Just as the personality can be determined by the strokes we make as we write, reversing the process and changing those strokes can also change our personality.
I first read about this "graphotherapy" in the early 1960's. They had just begun to use the process with juvenile delinquents to assist them with changing some of the negative aspects of their personalities. I was intrigued and even though I wasn't a juvenile delinquent, decided I could use some improvement too. I changed a couple of strokes (one to add even more creativity), and I liked what I noticed in the results.
Over the years I remember several times of changing my handwriting when I felt particularly stuck in a rut. Of course then I didn't understand the impact of the changes, and not all of them were necessarily positive, but they did cause a shift!!
One of the biggest problems that exist today is the lack of adequate self-esteem. Most people do not give themselves enough credit, and some folks are downright rude to themselves!! This usually develops over time, and is the result of a variety of circumstances and events. Unfortunately, most people who have low self-esteem have reinforced it to the point where they don't even notice how pervasively they perpetuate the negativity in their lives.
The good news is that this is a relatively easy area to change with Graphotherapy.
When you look at your own writing, notice where on the T stem you actually cross your T's. My favorite analogy is the pole at the county fair – you remember the one where the guys used this huge hammer and tried to make the slider hit the bell at the top?? Well, you know who the winners were – the ones who got to the top!! The same is true of your T-bar – the closer to the top you get, the more of a winner you will be.
The height of the T-bar also determines the height of your goals. If your T-bar is low on the stem, you probably either don't set many goals, or you have lots of reasons for not reaching them – and you are bound to stay in a bad situation far longer than you should. If your T-bar is crossed in the middle of the stem, or slightly above middle, you set good, practical goals, based on what you have achieved before. You set your sights based on where you are comfortable, and don't take a lot of risks. In both these cases you are settling for less than you are capable of achieving, and trading comfort (what you already know) for the big successes that take a bit more risk.
Crossing your T-bar at the top of the stem lengthens your vision and your goals, and gives you a larger scope of possibility. Of course, make sure your T-bars are touching the stem. The person whose T-bar flies above the stem is the same person whose head is in the clouds, and is therefore not grounded. We call that person a dreamer, and we all know that as important as dreams are, they must be followed through with practical application in order to be successful.
Take a look at the handwriting of people you know who feel good about themselves, consistently take risks and achieve what they go after. You will find that most of them have consistently high T-bars. This is a trait you can easily change by practicing your T's for 5 to 10 minutes each day (1 to 3 pages daily for 30 days). And it works great with kids, too!! I have testimonials from kids who improved their grades and their social relationships just from changing this one trait.
(Note: Ignore T's where the bar links to the next letter, as in the words "the" or "with" where the bar of the T links into the H. This linking of the T to the next letter is considered "fluidity of thought" and the height of the T-bar is ignored. Also, make your T-bar higher, not your T-stem taller.)
So, keep your T-bars high, and enjoy your successes!!
© 1999 – Katie Darden
Find out more about Handwriting Analysis and GraphoTherapy at HandwritingTraits.com