Using the opposite hand 💪 (a practice)

what switching it up does for the mind and creativity

I shared this practice with my fellow creative travellers in our creativity intensive last night and while I know it seems weird, brushing your teeth once a day with your non-dominant hand is a rudimetnary form of neurobic exercise (activities that engage your brain in new and unexpected ways to strengthen neural connections and even create new ones).

Here's what it can do for your brain:

Brain Benefits of Brushing with the Opposite Hand:

1. Increases Brain Activity
   Activates the opposite hemisphere of your brain (e.g., left brain for right handers, right brain for left handers), stimulating areas that aren't used as often.

2. Enhances Neural Plasticity
   Doing things differently breaks routine patterns and strengthens neuroplasticity, ( brain's ability to adapt and grow).

3. Improves Focus and Presence
   Because it's harder and unfamiliar, it forces you to pay closer attention, increasing mindfulness and sensory awareness.

4. Boosts Coordination and Motor Skills
   Over time, it can help improve fine motor control and ambidexterity, which engages motor planning parts of your brain like the premotor cortex and cerebellum.

5. Engages the Prefrontal Cortex
   Trying something novel makes your brain "wake up," activating parts responsible for problem-solving and attention.

Feels super clumsy at first — that’s what the brain rewiring itself looks like, a sort of gym for your neurons.

You can try it for any activity where you notice a dominant hand or foot.

Brushing, eating, using your phone, opening doors — fill in the gap as you will. . Kicking a football. Obviously this switch up is not recommended for driving or anything high risk like err rockclimbing

Happy opposite scrubbing, kicking and whatevering : )

👇For more info about creativity coaching, the patreon community and my music https://linktr.ee/nadeah 👈👈👈