Dr. Betty Edwards is the NY Times best-selling author of Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain (DRSB). Now in its fourth edition, it has sold over 3 million copies worldwide since its release in 1979 and been translated into multiple languages.

Impressive? You bet, and even more so when you consider how it has revolutionized art instruction and given hope to generations of want-to-be creatives.

When asked if she anticipated DRSB’s success, Betty stated, “No, absolutely not. In fact, in writing the book, I would say to myself, ‘No one’s ever going to read what I’m writing. Why am I doing this?'”

See? We all have self-doubt. Thanks, in large part, to the incessant yammering of our left-brain hemispheres. But this is something that DRSB can help put to rest.

“It actually teaches you how to shut that up. And it’s such a relief, you know, to be free of language and all of its complaints for a short time. It’s a lovely state.”

I bought my first copy of Betty’s book in the mid 80s and can speak to its deliverable of a peaceful, in-the-zone experience. She, however, describes it best:

“What you have to do is to present your brain with a job that the left-brain, the verbal brain, will say, ‘I don’t do that stuff, and if you’re going to be doing that stuff, I’m out of it.’”

And once we’ve mastered shutting that out, we also become better problem solvers. Logic can be flawed by not perceiving the whole picture, according to Betty, and our focus has shifted dangerously too far to that logical left side.

Betty presents numerous arguments for exercising the right sides of our brains, far beyond just a yearning to be creative. It is, as she emphasizes, half of our brains that are basically being ignored. Just imagine what we could accomplish with a healthy balance between both.

And here’s an argument for you to try drawing on the right sides of your brains, girlfriends:

“Women are good at this stuff.”

Yes, dear Betty, they most certainly are.

Check out her amazing interview on iHeart Radio, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Castbox, or by clicking here.

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