Things we do with our hands – Stroking Cleo
Do you think much about your hands or are they just there doing stuff for you all day, without you really noticing? Why should you bother looking after your hands?
I do appreciate my hands, and all the things they do for me which include:
- shake hands
- hold hands
- stroke
- pat
- express yourself more eloquently than words alone
- make things
- type
- eat
- count on fingers
- scratch
- cook
- pick up and grip
- sign
- write
- send text messages
I’m always aware of how my hands appear, as I spend a lot of time holding colour drapes (for colour analysis) with my hands in front of a mirror and my clients eyes directly looking at them. Sadly I have very think and weak nails, and I’ve tried everything I can to make them stronger, but alas they are never the nails I’d like naturally, so sometimes I have professional help to improve them as I notice that I don’t want to wear rings or draw attention when my nails are broken down to the quick.
Given that your hands are constantly interacting with people, isn’t it time you took a few moments to look after them? Imagine what your life would be like without functioning hands?
Taking a few moments out each day to appreciate them and to regularly:
- Moisturise
- Care for your nails
- Massage them
- Sunscreen (particularly your driving hand)
- Avoid biting your nails
You can also decorate them with:
- rings and bracelets
- manicures
You may not realise it, but many people are checking out your hands, sometimes subconsciously, sometimes consciously. I’m sure I’m not the only person to notice if someone has bitten nails, dirty nails or hands, or has beautiful well cared for hands. We would all rather be served our food by a waiter with clean hands and fingernails and we really really hope that the chef has clean hands and nails. We would be repelled if our doctor had hands that needed some serious cleaning or grooming and they were about to touch us.
Even if you don’t work in and industry that requires a high level of hand hygiene, it is important for all of us to consider the state of our hands and what message they are imparting to the world, even when we don’t think we’re sending any messages at all.
This is such an interesting post Imogen. I often find shaking hands with people to be a challenge.
Sometimes I feel embarrassed by seeing other women’s hands to well manicured and decorated with expensive jewellery that mine look like those of a construction worker!
At other times I meet people that just seem so unhygienic that all I can think of is where can I wash my hands afterwards.
Shaking hands with people is a very intimate experience, and unavoidable. And on top of that an easy way of spreading germs. Not that I’m in any way obsessed, but people should really take this into consideration.
I never have the time to keep my hands well manicured, and I don’t have a lot of rings since I take an extremely large size, and I can’t afford stones the size of Elisabeth Taylors’! But I do keep my hands soft and clean. I also give a firm handshake that expresses confidence and presence. Besides from handshakes I enjoy all the things my hands are capable of and hope that I’m not inheriting my grandmother’s arthritic hands!
I agree with you. I know a person who was able to point out that I had ridiculously small nails. I told her that it is just in proportion to my awfully small hands and short fingers.
Kaffesoester
I used to give a firm handshake until I broke the knuckle on my middle finger. It was then I realized that a firm handshake is painful to many people.
Like Imogen, I have nails that break and split, so I’d have to take a lot of time for manicures. This is a tough area for me as far as grooming.
My goodness – I’ll turn the firmness of my handshake down immediately! Thanks for warning me Robin!
Robin – you must have had a very firm handshake! I think there is a different between overly firm, just right and wet fish!
Imogen
LOL–no, I didn’t break it shaking hands. I just realized how that sounded. I broke it during a sports event, but long after I stopped wearing a splint it was sore and tender. Still can be. Many people have an overly firm handshake, I assure you!
My hands are small, too, so I usually get enveloped and squeezed!
Great to know that you don’t have the crusher grip!
Totally agree!!!! Look after your hands. I put any face cream I am using on them (leftover stuff on my fingers goes on my hands!)
I almost never remember suncreen until I am in the car, so I keep some there. My hands are pretty good for my age!!!
Weak nails…. me too. Cuticle oil and Mavala Scientifique, which can be hard to find, but isn’t fake nails… it really works…..
Just be aware that sunscreen can degrade in high temperatures and cars get very hot when left parked in the sun so replace your car sunscreen regularly
MANY moons ago, when I was in school, a teacher mentioned that drinking 1 teaspoon of gelatine dissolved in a 1/4 cup of warm water on an empty stomach, AND having something that is a “full protein” like a small piece of cheese, or a 1/4 glass of milk or a piece of left over meat from the previous evening’s meal, would benefit our nails. (Apparently the “full protein” and the empty stomach are the key factors to the success of this). My beloved Mother took this to heart (bless her soul) and from then-on woke me every morning with the above. Whether this is the reason or not I can’t say, but I do know that I’ve got extremely strong nails and I wear them LONG and don’t have any problems with them. I always say that this is one of the greatest gifts my Mother gave me! I hope it can help others and that many more mothers will give this gift to their daughters! 😉