By Karen DeArmond Gardner—

Have you ever taken one of those tests that tell you if you are right brain or left brain? I have gotten different answers depending on when I took the test. It is usually split between the two. One time it was completely left brain and the last time it was completely right brain.

Go figure.

I’ve worked in the health insurance industry for the last ten years. Unless you’ve lived as a hermit you know the world of health insurance has changed dramatically. I’ve been working out of the left side of my brain which I was content with until March of this year when I discovered a love of art and painting which taps into my right brain. And then there is writing.

For eight hours, five days a week I camp out in my left brain. Just the facts, ma’am. No creativity. No right brain.

Now don’t get me wrong I like my job and love the people I work with, and I work from home. No commute in traffic. Dressed in my comfy cozies, sitting on my ball chair in front of a computer. Doesn’t sound very exciting does it?

One of my favorite things to do is to put on my headset, let the music flow and I create and experiment with painting based on the visions in my head. Still working on this process. And of course I’ve fallen in love with words in the last four years.

I’ve been quite content with this arrangement. Until…last month.

What happened last month? You ask. A business trip.

I spent three days in a conference room with creatives, who wouldn’t know what to do with their left brain. The place was filled with art of every description on the walls and in the corners. Back to the conference room. Not thrilling on the surface. Until ideas began flowing around the room on how to take a mundane presentation on insurance and turn it into some alive and thrilling.

Well as thrilling as you can make insurance.

Is there a point? There is. I come alive when I use my creative side. Writing and creating. Painting and creating. Can I tell you a secret longing I have?

To have a large room surrounded with windows, with natural light shining in, an easel in the corner with a half-finished painting. Art strewn around the room in various forms of completion. Decorated in black and white with splashes of color everywhere, deep purples, teals and dashes of fuchsia. A desk in the corner and a comfy chair where I can paint with words. A place where the right side of my brain can explode.

For now I continue to work my day job and at four PM like Clark Kent I slide into the phone booth and pop out C-R-E-A-T-I-V-E WOMAN. Ta Da!

Do you have an alter ego? A side of you bursting to come out? A secret longing you haven’t voiced yet?

Come on. You can do it. Dream a little…

 

 

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Karen DeArmond-Gardner: Wife to Tom Gardner. Mother to Amanda, Jonathan and Tommy. Nana to Tyler, Jared, Noah and Lauryn. Employed in the Health Insurance industry by day, writer by night.  Co-founder of My Purpose Now and founder of Chaos to Castles.

After thirty years, four months and four days on December 26, 2004 I found the courage to walk away from an abusive marriage. My hope is in telling my story women discover how to take their life from ugly to beauty, death to life, chaos to castles.

Find me on www.ChaostoCastles.com and on Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Chaos-to-Castles/437830926260036

When the pain of shame was unbearable, I had to remember why I started.

I will walk in freedom….I will speak and not be ashamed.
Psalm 119:45-46 NLT (Karen’s Version)

 

 

4 Comments

  1. 9-15-2014

    Fantabulous! Inspiring piece reminding us of the joy of creativity. So wonderfully written!

  2. 9-15-2014

    Ooooooooooh yeah, girl! Bring it on! Your post got my creative juices going. We have been on the road for 14 days,
    but I brought my art supplies in the van!

    • 9-16-2014

      Ha! Good for you. Pray fruitfulness over your ministry and travel. Can’t wait to see your next artistic endeavor.

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