August the 13th is International Left-Handers day. Approximately 15% of the global population are left handed and I am one of them so I know that being left-handed isn't always easy. In a world that's designed for right-handers, we lefties can face a lot of challenges. One of the biggest challenges is dealing with everyday objects that are made for right-handers; Scissors, can openers, spiral notebooks, pens and even doorknobs can all be difficult to use with your left hand. This can be frustrating and lead to low self-esteem, low IQ and a lack of confidence.
We're often told that we're doing things the wrong way, and we can start to believe it, some people try to avoid using their left hand altogether, or try to force themselves or are forced to use their right hand, even though it's not natural. This can have a negative impact on our mental health, we may feel anxious, stressed, and even depressed.
Being left handed is almost always associated with negativity:
In religion;
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In language;
In everyday life;
The catholic religion has Jesus sitting at the right hand of God. In Buddhism, the right-hand fork in the path is the one that leads to Nirvana, while the left hand fork is to be rejected.
The word Sinister has its etymology in Latin meaning on the left and there are examples of this in every language. In Norwegian, the word "keivhendt" can be used as a way of saying "left-handed", but the word literally translated means “wrong-handed". In Hungarian, the word for right is jobb, which means "better". The word for left is bal, which means “bad”. The examples are the same all over the world.
There have been documented cases of left handed children developing stutters and other speech impediments and mental health issues when forced to use their right hand at school, although those that can get past this can end up being ambidextrous.
If you're a left-hander who struggles with low confidence, you do not have to struggle on your own; There are many resources available to help you overcome your challenges. www.anythinglefthanded.co.uk sell all kinds of products designed to help left handed people. They also have interesting articles that document the struggles of left handers and how to manage those struggles.
As a Solution Focused Hypnotherapist I offer support to people who are struggling with low confidence and as a left hander I know some of the struggles.
There are many famous left handers such as Tom Cruise, Annie Lennox, Diego Maradona, Pele and Barak Obama to name just a few, so this International Left-Handers Day, I want you to celebrate your uniqueness and resilience. We are a diverse group of people, with a wide range of talents and abilities. We have overcome the challenges of living in a right-handed world, and we have come out stronger.
So to all my fellow left-handers, I say this: be proud of who you are. Don't let anyone tell you that you're different or wrong. Embrace your left-handedness, and use it to your advantage.
We are left-handed, and we are proud!
