Left and Right confusion all my life!!

[Strawberrycream1]

I’m in my forties, held responsible jobs including managerial roles, I’m pretty level headed sensible and organised, but for the whole of my life I have never been able to remember my left from my right!!!
I have tried all sorts of ways to remember, I know about the L shape with your hand etc but I want to be able to just say to someone ‘oh yes you go first right etc’ when asked for directions, or be able to follow directions.

Why oh why can’t I remember, I can remember other things? Is anyone else the same, I have a total block on it and can’t figure out why??

Ahh yeah me, it's so annoying. Went to the dentist today and it makes it really hard to follow instructions!

I'm ok with left and right but I can't remember how to get hot or cold out of taps that I use multiple times every day. I just have to choose a direction to turn and see what happens.

Do you drive? Just remember when you’re driving your always on the right side.

Left/right confusion is quite common. I have it. Causes havoc when I’m giving someone directions and saying ‘left’ while indicating right 😂

Einstein had it too and he was very clever :)

Yes I forgot about that - the opticians is a nightmare when they say look left look right etc!!!!

Me too. I have to consciously think about it every single time.

Me too. I've been told it's connected to dyslexia/dyspraxia.

That makes me feel a bit better

For right handed people you write with your right hand and the left one's left over.

Me to. I'm abidextrous and I don't think that helps.

I tell people I work by "left" and "the other left"

^ Agree. I think I have dyspraxia: I have to hold my hand out as if I’m starting to write to know which is my right …

Yes I remember the write with my right but have to imagine picking up a pen and which hand is my right. I wish I just knew immediately like most people do

Same OP - as a pp has said, I know which is which (in theory) but I have to consciously think about it every single time and often get it wrong even then. My dad is absolutely baffled by it, always has been! But I have a degree, speak 3 languages and am a shit-hot multi-tasker so I try not to dwell on it 🤣

I'm definitely not dyslexic but off to Google dyspraxia!

This is what started it for me. We were told this at school/nursery, but I was left handed.

but, I also have to recite the alphabet song in my head if I have to file alphabetical. Yes, for every single letter, every time.

believe it or not I have a responsible and well paid job 😅

Ok, I'm not dyspraxic either. I think it's just one of those things that becomes second nature for some people but others just never quite click with it.

This is exactly what I do too!

Yep, I have to think about it every time, I wear my watch on my left so go by that, but if I give an impulsive answer it’s generally wrong! I have ASD, it’s definitely connected to neurodiversity, but of course you can have it without being neurodiverse.

I have checked dyspraxia from NHS site and definitely don’t have that (already know I don’t have Dyslexia). Agree, it totally baffles other people like my OH

I have this and it makes me nervous to drive. It's the same with most binary decisions - flipping switches on or off, push or pull the door. I have to concentrate very hard to get it right. I'm an academic. DH finds it funny that my job requires engaging with complex ideas but I get very basic things like left and right wrong.

@UserNameNameNameUser we need a new saying for left handed people. I did try to think of a memorable left thing and my mind just went blank.

If it's any consolation, I have to sing the alphabet too.

Me too. Can't tell left from right without thinking about it quite hard.

BUT I have a good sense of direction and can generally find my way round places. My husband can tell left from right but can't find his way out of a paper bag - I think I'd rather have my combination.

I have this too, a bit of a drawback for a dental nurse!

No matter how many tips people tell me I just can't get it, and I'm 59! I'm ok driving and if I don't know where I'm going I just watch the arrow on sat nav.

I find that people who don't struggle can't get their heads around why you don't know. I'm crap at simple maths too.

Causes havoc when I’m giving someone directions and saying ‘left’ while indicating right

Totally this.

Im told the Māori don’t traditionally use left and right, and they get along use fine.

I have this. A clinical psychologist I once worked with told me it was because there was something amiss in my corpus callosum. I use this way and that way.

Me too!

I find it particularly annoying when a cyclist comes up behind me and shouts 'passing on your right'. I CANNOT WORK IT OUT QUICK ENOUGH! Invariably I panic and go to the wrong side and said cyclist has to avoid a collision.

Just ding your bell and I'll decide for myself thanks very much.