Your handwriting has taken a nose dive since you left school. Do you feel you would be happier if your handwriting were better? Then, it’s time to do something about it!
In this article, you can discover these 5 quick steps to understand the problem, cut back on embarrassment, & refresh a skill. You can start to have neater handwriting today. I suffered from the same chicken scratch problem, and these tips helped me.
What’s the problem with Sloppy Handwriting?
You know yourself better than (almost) anyone, so expressing yourself should be effortless, but worrying about whether your handwriting is too sloppy, unreadable can make it challenging.
We learned how to write by hand in school, but that can feel like a long time ago when we see how our handwriting looks now.
Have you ever felt the frustration of not being able to put your thoughts onto paper the way you envision? Or, the fear of ruining beautiful journals with messy handwriting?
Addressing these concerns can be the thing to put an end to being too embarrassed to send cards to your loved ones. Sloppy handwriting can impact your self-esteem and confidence, hindering your ability to communicate effectively.
What’s the benefit of improving? With a “neater hand”, as they used to say, you’ll be able to write notes for yourself, send cards to your loved ones, even write a letter that you’ll actually send. Neat or pretty handwriting is a skill that you can improve on little by little. Let’s see how you can do it!
5 tips to have better handwriting today
1 ✏ Practicing in a quiet place will work wonders for overcoming handwriting ills. Why? A couple of reasons our handwriting becomes sloppy is being in a rush and being distracted. We don’t have time to pay attention to what we’re doing and then legibility suffers.
2 ✏ A smooth, flat surface is key. Set your paper on a desk; a table; or use a hard, flat portfolio. Trust me, writing on your knee or the dashboard of your car will get you a shaky result.
3 ✏ Sit somewhere comfortable & relax. Loosen your shoulders. That is, make sure they’re not hunched toward your ears and not slumped forward. Sit up, but don’t sit like a robot, stiff & rigid. Being tense will make your writing suffer.
4 ✏Use a tool that your comfortable with. The exact pen or pencil you use doesn’t matter. Choose one that is comfortable in your hands. You could get a grip to put on your writing tool to make it more comfortable. Explore different writing tools to find the just right pen for you.
5 ✏ Use paper or a journal with lines. Using lined paper will help keep you straight. It’s a lot easier to have sloppy, wonky writing when you are working without guidelines.
How to Practice in a low stress way
✏ Use a sample of handwriting as a guide. Copy an example of a style of writing or a font that you like that you think is within your reach.
✏ Practice slowly at first. Pay attention to how the letters are formed. Rushing is what made my handwriting go down hill in the first place & that’s probably a culprit with you, too.
You can learn to practice in a productive way through exercises, but I do not suggest high-pressure drills! Write naturally in words & sentences.
✏ Try journaling. You can use your practice time not just for handwriting, but also to vent, plan, meditate, whatever you use journaling for. Free journaling – writing whatever you feel like – or guided journaling with prompts both will work. The point is to get you writing.
Journaling helps you create a personal space to explore your innermost feelings. It’s a good way to practice handwriting at the same time you practice self-care.
★ Your handwriting is an extension of yourself & your personality. Embrace your creativity in your writing to let your handwriting skills shine. The signature style you’ll develop to reflect your personality will be your prize for practicing.
Embrace your unique style & creativity
✘ Remember perfection is not the goal. What would “perfect” handwriting be anyway? Striving for some out of reach perfection would only cause that feeling of embarrassment. Accept your unique handwriting style. That’s the first step towards embracing your creativity.
★ Handwriting can be like art therapy for expressing your thoughts, emotions, and gratitude. The physical act of writing by hand enforces what you are feeling. Adding the sense of touch when you’re writing will help you to process your thoughts.
✘ Don’t compare your handwriting to what you may have seen on the internet. There are many very soothing handwriting videos by professional calligraphers & letterers. They’re lovely to watch. But also realize they may have deleted 17 videos before they posted the one you saw. You want to overcome sloppy handwriting, not be an overnight handwriting prodigy, remember?
The Gist
Have neater handwriting today, by following a few simple techniques. Relax, choose a spot & your writing tools carefully. Use simple techniques to improve your personal handwriting style. Learn to practice in a lower stress way so that you want to continue to progress & learn. Break away from perfectionism.
Remember, practice, self-acceptance, and creativity are the keys to success. It’s time for you to take the first step towards unlocking gorgeous handwriting and cultivating your creativity. Start today and watch your self-expression grow!
Take the next step!
Ready to take the next step towards reclaiming your creative expression and transforming your handwriting? Sign up for my mini-course The Handwritten Touch – Write Cards with Pizzazz. Click that link & it’ll be free. Get ready to unlock the hidden power of your pen and unleash your true creative potential!
