What do you imagine when you think of a person who’s at peace with themself?
Do you imagine someone sitting on a yoga mat for 8 hours a day, eyes closed, hands together, and feet crossed in Sukhasana?
Or do you imagine a Buddhist monk sitting in silence in a forest in a completely meditative state?
Sure, people who are at peace with themselves may do those things. But in the modern world (outside of movies), they probably don’t.
Instead, they have some very specific traits about them that make them so peaceful.
Want to know if you’re a person at true peace with yourself? Check out these 10 unique traits you probably have.
1) They have a calm nature
People who are truly at peace with themselves have a calm aura about them.
You feel relaxed in their presence – and most of the time you don’t even know why.
They seem to just have a way about them that makes you feel calm, unjudged, and able to be yourself, no matter what.
You could talk to them about anything or go to them in a complete crisis – and they’ll be able to soothe you without even speaking.
Rarely do you see them manic or blindly panicking about something. Or even rushed off their feet. Most of the time, they’re completely content and put together.
And it’s not because they don’t feel stressed sometimes. It’s because they can quickly and easily see the bigger picture in life – and let things go.
2) They have a good sense of humor
People who are at peace with themselves generally have a good sense of humor. They can laugh at themselves – even when they’re alone.
Imagine you tripped up on a tree trunk while walking to work.
Some people would feel embarrassed – peering around them nervously to make sure no one saw while scurrying away as fast as possible.
But you wouldn’t catch someone who’s at peace with themselves doing the same. They’d smirk, maybe even chuckle out loud a little, while continuing to walk on.
They might feel embarrassed, too, but they’ll mostly find it funny.
Because they have a good sense of humor and can happily laugh at themselves.
And they’ll carry this good sense of humor around in other parts of their life. Because for them, few things will ever cause them to stress or feel anxious.
3) They hold themselves accountable
When you’re truly at peace with yourself, you don’t rely on others to keep you moving forward.
Instead, you hold yourself accountable for your achievements in life.
You don’t need someone to be on your case (like a partner, parent, sibling, or friend) to go to the gym and reach your fitness goals.
Nor do you need someone to tell you what to do with your job or studies.
You have confidence in your own decisions and can validate yourself for your actions – so you don’t need someone else’s support or motivation to stay on track.
4) They’re strict on how they spend their time
People who live in peace with themselves manage their time well.
They don’t like hanging out with people who don’t make them feel good. Nor do they enjoy “wasting” their time (whatever that means to them).
Most of the time, they live with intention and purpose.
They wouldn’t skip the gym unless they felt like their body needed it. Neither would they decline plans to do chores unless it was truly essential.
Ultimately, they know how to spend their time in a way that benefits their mind, body, and soul.
5) They care little for what others think
Everyone cares about what people think of them to a certain degree. It’s almost impossible not to – according to experts.
Being social creatures, it’s just in our nature to compare ourselves to others a little.
But when you’re truly at peace with yourself, you mostly don’t care what other people think of you.
You’ll happily wear skinny jeans if you like them – even if you hear they’re going out of fashion.
You’ll style your hair the way you want to – even if no one else does it that way.
You’ll post the images you want to post on social media – even if they’re different from what other people post.
Why? Because you’re so content with yourself, most of the things you do for you. Because they make you feel good – which is what matters most in life, anyway.
6) They like their alone time
Every person who’s truly happy with themselves enjoys time alone. They also enjoy time with friends.
But they don’t fear being alone with their own thoughts. Nor do they tense up at the idea of going somewhere by themselves (like the dentist or to a new coffee shop).
Instead, they embrace solitude and actually find comfort in it.
When they’re alone, they have time and space to process things, plan for the future, and take ownership of their lives.
7) They don’t gossip
People who are truly content with their lives are interesting people. They have hobbies, interests, worldviews, and a ton of friends.
Because their lives are so full, rarely do they feel the need to engage in ill conversations about others.
When gossip is negative, it’s particularly harmful. Experts say you don’t learn anything when you gossip negatively – nor does anyone benefit from it.
Other experts say that gossiping is a habit of insecure people. They feel superior when talking trash about others and find temporary relief in it.
All of these are not things happy people feel the need to do.
8) They forgive and let go of anger quickly
Forgiving and forgetting is no easy task. But it’s something happy people have mastered. They know how to let go of anger for the benefit of themselves.
Once you forgive someone, you let go of the stress and negative feelings surrounding it.
Rushing into forgiveness isn’t helpful. Experts say you should let yourself feel hurt and then let go when you’re ready.
But on the flip side, research has found that the longer you hold a grudge, the more stress it causes in your body – which negatively impacts your health over time.
For many people, forgiving someone feels shameful. It feels like you’re giving something to someone who doesn’t deserve it.
But it truly is the only way to make peace with your past – for you, not for them.
9) They let go of regrets
Regret is painful. Anyone who’s ever lived knows that. It brings up all kinds of negative feelings – like disappointment, guilt, remorse, shame, and even anxiety.
There’s no way to escape feelings of regret, no matter how at peace you are with yourself. But there is a way to handle and let go of it.
When you’re truly at peace with yourself, you’ll still feel regret sometimes. But you’ll deal with it differently from other people.
You’ll feel the sadness around it, but instead of dwelling on the feeling, you’ll look for the solution.
You’ll forgive yourself quickly and meaningfully – before searching for the growth and opportunity in the feeling.
Which might be apologizing, taking action, reframing the situation in your mind, or just learning from the experience so you can feel better next time.
10) They have self-confidence
Someone who is full of anxiety and negativity isn’t at peace with themselves. Instead, they’re the opposite.
They’re critical, at constant war with their head, and generally lack self-esteem.
Peaceful people don’t feel this way about themselves. And if they did, they’re introspective enough to catch the negative behavior early and make changes.
Because few things in life cause them to feel stressed, they don’t feel the need to beat themselves up about the little things.
Instead, they’ve made peace with their mind, body, and soul – and they have a confidence deep down that can rarely be shaken by anyone else.
Final thoughts
Finding peace with yourself isn’t an easy thing to do.
We’re constantly bombarded with information about other people’s lives in modern life – so it’s hard to do anything but compare yourself to others.
But creating true peace of mind is one of the best things you can do for yourself. According to experts, it leads to fewer anxieties, worries, stressors, and fears.
It makes you better at handling your everyday life and daily functions.
And, as expected, it leads to true peace and contentment with your state of mind.
