With age comes wisdom and maturity, right?
Well, not really. Most people wise up the older they get, but not everyone does. And some people are just more mature, regardless of how old or young they are!
When you’re a mature person at a young age, some people might say you have an old soul. And believe me, it’s a huge compliment if they do!
Why? Because people with old souls have special personality traits that make them pretty wonderful people.
So if you have these 11 traits, you might have an old soul. And you’re probably pretty amazing, too!
1) You choose to spend time alone
Being able to spend time alone is one thing. Choosing to spend time alone is a different thing entirely!
Finding comfort in being alone is something that tends to come with age – but not always. It all depends on how mature you are.
While there’s nothing wrong with keeping yourself busy and socializing, there’s beauty in being alone. And it’s a beauty few people can find.
When you’re alone, you can be the truest form of yourself. You can wholly and entirely relax. And you can do your best self-reflection and goal-setting to discover who you truly are!
2) You don’t judge other people often
Being judgmental is a trait often associated with small-minded people.
Typically, the younger you are, the less you’ve experienced in life. So the more likely you are to be slightly more judgmental of others!
Open-mindedness and understanding are traits more often associated with older, wiser people. But, of course, if you’re a young person with an old soul, this doesn’t apply to you.
Instead, you’re way more open-minded and very (very!) slow to judge others. You understand that there are always two sides to every story, and few things are what they seem on the surface.
So you rarely form an opinion on someone or something until you have all the facts. And even then, you’re still happy to have your mind changed!
3) You listen more than you speak
When you think of a chatty person, who do you picture? Is it someone older or younger?
Typically, the younger you are, the more you speak and the less you listen. There’s nothing wrong with this. But it doesn’t really signify that you have an old soul.
When you listen more than you speak, you take in so much more about the people around you. You hear what isn’t said as well as what is.
You also open the floor for people to share more, which can be beneficial in business or when building supportive relationships with others.
This skill usually comes with age, but not always. It all depends on how mature you are and how much you value other people’s viewpoints.
So if you do this already, you might have an old soul. You probably have more genuine friends, too!
4) You don’t gloat or brag
People aren’t born with humility. But most people learn it as they go through life.
Not everyone, of course. I’ve met people of all ages who love to brag and gloat and sneer! Understandably, these traits aren’t generally seen as positive ones.
A humble person, on the other hand, is noble and morally good. How?
Imagine during the holidays, you had hundreds of dollars spent on you with gifts from family members.
In school the next day, you don’t say a word about those things. If asked, you downplay how extravagant and expensive all your gifts were.
That’s what it means to have humility.
Whereas if you tell everyone how rich you are and how much money was spent on you – knowing that others don’t have these luxuries in life – that’s not so humble…
5) You get along with most people
Ever heard the saying, “They mellowed out with age”? Well, it’s what mostly happens to people the older they get!
As you age and wise up a bit, most people let go of their anger towards the world around them. I.e., they “mellow out”.
Which means they stop arguing with people, engaging in text wars, and just being so overtly angry, bitter, or jealous. When you get like this, you become way easier to get along with.
If you have an old soul as a young person, you’re already very mellow. You don’t do many of these things anyway, and you just seem to get along with most people!
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6) You value people over possessions
If someone asked you what are the most important things about your life, what would you say?
Would you say it’s your phone? Your Instagram? The number of followers you have on TikTok?
Or would you say it’s the people in your life? The animals you have? Or even the fact that you have a roof over your head and food on the table?
If it’s the latter, you value people more than you value possessions. Which is exactly what a wiser, more mature person does. And someone with an old soul!
7) You give good advice
Giving good advice is a skill, and it isn’t easy to do. I remember fumbling many times in my life to say something meaningful to someone in need!
The older I got, the more I realized that I don’t always need to give advice after someone opens up to me. Sometimes, they just want to vent and get validation, rather than hear any tippets of wisdom!
But even so, the ability to give good, genuine advice typically only comes with age. As you experience more of life and the world, you’re better able to support people and say something of genuine quality to them.
“Typically” is the keyword there.
Because if you’re a young person with an old soul, the above doesn’t apply to you at all. You’re perfectly capable of giving good advice – and many of your friends will confirm it!
8) You enjoy time in nature
When you’re young, you usually spend time outdoors because your parents or teachers tell you to. You don’t often do it out of choice.
I know when my brothers were younger, my mom was always moaning at them to put the PlayStation remote down and get outside! It always led to a ton of mumbles and grumbles before they begrudgingly did it.
When you wise up a bit, spending time outdoors isn’t something your parents have to force you into. Instead, you appreciate the divine beauty of the outdoor world – and actually choose to experience it!
Listening to the birds tweeting, feeling the sun kiss your skin, breathing in the fresh air, and just moving your body outdoors gives you a warm, happy feeling inside.
If you’re young and you can relate to that feeling, you probably have an old soul.
9) You look after your mind, body, and soul
I think everyone goes through a period of feeling a little invincible. Like you could do anything and be alright.
You could climb that tree and nothing bad would ever come from it. Or eat all the fast food in the world and never see a difference in your health.
But when you wise up, those feelings all go away. You start thinking about the consequences of your actions and the impact on your body.
And instead of thinking, “I’m sure I’ll be fine” at any given moment, you start actually taking care of yourself instead.
If you already feel this way, you have an old soul, there’s no doubt. You see the value in who you are as a person. And you want to keep your mind and body safe!
10) You think before you speak
I cringe at all the times I’ve said something and later regretted it. But I’ve learned to forgive myself for all of that now. Because I was young with a young soul to match!
As we’ve talked about lots already, when you have an old soul, you’re way more mature than most people your age. And that shows in how you talk to people.
You don’t ever just say the first thing that pops into your head. Like if you noticed your friend had gained weight. Or if they had a new spot on their face…
Instead, you think carefully before you speak. You weigh up whether it’s the right time and place to say it. You even consider whether it should be said at all!
11) You rarely make quick decisions
Do people often say you’re quick on your feet? Or that you’re irrational? Thinking on your feet is a good thing, but making rash decisions really isn’t.
When I first started working, it used to drive me crazy how all the bosses never made a decision about anything! It took a couple of years for me to truly understand why they were the way they were.
Some decisions can’t be made on a whim, especially the big ones. They have consequences – and those consequences should be weighed up carefully before anything gets decided.
When you have an old soul, you understand the need to think about decisions before you make them.
That doesn’t mean you pour over them for weeks and months… But it does mean you think things through before jumping in with both feet!
Final thoughts
Like we said earlier, having an old soul really is a beautiful thing. It can make you more appreciative of the world around you.
It can also help you feel more comfortable in your own skin and be more accepting of who you are.
So if you recognize any of these 11 traits in yourself, you really are doing OK in life. Because you might have an old soul even though you’re a young person. And that’s a really, really wonderful thing!