How? Well, we need to get tricky.

The left side takes over tasks UNLESS it finds a particular job undesirable. If a certain task takes too much time, is too detailed or slow or simply too difficult, then left side gives up. So, trick is presenting task--in this case, drawing--in such a way that right side is allowed to jump in.

This happens a lot with words. When we try to describe something verbally and find it too difficult, what do we do? We rely on gestures. Just try to describe a spiral staircase without using your hands.

Dr. Edwards teaches people to draw by presenting them with images that are upside down. This puts left brain in a state of confusion so that it can't easily decipher shapes, assign a top and bottom, attach labels and categorize them to match stored memories.

The key to integrating your right side lies in looking for opportunities to allow it to become dominant. When presented with a confusing image, your left side gives up. We should literally turn things upside down in an effort to thwart left brain's control and let R-mode take over.

This same idea works in creative problem solving. Sometimes best way to deal with a challenging issue is to sleep on it. When left brain is exhausted, intuitive, subjective, holistic right side has a chance to sneak in and come up with a solution that seems to have come "from nowhere". See? We don't even give our right brains credit for creative insights!

It's exciting to think that there are ways to outsmart our brains. By intentionally putting ourselves in a state of mental conflict, we can enhance our creativity.

Look for ways to plunge yourself into that discomfort zone. Whether we're tackling a picture or a problem, key to jumpstarting our right brain lies in shifting our perspective.

Grab a pencil, turn picture upside down, and start drawing! Somewhere inside you, that frustrated artist will be grinning from ear to ear.

These are a few of symptoms of social anxiety as experienced in life areas and physically. Many folks have social anxiety but do not realize that this is what they struggle with. Oftentimes thinking about or engaging in any of activities listed above will induce anxiety.

The real danger with this disorder is that it can subtly grow into a monster. Left unattended, social anxiety can reshape life that you should be living into one that is centered around avoidance of anxiety. Some of you are aware that you have anxiety and fight with it constantly. Many others are not aware of anxiety as culprit, even though it's impacting all these life areas. That's powerful!

Ongoing social anxiety can result in developing a pattern of avoidance, whereby you begin putting off many of life's activities. Too often, you have only best of excuses, but if you suffer from social anxiety, it's really anxiety driving your life's bus.

There are many keys in overcoming of anxiety. At top is bolstering your self-confidence. Ironically enough, more withdrawn you become while feeing anxious and avoiding activities, stronger social anxiety becomes.

A FEW KEY AREAS TO TARGET IN OVERCOMING SOCIAL ANXIETY:

1. Participate in activities which increase esteem and a sense of personal safety

2. Establish an area of expertise or mastery and allowing those abilities to be present in anxiety situations

3. Learn relaxation strategies that become serenity-hygiene habits

4. Challenge irrational thought patterns that support anxiety

5. Keep an anxiety scale journal to chart goals and progress

6. Seek a caring individual to hold you accountable to your goals

7. Know that peace and anxiety cannot exist at same time. Any ritual which brings peace into your life is a great tool to use to eliminate anxiety

8. Practice knowing that you are loved and have a right to live a joy-filled life!

This is your life! If you find yourself angry over being anxious, that's GOOD -- but only if you direct your anger at anxiety and allow it to become an energizer in your efforts to reclaim your life.