In this departure from my recent posts I thought I would share my experience and the benefits of leaving your current normal and spending quality time with a blank wall.

Intrigued? Well like many of you I have a clear preference for certain behaviours that are evidenced in both my work and personal life. I see myself as more of a big picture / not too much detail / justgetitdone kinda guy - which is slightly at odds with my need for order and sometimes anal attention to detail (what can I say – I’m a complex individual).

To put this into a painting context, I have a clear preference for using the roller to apply paint to walls as I can cover a large area in a relatively short space of time. I hate the fiddly edge bits that need to be done carefully to avoid getting paint where you don’t want it. This is not normally a problem as my partner and I split the tasks based on preference (her preference is the detailed stuff – or more accurately – a preference for me not to paint over everything).

This week I find I have less work and more free time to attend to my list of jobs (crafted with some foresight by my partner for such an eventuality). Painting the spare room is on the list and we purchased the paint on the weekend :|. As I am on my own I find that I am left to do the edges - which when I get into it I actually find quite therapeutic. Now my partner will tell you that I work best after a strong cup of tea (or several) - as you can’t rush quality. Well I am pleased to announce that I really got into the detailed work of painting the edges. I became so focused that I forgot to drink my tea (I made four and only had a mouthful of each before I misplaced them as I became engrossed in what I was doing).

I had to focus so hard, as the activity was outside my natural preference area, that I entered a Zen-like state where the brush and I became one :). In this state of oneness I was the karate kid (brush on, brush off etc.) and everything else became irrelevant and just floated away.

Relaxed much? Yes. Paint over the edges? Um – yes. Use one of your partner's preserve jars to put the paint in? Er, um (no comment).

Anyway - your turn. If you want to relax your mind then try something outside your preference area - enough that it requires you to focus on it. Don't make it exciting though as you don't want too much stimulus. Make yourself a strong cup of tea and do as Miyagi says. Btw if you bump into me over the next few days that fleck of colour in my hair, complementing the grey, is Resene Beryl Green (G82-021-109) ;).

Stay stress free.