Being described as ‘down to earth’ is a very high compliment.
Most other people are floating around like helium filled balloons; untethered, unreliable, and about to pop at any given moment.
What you really want is the qualities of someone who is truly down to earth as they tend to be the most reliable and steadfast of individuals.
If you fit into the balloon category, befriending someone who is more down to earth can mean that you learn lots from their own dependable and unwavering nature.
If you’re lucky, they’ll tether balloon-you down.
Before you know it, people will be describing you as down to earth as well.
And it’s by keeping an eye out for these 10 behaviors that you’ll find it far easier to spot someone who is genuinely down to earth:
1) They’re not drama queens
They may get irritated and frustrated, but people who fit into this category tend to have endless patience.
There will be no making mountains out of molehills here.
In fact, they tend to be very calm and consistent in their emotions – which can feel immensely peaceful and relaxing to be in the presence of.
Any conflict will be handled with composure and a calm attitude, rather than frenzied emotional outbursts that others might be inclined to respond with.
2) They’re highly pragmatic
Not to say that they’re pessimists, but down to earth individuals tend to have their feet on the floor.
They see things how they are and don’t usually get wrapped up in grand fantasies or unrealistic visions.
They may still dream big, but they know that achieving those dreams means getting their hands dirty and doing the gruelling work – rather than just lazing around waiting for good fortune to fall at their feet.
3) They don’t shirk from responsibility
Just as they’re pragmatic, they’re also well aware of the responsibilities they carry.
All the big and boring chores life has to offer like taxes and laundry and vacuuming – they don’t shove those to one side.
Quite the opposite.
Down to earth people have a pretty good grasp of what is needed from them on a daily basis, both in their professional and personal lives.
They accept accountability when they’re responsible and never run from what is needed from them.
4) They have a strong moral integrity
Down to earth people aren’t wishy-washy.
If they say something or believe in something, you best believe they’re sticking to it.
None of this changing their thoughts in the spur of the moment to impress someone or because they’re embarrassed.
Whilst it’s true that they might not be screaming their opinions from the rooftops, they do stick by their moral compass – even when the going gets tough.
5) They don’t lie
Honesty is one of the pillars upon which such a grounded and down to earth personality is built.
You can’t exactly build an unshakeable and reliable structure upon lies now, can you?
Hence why you’re so able to count on these individuals to tell you the truth (even if it stings a little).
At the same time, any secrets you share with them you know are safe.
Gossiping and petty machinations are foreign and if anything quite perplexing to people who have strong morals and a trustworthy nature.
6) They’re justice warriors
They might not be chasing down a getaway car or tackling a highstreet burglar, but you can bet that justice lies deep within their code of ethics.
Being down to earth means you have a keen eye for fairness.
Any discrimination or otherwise unfair treatment will be called out and dealt with accordingly, as favoritism or bias just isn’t in their moral code.
7) They’re understanding of other people’s needs
Whilst some people might kick up a fuss should plans change or something get in the way, you’ll find that down to earth individuals are much more understanding.
They’re rarely flustered and have plenty of patience to allow for the many curveballs life throws.
And whilst yes, cancelling plans isn’t particularly polite, they’ll likely understand should something come up as they know you lead a life as busy as theirs.
8) They’re open-minded and receptive to new ideas
Whilst ‘down to earth’ might make you think of immovable roots stuck deep into the earth and unreceptive to change, this tends not to be the case.
In fact, one of the most admirable traits of down to earth individuals is that they’re open-minded.
They enjoy listening to the perspectives that other people have to offer and have the flexibility to alter their own mindsets accordingly.
9) They’re humble
Down to earth and high up in the clouds are miles apart.
Whilst people who fall into the latter category tend to enjoy bragging, boasting, and performing actions that ultimately serve only themselves, down to earth people do not.
The victories of these down to earth individuals are instead celebrated quietly and modestly.
If anything, they’ll downplay their successes should anyone else draw interest to whatever they’ve achieved.
10) They have endless patience
Having such a laid back and steadfast nature comes with a huge amount of patience.
Far more than the average person.
Hence why down to earth people make for fabulous teachers or guides; they appreciate the effort of the student and have no issue in spending their own time correcting and recorrecting until the student achieves whatever task is in progress.
As for learning their own skills, these down to earth individuals have a huge amount of resilience and perseverance.
They know that they can’t pick up many of these skills overnight, hence are unlikely to become immediately frustrated and stalk away should mistakes be made.
Final words
If the above behaviors remind you of someone (yourself), take it as a compliment.
Being down to earth is a great advantage as the patience and resilience this characteristic brings makes it far easier to weather the many obstacles that life will throw in your way.
Noticing these behaviors in a friend or loved ones should also remind you of how special they are.
Down to earth friends will always support you more and be there for you than those who flit in and out of your life on a short-term basis.
And if you don’t feel like you resonate with the above points, try and see where you might be able to incorporate more of that patience and resilience into your own life.
