Put down that Mouse - or, just paint it purple.

I know I've gone on about this before, but I have to say it again...

Moving a mouse or a game controller is not the same as handling a crayon or paper or scissors or glue or a pencil.

Sure, there are lots of cool games and things on the computer that help with reading, and creative thinking, and other neato stuff.

But make sure that you make some time in your day for messy, crumply, smeary stuff. Stuff with no screen.

Because the work your brain does with actual objects in front of you, the experience of how something feels or crinkles, the sound a pencil makes on paper... is unique.

Here's an exercise to show what I mean:
1. Take a piece of paper and a pencil and put them in front of you.
2. Now, close your eyes.
3. Think of a time when you felt really, really mad.
4. Now, take your pencil and make marks on your paper that show how you feel. You can open your eyes for this part. Listen to how the pencil sounds.
5. Next, think of a time you felt really, really happy and excited.
6. On the other side or a new piece of paper, make marks that show that feeling. Listen again.
7. Look at the two next to each other. Notice what's the same and what's different.
8. You can do more for feelings like: Scared, Nervous, Confused... it helps to think of an actual event in your life that gave you feelings - but you don't have to draw the event. Just make marks that let your feelings out.

This is a fascinating exercise to do alone or in a group. It seems certain marks, and ways of making them, connect to feelings in similar ways for lots of people. I'll let you discover that for yourself. Enjoy!