The joy of solving problems with your hands
“Your body was not made to carry your head around” - This wisdom from Ronnie Clifford MCC CPCC TLCC ELMC during my Co-Active coach training in August 2024 has stayed with me since. It resonated with me so deeply as someone who was in a stage of overwhelm and big life decisions.
In today’s world, we are bombarded with noise, decisions, expectations and a whole lot of “shoulds”. Everyone is jangling around with a head full of to-do lists being narrated by an internal monologue (that is usually pretty mean).
The people who come to me for coaching all share that feeing that it is their fault that they are struggling - Maybe they need a better system or they "can't hack it" like others seem to but...... What if it's not you and everyone experiencing some degree of overwhelm? Are we ok with just "living with it"? .... I'm not!
“Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results" - Albert Einstein.
What if I told you that it doesn’t have to be that way?
I have been working on experimenting with new approaches because it is clear that solving every challenge in your head is not sustainable. Two things have become clear to me - 1) Solving every challenge with your head is not sustainable 2) People are craving space but struggle to create it for themselves.
I see my job as creating a balance of space and structure that is needed for each person to listen to their inner wisdom. Rushing is not always the answer. Believe me, there is another way.
In my work, I dip into a range of creative tools whether it is using mind mapping, doodling, sculpting with playdoh or building using the Lego Serious Play method. Through using your hands and tapping into your creative brain, while not chasing any perfection or validation, the energy in the room shifts.....
....We get to work exploring with curiosity and creativity and gradually, a calm descends. The mind quietens and little bubbles of wisdom start to peep through.
It may sound a bit woo woo and abstract but actually, I have been using creative exercise for almost 2 years now and I can promise you, the approach and the outcome are more tangible than you might imagine (I promise I am not using any spells or sage...yet!)
Let me give you a more tangible example...
Start by getting curious with Lego® Serious Play®
Lego® Serious Play® has become one of my core tools to unlock inner wisdom & creative thinking. Let me tell you a bit about it to take this post from abstract to more tangible.
From the outside, Lego Serious Play is usually misunderstood as “play”, "frivolous" and “adult Lego”.... Even if that were true, I would argue there is a benefit of leaning into your inner child…
But actually, Lego Serious Play is so much more than that:
Science Backed - Did you know? Our hands are connected to approximately 70-80% of our brain cells. In contrast, in a typical meeting, you "think" then you "speak”. In Lego® Serious Play®, you "build" to think.
Proven Approach - The Lego® Group was facing a strategic crisis and losing market share to video games. Traditional strategy meetings were failing to produce new ideas. Lego® Serious Play® was literally designed to help a massive company survive and reinvent itself….and clearly, it worked!
Inclusivity First - In standard meetings, 20% of the people usually do 80% of the talking... we all know that feeling of being unheard or undervalued. Lego® Serious Play® has a strict rule - 100% participation, 100% of the time. Because everyone builds a model and everyone tells their story, it democratizes the room. (This is my personal fav!)
Versatile Use Cases - The Lego Serious Play method is a tool that can be used for a wide range of group sizes, dynamics and use cases. No excuses to not give it a try.
Lego® Serious Play® brings a new energy to any 1:1 session, group work, company offsites and even larger conferences. When people see the bricks, they are just itching to get building. The energy starts playful and soon, the insights start to bubble up and people are surprised by their own wisdom. (We write it down fast while its fresh!)
All the tools that I use are focused on using your hands to get creative and take some pressure off your head. There is incredible power in changing it up and stepping away from the PowerPoint/WhatsApp/Email etc.
If you are feeling stuck, overwhelmed or blocked, this is your call to reconsider "surviving" and get curious about what other options are out there.
