What Does Your Handwriting Say About You?

Handwriting analysis is truly an intriguing concept. It is a technique (similar to body language) used to interpret human behavior in areas such as achievement/work habits, thinking styles and even social skills. You can also analyze doodles, drawings, paintings and sculpture. This skill can be used for many purposes including: recruiting, marriage compatibility, career guidance, child development, etc. I spoke to Sylvia Friedman, a certified Handwriting Analyst in Chicago, about how the process works. Sylvia explains, "Your handwriting is the blue print of your brain. How you think, feel, behave- your personality- comes through in handwriting. Many companies use me for the hiring process. HR can interview someone and they are pretty intuitive, but there are a lot of things they can't see. When I do an evaluation for a company, I give the pros and cons after a candidate submits 3 pages of "their story" to me. I write a report on whether I think the person is a good fit for that particular job. Handwriting is a very powerful tool!" After she analyzed my own handwriting, I was astonished at how accurate she was (believe me, I was vague!) and my inner skeptic was put to rest. Try it out on yourself or a friend! In cursive, write a 1 page letter about your life. Compare your handwriting to Sylvia's criteria and see if it unlocks any secrets…

According to Friedman: HANDWRITING ANALYSTS LOOK AT A NUMBER OF THINGS…

SIZE
Small handwriting- research-oriented, good concentration, methodical, not always social
Large handwriting- people oriented, outgoing, outspoken, love to entertain and interlock
Right in the middle- you like to be with people, but value your own time

SPACING
Good deal of space- you need your freedom, to do things in your own time, don't like to be overwhelmed or crowed.
Very little space- it shows a tremendous about of irritability and constant pressure on yourself

HOW LETTERS ARE SHAPED
Rounded letters- indicates creativity, artistic abilities (writing, painting, acting, etc.)
Pointed letters- shows you are more aggressive, intense, very intelligent, curious
Connected letters- you are logical, systematic, make decisions carefully

LOOPING
Loopy handwriting- very social individual, huge imagination, sensitive to criticism
Not loopy- more isolated, reclusive, within themselves

DOTTING YOUR I's
Right over the I- attention to detail, organization, emphatic in what you say or do
High over the I- shows great imagination
To the left- procrastinator
Circle your I's- visionary, child like
Slashing it- overly self-critical, don't have a lot of patience for inadequacy or people that don't learn from their mistakes, irritation

CROSSING YOUR T's
Right in the middle- you are personally safe
Short crosses- shows a lack of determination
Long crosses- great determination and enthusiasm, can be stubborn
Very top of T- you're an idealist, ambition, good self-esteem
Cross downward at the top- you dominate your environment, authoritative nature

O's
Open- you are talkative, social, able to express your feelings, have little secrecy
Closed- you are very personal, limited sharing of your personal feelings, introvert

LEAD IN'S OR EXCESS FLOURISHES
Lead in's (or excess flourishes) - shows family orientation is important to you
Lack of lead in's (or excess flourishes)- you tackle problems in a direct, practical way, unhampered by sentimentality

MARGINS
Writing all over the page- you can't relax, constantly thinking
Left hand margin- you live in the past
Right hand margin- you are always looking towards the future

PRESSURE
Tremendous pressure- very intense, may have some evil qualities, aggressive, blow up easily
Average or light pressure- laid back, go with the flow

DOODLES
Boxes- you need structure, stability and order
Flowers- idealistic, romantic, creative
Triangles- perfectionist, structured, people that feel stuck- don't risk easily
Circles- dreamer, creative, takes thinks personally, visionary
Smiley faces- illusionary, wanting life to be beautiful, optimistic
Color inside the box or shape- you are very intense, serious, worrier, can suggest sign of temper because of tension or frustration

PUNCTUATION MARKS
Lots of exclamation marks- ego is involved, you want to be understood, passionate

SLANT
If you write upward- you tend to be optimist, hopeful, honest, ambitious, motivated
If you write downward- you tend to be negative, slightly depressed, dishonest

SPEED
If you write things quickly- you are impatient, dislike delays or time wasters
If you write slowly- more organized, more methodical, more self reliant

SIGNATURE (this is your public self image!)
Legible- shows integrity, confidence, leadership, open to show your true self
Not legible- very private person, hard to read or understand

***EXPERT: Sylvia Friedman is a certified master Graphologist and Handwriting Analyst who has been working in the industry for 25 years! She currently resides in Chicago, IL.