Unknown habits

It’s very likely that when you put on a jacket, you do it the same way every time.

That is, you always begin with the same arm in the same sleeve.

Try it. Put on a coat, noting which arm you put in first. Then, take off your coat and try it the other way: put your other arm in first.

Strange, right?

There are some things we do so habitually — so unconsciously — that we’re unaware of the pattern. It’s just the way we do things.

It takes a specific instance of us doing something quite differently to recognize that indeed, there was a “normal” way.

(Credit to my friend, Jeff, whose shoulder injury led us to discuss this curious jacket-sleeve phenomenon.)