Did you know that how you dot your ‘i’s and cross your ‘t’s can explain who you are as a person? The study of handwriting – known officially as graphology – is where you can analyse your personality and abilities, just by looking at how you scribble notes down in a meeting, or write out a food shopping list. So, want to know what your handwriting says about you? Read on, but be warned, it might reveal some truths about you that you don’t want to know…!
Slanted handwriting
Do you write your words slanted to the right? Then it means you love to socialise, and enjoy meeting and working with new people; whereas if you’re a left-slanted writer, you prefer to work alone in a job where you only need to rely on yourself.
If your writing is perfectly straight, then you’re extremely logical, and you’re very good at hiding your emotions – basically, you’re one tough cookie to crack!
Size of letters
If you look back at your writing and your words are so big, it looks like you’re shouting, then it just highlights your big personality, and that you love the limelight.
Perhaps your handwriting sits on the smaller side, and takes up less space? You can be quite introverted and shy, and if you’re working on a task, you dedicate a lot of time and energy on it.
Shape of letters
If you tend to make your ‘A’s pointy, and your ‘l’s and ‘d’s as long as possible, then it means you’re extremely intelligent and curious; whereas rounder letters indicate you’re more creative and artistic.
Do you write your letters joined up? You’re logical and reasoning, and like to think things through carefully before making any decisions. In contrast, if your letters are left firmly separate, then it suggests you can be impulsive with your actions.
Pressure of the pen
If your handwriting type involves putting as much pressure onto the paper as possible, then it indicates you’re not afraid of commitment, and you feel emotions strongly, and can be quick to react to things in the heat of the moment.
If you’re more of a light-touch writer, then it suggests you don’t tend to dwell on your emotions, and that you love nothing more than moving around and exploring new places.
Spacing of words
If you leave a lot of spacing between your words, then it suggests you’re super independent, with freedom being one of the most important things to you – basically, you hate the feeling of being overwhelmed.
However, if you squish your words together so they’re compact and condensed, then it suggests that you love the company of others, and prefer to be surrounded by people, as opposed to spending time alone.
Other handwriting types to consider
Dot your ‘i’s highly on the page? Admit it, your imagination often runs wild. Or maybe you circle the dot of your ‘i’s instead? That means you can be very childlike and whimsical.
If you broad loop your lower case ‘y’, it suggests you have a huge circle of friends that you like to surround yourself with; whereas a narrow loop suggests you’re more selective with your friendships, but you have a few super close friends you’re really tight with.
You might not know it, but even the way you cross your ‘t’s can indicate what you’re like as a person! If the cross on your ‘t’ sits high, you’re a classic dreamer with big dreams; whereas lower crossed ‘t’s suggest you need to aim higher.
Short crosses can be an indication that you’re lazy (sorry, we don’t make the rules!), whereas if your cross is almost as long as the t itself, then you can be extremely enthusiastic!
Even looped ‘l’s can show insights into your personality – if you loop your lowercase ‘l’s, you can be spontaneous, but equally, you’re very relaxed with who you are as a person; whereas a thin ‘l’ means you can be quite restrictive with yourself, and conscious of how you present yourself to others.
Even the speed with which you write can indicate what your handwriting says about you. If you’re a fast writer, you’re probably someone who gets impatient very quickly, and you don’t like waiting around. You like to get things done and ticked off the list, so you can move onto the next thing. Alternatively, if you like to take the time to make sure your writing looks neater, then it suggests you’re methodical and rational.
Top tips on how to change your handwriting
If you want to change your handwriting – whether it’s learning how to be a little neater, or keeping those loops and slants under control, then the most important thing to do is taking time each day to practice.
1. Practice, practice, practice!
Whether you want to change the way you write your lowercase ‘a’s, or learn how to join your letters together, then you need to spend time practising. So, get out a sheet of paper, and try a couple of lines.
Ultimately, we’re all guilty of writing less, with everything from work to coursework done digitally, so as soon as you leave school, it’s easy to stop writing altogether. But, even writing out your to-do list, or your food shopping list can be great practice for changing your handwriting.
2. Try out different pens
All pens are different, and there will be some that you’ll find easier to write with than others. Test out pens of different thicknesses, lengths, and ink to find your favourite, and then write exclusively with that.
3. Try different paper rotations
Why was it that when we were at primary school, we were told we had to keep our paper vertical when we wrote? Whilst that way of writing might work for you, it might not for others. Try slanting your paper to various degrees to see which way feels the most natural.
So, now you know exactly what your handwriting says about you, it’s time to let your personality shine through with a handwritten note! From birthday cards through to new job cards and everything in between, we’ve got options for every single occasion you could possibly think of.
Alternatively, if you’ve purchased a card but you’re not sure what to say, then head on over to our blog! We cover every possible eventuality, from what to write in a thank you card for a teacher, through to tips on what to say in a first anniversary card; so if it’s inspiration you’re in need of, just know that we’ve got you covered!