Context

This exercise is designed to help you think outside of the box.

It’s not a particularly difficult exercise in the sense that it allows for unlimited creativity.

However, it’s an exercise that’s very difficult to master in the traditional sense of being able to consistently replicate the same thing each time.

I find I learn new things each time I try this exercise, and you’ll be surprised at the extent to which you’ll also discover new things each time you try it too.

In this exercise what we'll be doing is coming up with a variety of different ways we can use our hands.

How we can move them. Arrange them. Touch them.

And in doing so, realise the extent to which we haven’t been thinking before, or at least allowed ourselves the opportunity to think previously.

Because although we use our hands everyday, it’s not as if we think about them in certain odd ways, such as how we can arrange them into different shapes and patterns.

I suppose it’s a lot like when you’re walking down a street you’re familiar with, and you happen to notice something completely new that’s always been there, yet you hadn’t noticed up until that very moment.

By practicing this exercise we can learn to not only think creatively, but also understand that no matter how much we think we know, we don’t truly know it all.

Something which often has to be experienced to be believed, hence this exercise.

Instructions

To begin this exercise I want you to first look at your hand.

What do you see? Take notice of the wrinkles on your knuckles. The hair on your fingers. The tone of your skin.

Already, you’re probably doing something unique. Chances are you’ve never considered staring at your hand for an extended period of time, ever.

Next try and move your fingers around. See if you can make your hand into weird shapes by moving your fingers into odd positions.

What happens once you move your wrist as well? Does it feel natural? What is natural?

Once you’ve played around with that idea, get your other hand involved as well.

What arrangements/combinations can you create with two hands? What if you interlace all your fingers together? What if you put both the backs of your hands together?

Remember, this truly is an exercise of creativity, so the aim is to play around and see what you can come up with.

Not only will it help open up your mind, but it will get you thinking about something which you ordinarily wouldn’t be thinking about.

No different to your recovery if you’re just starting out.