I have a new goal for this year. Actually, I’m giving it a year, but I have no idea how long it will take. Or if I can even do it. But I’m going to try.
I want to teach myself to be ambidextrous.
There’s a train of thought here, I promise.
The other day I was doing an exercise to help my shin splints that involves using your foot to trace the alphabet in the air, and I realized that it was so much easier with my right foot than my left foot. And then I thought, well, I guess that makes sense, considering I’m right-handed. My right side would be stronger.
But it doesn’t have to be.
I started wondering if I could train myself to be ambidextrous. What if, for an hour or so every day at work, I tried to use my left hand instead of my right? I could switch my mousepad to the other side of my keyboard. I could write my notes with my left hand (of course, not if I’m in a hurry).
Or, at home – brushing my teeth, brushing my hair, eating – could I train myself to do those things left-handed? (For the record, I have, on occasion, tried the brushing. Hair – easy peasy. Teeth – so awkward with the left. Eating….well, that’s just a recipe for disaster.)
So, I’m going to give it a shot. To be honest, I don’t really know that using my left hand will ever be absolutely necessary unless, you know, I break my right arm or something (and I’ve never broken anything – *knock on wood*), but I’d like to have the option.
Plus, if, during softball season, I can throw people off by batting lefty, it’ll all be worth it.
As an guitar dabbling creative type, I’ve spent over 10 years horrifying other people’s ears. In that time the fingertips on my left hand have become extremely sensitive to stimuli – I can distinguish with much more precision and accuracy, all kinds of things. Not so for my right hand.
I only mention this because I’m right-handed. Thus, it is possible to reorganize the brain… it’ll just take a while.
Good luck!
So…are you saying I have to give it 10 years? Patience is not my best virtue.
I broke my right arm in high school…and in college. Both times it forced me to use my left hand a lot more and it was really sortof cool. After a few weeks you see a vast improvement in left-handed tooth-brushing, eating, writing, shaving, catching, and tie tying.
What’d be interesting (albeit death-defyingly dangerous) is left handed cooking. Can you imagine cutting with your left hand? Eek!
I might have to work my way up to left-handed cooking…but I’m willing to give it a shot. Though, I may need a chaperone.
Oddly, I’m right handed, but I shoot with my left hand.
Interesting. I’m actually going to a shooting range for the first time in a couple weeks, so it’s entirely possible that’ll be the case for me, too.
I mean — I can shoot with my right hand, too, but I hit stuff a lot more frequently when I shoot with my left.
(Especially when I also bother to aim). Just watch out for “slide bite.”
My older brother is left handed, and it was once my strongly-held belief that I would be too, as soon as I was in first grade at the Elementary School. Because, clearly, that’s when the *switch* happens. ?! Oof.
I actually Tried this in 7th grade though, because my Left handed friend (girl) had really cool handwriting. Which was *clearly* a direct result of which hand she was writing with. Clearly.
You know, my dad is left-handed, and I actually think that his handwriting is much cooler than mine. You might be on to something.
I used the word “clearly” three times in that comment. I need a thesaurus.
Clearly.
I’ve always wanted to be left-handed. Seemed like it would make me part of an elite class of alt-handwriters. But, no luck.
And I’ve tried to force being ambidextrous, but I always forget and resort to the right without thinking. I am horrible at follow-through.
That whole follow-through thing? Yeah. My mouse is still on the right hand side of my keyboard. *switch*
Why don’t you try using a left handed keyboard with the number pad on the left side and that way you can use your mouse closer to you…cutting down on shoulder and hand pain in the future. This site has 2 different left handed keyboard styles…you should check it out.
Here is the link:
http://www.ergonomicsmadeeasy.com/store/specialty/product/slim-line-left-handed-keyboard/
Sarah
Huh. I don’t think I knew they made left-handed keyboards. My dad’s left-handed and he’s never used one either. I’ll keep it in mind.
i used to do this in school when i was bored – take notes with my left hand. or with my right hand, but in mirror writing. it makes your brain hurt, but in a good way 🙂
I haven’t attempted the writing yet this time – most because I want to be able to read my notes.
I’m left-handed and I’ve heard that the brains of left-handed people work differently than those of right-handed people. (More cross-hemisphere action.) So, it will be interesting to see if you’re brain gets stronger in the process… or if you just get headaches. I’ve heard bad things can happen if you force a child to “switch” but maybe if the child/person is behind the idea to begin with no bad will come…? Good luck.
I can understand negative effects if you’re forcing someone to switch, but yeah, I hope that because it’s *my* decision, it won’t be so bad. We’ll see about the headaches, though.
When I was marathon training I realized my stride was biased, my right leg was propelling me further than my left. It was only slightly and I only got a feel for it during my mega long runs and while altitude training (running whilst baked), got it figured out but was an odd discovery. Anywho, I’ve heard good things about AT&T’s left hand cellphone models.
I’d imagine that my stride would be right-biased, too, but I’ve never really felt it. Although, that could just mean I have to pay more attention. How did you end up adjusting for that?
I want to be happy for your adventure, but really, I just wish I had that kind of time.
Good luck!
If I ever have a kid, I’m teaching him/her to use both hands. I’ll just make them alternate hands each day. I know, I would make an awesome parent.
I consider it a talent! I know some people who are ambidextrous and they say that sometimes it really helps! Especially if you’re writing for long periods of time, or using the computer. They just switch to the other hand while the other gets some rest.
Good luck with your mini-goal! Do update us how it goes 🙂
I feel like it really is something you could learn if you wanted to. I somehow trained myself to cut scissors right handed as a child.