10 Things You Didn't Know About Left-Handedness

August 13 marks National Left Hander's Day. For those of us who are lucky enough to be left-handed, this day helps us raise awareness for our struggles in a right-handed world.

Not a southpaw? That's ok! You can equally share in our celebration of special talents of being left-handed.

Each day left-handed people have to endure living in a right handed world. We left-handers battle daily with things like:

• Bumping elbows at the dinner table 
• Permanent stains on our left hand from writing 
• Putting belts on upside-down 
• Having to use right-handed desks (no really, this is the worst) 
• Not being able to borrow scissors from anyone 
• Moving the mouse to the left of every computer you use 
• Having to take all notebook paper out, if you don't the rings keep you from beginning writing at the left margin 
• We can't easily borrow musical instruments because they are all made for right-handed people 

Right-handers may not recognize these things, but our left-handedness is a constant struggle.

Here are some interesting facts you didn't know about being left-handed:

1. Between 10-12% of people on earth are “lefties.” 
2. Many sources claim that left-handers may die as many as nine years earlier than right-handers. 
3. Famous left-handed intellectuals include Albert Einstein, Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, and Benjamin Franklin. 
4. The Incas thought left-handers were capable of healing and that they possessed magical abilities. The North American Zuni tribe believed left-handedness signified good luck. 
5. People who use their left hands tend to be more affected by fear than people who use their right hands 
6. Left-handers are more likely to be insomniacs 
7. They use the right side of their brain the most 
8. Lefties are better at multi-tasking 
9. Left handed college graduates go on to become 26% richer than right handed graduates 
10. Recover from strokes faster 

Although our struggle is rarely recognized, we as left-handers need to stick together. Being left-handed may slowly drive us mad, but we can relish in the fact we are probably more creative, tolerant, richer and unique than our right-handed counterparts.

So, here's to being left-handed!