What if your handwriting could reveal more than just words? What if those looping letters, sharp angles, or thin strokes represented your personality traits? While it is not an exact science, handwriting analysis, or graphology, can help uncover hidden traits and emotions. Annette Poizner, a certified graphologist and licensed psychotherapist believes handwriting is a silent language that can provide insight into behavior, motivations, and emotions – similar to body language. She is the author of Clinical Graphology: An Interpretive Manual for Mental Health Practitioners.

Graphology lacks the reliability and validity necessary to be considered scientific and factual. Instead, it’s considered a “projective technique,” used in psychotherapy to learn more about someone’s personality. “A good graphologist always uses handwriting analysis alongside other measures, not independently. People write in their own unique ways, so it would make sense that those characteristic swirls or scratchings may be expressing parts of the writer’s individuality and personality,” Poizner explains.

Poizner breaks it down into seven categories. Handwriting can provide insights into someone’s; personality style, level of intelligence, cognitive thinking style, natural or developed talents (e.g., musical or artistic ability, creative problem-solving skills, social skills, etc.), defining characteristics (e.g., a people person, scholar, detail-oriented perfectionist, culture vulture, etc.), attachment style, unconscious motivations (e.g., whether they are guilt ridden, people pleasing, impulsive, prone to anger, repressed, etc.).

Michael Ladwig’s personality might appear reserved to those who only encounter him at his desk in the field house lobby and don’t have him as a coach. To uncover deeper insights into his character, a closer look at his handwriting sample could reveal information about his traits and tendencies.

His letters are relatively small,  indicating humbleness and strong concentration skills, much like Albert Einstein’s handwriting, which aligns with the focus needed for strategizing in wrestling tournaments. The lines of his writing trend slightly uphill, reflecting optimism, enthusiasm, and ambition, fitting for a coach who likely motivates his teams with a positive outlook, as seen in his note about a successful tournament and a fun get-together. The slight right slant of his words suggest emotional accessibility, meaning he likely connects well with his athletes in track, football, and wrestling while valuing relationships, as evidenced by his enjoyment of spending time with his family and friends. His signature is somewhat illegible, indicating a fast-thinking mind which struggles to keep up with his thoughts. The lowercase “i” dots are small and precise, pointing to perfectionism and attention to detail, crucial for managing each of the sports he coaches. Overall, Ladwig’s handwriting portrays a coach who is focused, optimistic, and emotionally engaged, with a balance of humility and a drive to connect with others, all of which likely contribute to his success in both his professional and personal life.

Curious about what your handwriting might unveil about yourself? Take a look at this guide from Reader’s Digest.

• Heavy vs. soft pen pressure

• • • Heavy pressure can be a sign of intensity, energy, and physical strength, forcefulness, aggressiveness, controlling tendencies, stress.
    • Soft pressure can be a sign of a hesitant personality or someone who grew up with a dominant or aggressive caretaker/sibling that never learned how to be assertive.

• Larger vs. smaller letters

• • • Large letters can be a sign of someone who seeks attention
    • Small letters can be a sign of humbleness, good concentration skills. Albert Einstein’s handwriting was small, which is indicative of his exceptional ability to concentrate on his work

• Lines that go downhill, uphill or in a straight line

• • • Downhill writing could be a sign that a person is experiencing disappointment, unhappiness or discouragement, lack of energy, and depression.
    • Uphill writing could be a sign of optimism, enthusiasm and ambition.
    • Straight line writing could be a sign of strong work ethic, good constitution, and reliability and consistency.

• Words slanted to the right vs. the left

• • • Right slant could be a sign of a person who is emotionally accessible or involved.
    • Left slant could be a sign of a person who is avoidant.

• How you cross your T

• • • Curved/Sweeping crosses is a “telltale sign” of generosity. A sign of somebody who wants to extend their energy and resources toward others
    • Crosses on the higher end of the stem could be a sign of someone who is ambitious 
    • Crosses that slant downward could be a sign of someone who is pessimistic

• How you dot your lowercase i

• • • A small, precise dot can be a sign of perfectionism and high attention to detail
    • A circle can be a sign of playfulness or a desire for attention
    • A sharp angle can be a sign of someone who is fiery and prone to irritation and anger

• The amount of space between words

• • • The standard spacing for handwriting is leaving one character width between each word
      • Leaving too little space can be a sign of someone who may crave contact with other people and can be intrusive and needy
      • Leaving too much space can be a sign of someone who is distant, disconnected, or isolated.
      • Leaving the perfect amount of space demonstrates someones organizational skills and ability to see things in perspective

• The legibility of your signature

• • • A legible signature can be a sign of a conscientious person who perceives the importance of being a member of the collective, with all the norms and expectations involved, so that we all can get along harmoniously.
    • An illegible signature can be a sign of someone who is unable to keep up with their thoughts as they write. Illegible autographs can also be a form of defiance

• Wide vs. narrow loop on a lowercase L

• • • The more loopiness a person has on their lowercase could mean they are more warmhearted, expressive, playful, emotional and/or sensitive.
    • A narrow loop or no loops at all, but rather retraced lines, could be a sign of a self-conscious person who is prone to retracing their steps.

• Rounded vs. pointed letters

• • • Someone who writes with rounded letters may be more relational, emotionally engaged and agreeable.
    • Pointed letters could be a sign of an analytical person that is prone to black-or-white thinking.

• Letters that are mostly uniform in size vs. inconsistent in size

• • • Consistent handwriting size could be a sign of someone who is calibrated and balanced.
    • Inconsistent handwriting size could be a sign of someone who is often times late, losing things, and drops the ball

• Writing that looks slow and deliberate vs. rushed

• • • Someone with slow and deliberate handwriting is a conscientious person who is detail-oriented
    • Rushed handwriting can either be a sign of an intelligent person who thinks so quickly that their hand can’t keep up or it could be a sign of someone who is poorly organized, impulsive, or messy.

• A slant that changes

• • • When there’s too much variability in a person’s writing, there may also be chaotic elements in their personality

• Letters that are connected vs. disconnected

• • The handwriting of someone who continues to use connected letters demonstrates someone who thinks logically and is conventional, cooperative and appreciates the importance of being predictable.
  • Given that cursive was taught to an individual, disconnected letters can be a sign of independent-mindedness and rebelliousness
• Open vs. closed O
  • open O’s can be a sign of a lenient person who is prone to letting themselves off the hook and may not hold themselves to the standard that has been set.
  • Closed O’s can be a sign of a person who is secretive.

Popularized in the 19th century by French abbot Jean-Hippolyte Michon, Graphology has since evolved into a tool used by some psychologists, therapists, and even employers to gain insight into a person’s character. While graphology lacks the ability to be a scientific practice with definite results, it continues to serve a fun method of self-discovery and as a personality assessment, offering a way to explore human behavior in a non-invasive, creative way.