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Sometimes we get stuck. Sometimes we don't even know we are stuck. It becomes days of the same routine. Our days break down to widgets and checkmarks. We eat the same foods. Drive the same way to work. Wear the same clothes. We forget that our brains need to stretch and we need to try something new to reinvigorate the old grey matter.

It's times like these we need good old shove like the day I received an email from someone who asked me if I had ever tried my hand at Chinese calligraphy.

Well no, I have never tried Chinese calligraphy but it sounds interesting. It was just the push I needed to create something that made my synapses fire! The good people at Invaluable created a thoughtful and well-developed tutorial to help even the most reluctant try their hand at something new.

Here is what Invaluable has to say about Chinese calligraphy. They have included a terrific video to help us along our brain growing journey.

Invaluable - As an artistic expression of the written word, what makes Chinese calligraphy so distinctive is its visual form. Calligraphy has been revered as a fine art for centuries and was even prized above all others in traditional China. Over the centuries, different styles have evolved, and today, modern artists continue to fuse traditional techniques with new practices creating a distinctive take on the art of calligraphy. Have you ever considered trying your hand at Chinese calligraphy?

To help you get started, Invaluable created a video tutorial of Chinese calligraphy in action. The guide demonstrates two techniques for you to try using both the traditional tools of brush and inkstone as well as the modern pen.

After watching the video and printing out the Invaluable Caligraphy Worksheet it was apparent Chinese Caligraphy takes tremendous amounts of skill and patience. Although it would have been great to have the traditional tools, I opted for the following materials:

Yasutomo Sumi Ink {affiliate link}

Pentel Watercolor Pen {affiliate link}

You might try sipping a warm mug of Matcha Green Tea {affiliate link} while you feel your brain expand.