 3. Read

4. Abstract 4. Paint by numbers

5. Group 5. Alone or one or two

6. Fiction 6. Non fiction

7. Noisy 7. Quiet

8. Create original 8. Fill in details

9. Marital problem 9. Math problem

10. Pictures 10. Text

You can readily see your tendency toward right and left brainedness.

You can actively work to develop either the right or the left brain by consciously tackling situations in new ways.

Let’s say you are writing an article. You see the whole first then the details because you are predominately right brained. Try this: before you start to write, focus on the details, work the article through step by step, get all the information organized before you begin to write.

You’re making the left brain work. Then the two can come together for a really fantastic article.

Are you a genius at certain jobs?

Do you feel retarded with other tasks?

The two sides of the brain have definite preferences, different strengths and weaknesses depending on which side of your brain is dominant.

Keep in mind there is not better way to be. You are naturally more one sided than the other. It’s important not to put yourself down because you’re more one way than the other.

Possible Left Brain Occupations

Lab science, researcher

Banker

Lawyer, judge

Librarian

Possible Right Brain Occupations

Forest Ranger, Wildlife manager

Beautician

Artist

Craftsman

Actor

Athlete

Politician

It’s fun to work with doing things from your less dominant side. It may also be frustrating but it helps you become more balanced.

Summary

You may not want to change your right left sidedness. That’s fine to. Becoming aware of your dominant mode is the important thing.

It helps you understand:

1. How to go about tackling problems

2. Why you perceive situations as you do

3. How to work out relationships

4. Why some career choices are more appealing than others

Just get to know you dominate side and play with growing the lesser side of your brain.

A teacher, in front of a classroom, attempts to explain the evils of alcohol. She holds a squirmy worm above a glass of water and another worm above a glass of tequila. She drops the worm in water and the worm is fine. She drops the other worm into the tequila and the worm soon stops moving and dies.

Then the teacher asks, "What can we learn from this experiment?"

One student raises his hand and says, "Water is good, tequila is bad." Another student raises his hand and says, "If you drink tequila, you'll never have worms." The child that said that drinking tequila reduces your chance of getting worms would be a right brain child.

Unknown:

"Hello I am a virus and I am entering your brain right now . . . sorry I will leave, I can’t find a brain."

Copyright © Wee Dilts 2009