THE RULES OF BECOMING LEFT HANDED

Following my brain surgery on December 15, 2010, I ended up having a series of specialists to visit for annual checkups.  In March 2017 I made an extra visit to my neurologist after my second marathon- Chief Complaint: Neuropathy in my extremities that would come and go during runs and started creeping into my every-day life. I lamented that I was losing hand strength and opening jars was becoming more difficult. I pantomimed opening a jar.  My doctor was surprised I “opened” it with my left hand even though I’m right-handed.  I told her I am moderately ambidextrous and do most gross motor with my left hand and more fine-motor with the right. She said she could not fathom even attempt to open a jar with her left hand. (I myself, couldn’t fathom doing it any other way.) Then she expounded… She said 70% of people who identify as ambidextrous are supposed to be left-handed.  

Challenge accepted. 

I decided to become left-handed.

Left-hand writing style.
When my family asked what I wanted for Christmas, I said, “books on penmanship.” I received scientific books on how to get better penmanship and practice books that you would give someone who is learning how to write. Life being what it is, I wasn’t able to have the smooth January 1 beginning to this goal. But, a year is always 365 days no matter when you start (unless you’re in a Leap Year), so starting on January 1 is pretty much moot.  

Now, that I’m challenging myself to become left-handed when I’ve lived most of my life as a righty, I need to set ground rules for myself:




Right-hand writing style.
  1. Hold the writing implement properly.  (I do not have proper writing form while holding a pen/pencil in my right hand, so resisting doing the mirror image may be difficult.)
  2. Use left hand exclusively. 
  3. Left hand exceptions:
    1. Writing hand-written business correspondence.
    2. Putting on makeup for work.
    3. Meals when I must look proper. 
    4. Allow for a six-month assessment for the above 3 to see if they can be transferred to left hand. 
  
During the year while being a lefty, I will continue to do progress reports on myself and use my practice books. I will also thoughtfully analyze my writing from what the penmanship researchers provided. Finally, I will talk to real lefties and see if they have tips on what I can do… like, besides contorting yourself and turning a notebook to the side, how do you not smudge your writing when you write left to right. 

I’m excited for the journey that begins today, Friday, August 3, 2018.


Day 1 Writing Left Handed.

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