Think of three people you’ve met throughout your life who still stand out to you from the dark burrows of memory.
Got it?
Now think of what makes them so very unforgettable.
Was it their personality? The way they spoke? Their outlook on life? Or was it something much deeper than that, a sense of understanding between the two of you that seemed to bridge from one soul to another, linking you together?
And what if it was you? What if *you* made the experience unforgettable?
You’re probably shaking your head, thinking, “Nah. Can’t be that.”
Well, let me prove you wrong.
Here are the 7 signs you have an unforgettable personality, even if you don’t feel like it.
1) People often tell you you’re “a character”
Growing up, my parents and teachers sometimes used to tell me I was a character (with a particular stress on the word as if it had some kind of a hidden meaning).
For the longest time, I wasn’t quite sure what they were hinting at.
Of course I was a character! We all were! I mistakenly assumed “character” just meant “personality,” so if someone called me that, they were simply saying I was a person.
Well, the older I got, the more I came to understand the actual meaning of that word, which is essentially “a person with very distinctive or unusual qualities that stands out from the crowd.”
Most people use the phrase in an endearing way – they’re basically just trying to tell you that you’re a very unique person.
If you haven’t been called “a character” before, you may have encountered some other alternatives, such as:
- “You’re so you”
- “You’re one of a kind”
- “You’re something else”
If you’ve heard these phrases before, it’s the first sign you might, indeed, have an unforgettable personality.
2) You’re not one to walk down the traditional path
Come on – let’s be real with each other.
You probably have an inkling as to why you’d be considered slightly different from the norm. You just think it’s not that big a deal or disagree with the classification, which is fair enough.
But from one “character” to another, I know what it’s like to look at the traditional path laid out in front of you and feel an insurmountable sense of distaste.
It may be your career. Or your relationship status. Your lifestyle, perhaps, or your political and philosophical views.
Whatever it is, you wholeheartedly disagree with the norm and refuse to “just go with the flow” for the sake of comfort and convenience.
I hear you. I mean, I’m not really in line with what society expects of me in any of the above-mentioned areas, and yet I’m happy and thriving.
I refuse to let others dictate my fate. Instead, I listen to my intuition and I go where it calls me.
If you can relate…
Yep, it’s another sign you have a very particular – and therefore unforgettable – personality.
3) You tend to form deep connections during fleeting encounters with strangers
If someone still thinks about that random weekend they spent in your company five years ago, there must have been something about you that made the experience so very memorable.
Chances are, it was your ability to form a deep bond in a very limited amount of time.
You know that feeling when you meet a stranger, and something just… clicks?
Before you know it, you’ve been chatting about your deepest desires and fears for ages, and despite the fact you’ve only met today, it feels like centuries have spanned since you said “hi” to each other.
Sometimes, these kinds of connections develop into a firmer friendship. Other times, you both go your separate ways, richer and more fulfilled than before.
I love it when stuff like this happens.
It may be surprising to hear that it doesn’t happen to everybody, though. In fact, plenty of people wouldn’t go out of their way to have a chat with a stranger, let alone display genuine curiosity in their inner world.
And that leads us to the next sign…
4) You approach every interaction with curiosity and an open mind
The one thing that makes you most memorable isn’t what you wear, how you talk, or what you’re like.
It’s how you make other people feel.
Humans are inherently pretty self-centred, and if someone makes us feel like we’re the most fascinating and loveable people alive, we’re on top of the world.
Sometimes, we may even return the same enthusiasm and therefore start a positive feedback loop of curiosity-fuelled questions that lead to a deep connection we won’t soon forget.
If you make someone feel seen for who they truly are; if you make them feel understood, a little less alone; if you show them that you’re on their side and that you only have good intentions…
It’s going to make a difference.
And there’s a high chance they will remember the encounter for weeks or even years to come.
5) People from your past reach out to you here and there
It always surprises me when someone I was friends with years and years ago reaches out, saying, “I’ve recently thought about you because of X and thought I’d message you and ask you how you’ve been.”
Don’t get me wrong, it’s not that I don’t occasionally think about them, too. It’s not even that I don’t think what we had was special in its own way.
It’s just that it sometimes strikes me as odd people would actually remember me and put in the effort to text me.
When you look at it in the context of everything we’ve discussed in this article so far, though, it’s probably not all that surprising.
Why wouldn’t someone you had a connection with still remember you here and there? Why wouldn’t they think fondly of you? Why wouldn’t they want to know how you’re doing right now?
Exactly.
So, if people from your past tend to reach out in unexpected moments and ask about your life and well-being…
You got it.
You’re pretty unforgettable.
6) You have a wonderful sense of humor
Humor comes in many shapes and sizes, from joyful silliness to dad jokes, from sarcasm to situational comedy.
Remember how we mentioned that people are more likely to remember you in a positive light if you make them feel fabulous?
That applies here, too.
If you use sarcasm to put people down or if your jokes can be a bit too insensitive in situations where that kind of harshness is uncalled for, people probably aren’t going to burst into laughter. On the contrary, they might feel a bit uncomfortable and look forward to taking their leave.
If you use positive and bonding humor, though…
That’s a different story.
Humor that addresses issues faced by both parties, that gives rise to positive feelings only, and that’s rooted in playful banter or a silly situation is the kind of humor that people genuinely love.
It’s what makes us connect. And ultimately, it’s what makes our encounters so very memorable.
I don’t know how about you, but I take “We laughed so much together my belly hurt” as the ultimate compliment.
7) You’re authentically yourself
All of the aforementioned signs boil down to one thing.
You aren’t afraid to be yourself.
You wear your heart on your sleeve because you know that pretense isn’t going to help you attract the kinds of people you want in your life, and you glow while you’re at it.
If someone doesn’t like your authentic self, so what? At least none of you are going to waste your time and will have more energy to focus on friends who genuinely love you for who you are.
As expert Gail Gross Ph.D., Ed.D., M.Ed., says, “By being yourself and respecting yourself, you will find others like you. Nothing is worse in friendship or relationship than feeling your friend is so high-maintenance that you can never be your essential self or meet your needs, that you are not liked or valued for how you are but for how you perform.”
Don’t put on a performance just to fit in. Be yourself.
Thus the secret of having an unforgettable personality.
