Handwriting: Can it save us from Digital Frenzy?
Surprising benefits of a slower way to communicate
My guest this week is graphologist and author Sandra Fisher. Finding fellow advocates of handwritten notes and letters has been one of the joys of my work, and when I read her post “Handwriting: A Quiet Rebellion Against Digital Frenzy” on her Substack publication "Graphology Signposts,” I knew we were kindred spirits. She has graciously allowed me to adapt and share it with you here.
Welcome, Sandra!
If you’d rather listen than read:
The overwhelm is real
Don’t you ever wish we could slow things down a bit?
We lead such hurried and stressful lives. We are bombarded by AI, flashing screens, and digital overload. Our obsessive scrolling is just one of the symptoms of our digital frenzy.
Is there a way to quieten the storm?
Is it possible that the age-old craft of handwriting could give us a bit of breathing space and quiet?
Handwriting has been neglected in recent times, but it still stands apart as a deeply personal antidote to the distractions of modern life. Quietly and unobtrusively, it acts as a welcome contrast to our digital malaise.
Neuroscience gives us clues
Neuroscientists have found that handwriting strengthens memory, improves focus, and deepens understanding. They say it activates pathways in the brain that digital writing cannot hope to replicate.
The fact is that the physical act of forming letters engages the brain in ways that typing doesn’t. Possibly this is why so many writers and thinkers have found clarity and inspiration through journaling.
Leonardo da Vinci, Jane Austen, Albert Einstein, Isaac Newton, and many others filled numerous notebooks with handwritten ideas. The slow, tactile nature of handwriting helped them to develop their thoughts more fully.
Many years ago, scribes were the transmitters of culture, and writing was regarded as a much-revered craft.
Today, digital communication has swept aside handwriting. But in the process, something very important has been lost: the effort, warmth, and sincerity that a handwritten letter conveys.
Beyond its cognitive benefits, handwriting has an emotional context.
Unlike digital text, which can seem cold and detached, handwriting—with its very personal nature—reflects the feelings and moods of its writer. The very ebb and flow of the handwriting tells an intimate story about them.
The tide is shifting…
Studies show that people value the effort and sincerity required to create a handwritten letter, and now there appears to be a new groundswell as many turn to journaling as a tool for self-reflection and creative expression.
Even in our world of instant communication and creeping digital overload, handwriting offers us a way to slow down, to think more deeply, and to connect with others on a more personal level.
Handwriting is not an outdated practice but a timeless craft that needs to be restored to its former eminence.
About Sandra Fisher, BA, STC, CGA
As a qualified graphologist with over 40 years of experience, Sandra has authored eight books on graphology, created courses, and written hundreds of blog posts and newsletters for her websites. She has analysed handwriting for many companies and individuals, dealt with relationship compatibility, and given guidance with regard to various career choices, all under the umbrella of graphology. She lives in Johannesburg, South Africa.
From the Graphology World blog
Coming up…
Next week’s post will feature the July Calendar for Note and Letter Writers as well as my new offering: “Paper Trails and Postmarks,” with tidbits and fun finds for your note and letter-writing enjoyment. If you haven’t subscribed yet, do so now so you don’t miss the fun.
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Have a great week, and always remember: whether written or spoken, words from the heart will never fail you!
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I couldn't agree more.
There's so much science that supports the power of physically writing. I don't realize until I go to write in a birthday card how out of practice I am (I lean towards printing even when I hand write).
Thanks for the beautiful reminder.
Amen!