Quick question: Aside from the fact that they’re all famous, what do Keanu Reeves, Dave Grohl, Jennifer Garner, and Hugh Jackman have in common?
Did you guess what it is?
They’re all down to earth people. Despite their fame and good fortune, these celebrities are known for being grounded, warm, and 100% approachable.
(That’s why they have another thing in common: my unabashed admiration.
And fair warning: I’ll be talking about these celebs a lot here!)
Do you have what it takes to be the Keanu/Dave/Jennifer/Hugh in your corner of the world?
Definitely, if you’re the type who finds happiness in these ten things:
1) Time in nature
Sunrises. Sunsets. The sound of the ocean. The smell of the earth.
These are all things that nourish your soul. Down to earth people have a strong connection to the earth, which is why they make sure to spend time regularly in a natural setting.
I mean, the name itself is pretty clear – they aren’t called “down to earth” for nothing!
So, they might go hiking in the mountains or stroll through a park. They might grow their own garden or go surfing on the weekends.
(Fun fact: Hugh Jackman often surfs in his downtime. He even once did a real-life rescue by pulling out his kids and some other swimmers from dangerous surf at Bondi Beach. That superhero energy is real, guys!)
It’s all about nourishing and recharging from something that’s greater than themselves.
2) Giving and receiving handmade gifts
Do you like giving and receiving handcrafted items? That’s a clear sign you’re down to earth.
In this day and age when flashier and more expensive gifts are prized, you know the value of giving and receiving something made the old-fashioned way – with someone’s hands.
For example, one of my hobbies is painting. So I often give friends and family some of the paintings I create.
In the same way, I treasure the gifts that may look simple but were created with love – crocheted blankets/beanies/dolls, family-recipe sauces…as long as you made it, I’ll love it!
Why? Because more than the item itself, it speaks to the time and effort the other person took just to make me happy. And for me, that’s priceless!
3) Doing DIY projects
Speaking of all things handcrafted, one of the things that make down to earth people happy are DIY projects.
Again, it’s all about the process, not the product.
Down to earth folks derive a sense of fulfillment and joy from working on something with their hands. It’s the experience that gives them so much satisfaction.
So, while the chair they’d been working on might turn out to be wonky, the woodworking hobbyist’s heart would still feel full.
Uneven stitches won’t stop an amateur quilter from doing the next one.
It’s because they enjoy the learning process.
4) Learning something new
As you may have guessed by now, down to earth people aren’t much into material possessions.
They’re the type to value experiences over things. As such, if you make them pick between a new designer bag or a trip to someplace new, they’d probably choose the latter.
I know that’s what I’d pick. Because experiences offer something material things can’t – new ideas, perspectives, and sensations.
5) The basics
Now don’t get me wrong. While down to earth people certainly love learning new things and fantastic experiences, they’d be just as happy with the basics.
Simple things like:
- Reading a good book
- Enjoying a lovely cup of tea
- Sitting on a swing (my favorite thing to do!)
- Buying veggies at a farmer’s market
- Watching birds drink from a fountain
…stuff like that can fill a down to earth person’s heart with gratitude!
6) A home-cooked dinner with the people they love
This counts as one of the simple pleasures I mentioned in the section above, but I’d like to point out two things:
- Emphasis on the “home-cooked”: down to earth folks don’t have to go out to fancy restaurants and have a gourmet meal to be happy, and…
- The people they love: this is a major happy-maker in a down to earth person’s life. They do the work of nurturing strong relationships because they know it’s one of the things that matters most in life.
If you look at Jennifer Garner’s social media, you’ll see a lot of it is about the joy of family and home-cooked food.
7) Heartfelt conversations
Another basic that so often goes underrated, but deserves a space of its own.
You see, one of the things that down to earth people really value is authenticity. They’d prefer you come to them with no airs, no pretensions, just the real you, warts and all.
And every time you share something of yourself, every time you have a meaningful conversation that comes from the heart, that makes them happy.
It might not mean much to you, but trust me, they tuck those conversations away in their memory box because it was a moment of real, honest-to-goodness connection.
8) Spending time with animals
Who likes getting all loved up by muddy, scruffy, and sometimes smelly animals? Down to earth folks, that’s who!
Again, this comes down to their strong bond with the natural world. Plus, they have so much empathy and compassion that naturally extends to these lovable creatures.
Speaking of which, have you seen this video of Keanu Reeves cuddling adorable puppies?
9) Getting involved in community events
Another thing you’ll find down to earth people doing is getting involved in community events.
They’re all about that collective spirit of working together for the greater good.
I’m not talking about just hosting fancy yet largely detached fundraisers at an upscale hotel, though. Any socialite can do that.
The truly down to earth are willing to do the hard stuff involved in community work.
I’m talking about the nitty-gritty of:
- Walking out in the heat for an environmental clean-up drive
- Actually participating in a charity run
- Helping out in disaster relief efforts
- Working with at-risk youth
- Volunteering at soup kitchens
- Providing support for victims of abuse
I could go on and on, but you get the idea. Down to earth people don’t worry about their hair coming undone or their outfits getting dirty. They just buckle down to work and do what needs to be done, however unglamorous it may be.
How come they can do all of those? Because at the core of it all, they like…
10) Seeing other people happy
I guess it’s safe to say that what sets down to earth people apart is their recognition that there’s a world out there full of issues and problems that are bigger than them.
So, rather than dwell on themselves, they choose to focus on making other people happy. Making a positive impact in the world.
They have none of the entitlement nor the blown-up ego of a Karen, because they see themselves as just another person walking the earth. No different from anyone else.
I suppose that’s why it’s so refreshing when we see celebrities being grounded and humble.
Take a look at the many ways Dave Grohl proves he’s the nicest and most down to earth person in his industry.
Or how Keanu Reeves earned his rep for being a legit kind and humble guy.
I’m not saying you’ve got to be famous first so you can flex your down-to-earthness. You already have it, just by virtue of making the people around you happy.
Because that means you understand that the world doesn’t revolve around you. And that, on the contrary – rather than the world catering to you, it’s you who has a responsibility to be a positive force out there.
Final thoughts
As you can see, being down to earth comes with a certain understanding – that for all our talents and special traits, we are merely a part of a greater whole.
That thought is what keeps down to earth people grounded, with no delusions of grandeur or pretensions.