This is another tool brought to you by CHIC Toastmasters of Beijing.

These are some exercises you can try to stimulate your creative ideas for table topics or speech topics.  Just always remember, your topic's message should be something that the audience is interested in, and something you are passionate about.  This list will grow longer so you can jump around to different exercises for fresh insights.  Note: You will find something in common with these exercises:  the last 2 steps.

Excercise 1:

1. Describe your (or someone else's) hands.  List 10 ways to describe it
2. Describe what those hands can do, have done, or will do.   List 10 things
3. Describe where those hands are, have been, or will go.  List 10 places
4. Look at the three lists, and pick elements from each that jump at you.
5. Write down 10 possible messages from these elements.

Exercise 2:

1. Describe anything that can move.  List 10 ways to describe this thing
2. Whatever it is, describe where it is, where it was, where it's going.  List 10 things
3. Describe how it moves.  List 10 different ways
4. Describe the path it moves on.  List 10 different ways
5. Look at the four lists, and pick elements from each that jump at you.
6. Write down 10 possible messages from these elements.

Exercise 3 (for some local flavor):

1. Describe any positive characteristics of Beijing.  List 10 characteristics
2. List 10 positive charactersitics about yourself.
3. What are the top 10 things you want to do in your life.
4. Look at the three lists, and pick elements from each that jump at you.
5. Write down 10 possible messages from these elements.

Exercise 4:

1. Describe what the weather can be like.  List 10 things.
2. Describe how you feel in the weather.  List 10 things.
3. Describe where you are, where you were, where you will be in this weather.  List 10 places
4. Look at the three lists, and pick elements from each that jump at you.
5. Write down 10 possible messages from these elements.