12 personality traits that show you’re a highly authentic person

With technology making communication easier and spreading trends faster, authenticity is a lot less common these days.

You have people hiding behind a well-curated online persona, and then you have those whose personality traits, style, goals, and even friends change based on whatever is currently going viral.

But if you’re a truly authentic person, this is rarely ever the case.

An authentic person is a person everyone can trust.

They may not be able to solve your problems, but you can bet that they won’t leave when the going gets tough. They’re able to stay true to themselves, regardless of trends.

Are you an authentic person?

Here are some signs that come naturally with genuinely authentic people.

1. You’re Not Living to Please Everyone

Authentic people know that not everyone is going to like them, so why live trying to please everyone?

No matter what you do, there’s always someone rooting against you.

Instead of trying to change their mind, you focus on your own happiness rather than trying to gain approval.

You live your life as you decide, not what society or someone else determines is the right way.

You live for yourself, and those who genuinely want to be in your life will understand your position.

You’re bound to ruffle some feathers, but you won’t lose sleep over it.

What matters is that you’re living a life that genuinely makes you happy.

2. You Don’t Always Look or Act Your Best

…and that’s totally fine.

We all have our bad days, and there will be days when you slip up from being your best self.

You’re only human, so you won’t pretend to always be at your A-game when that’s just not true.

This means making mistakes, looking weak, or just not feeling in the mood to act like everything is perfect.

Many people create this public persona that’s always at their best – so strong, so perfect – but you don’t put any energy into keeping up appearances and adhering to societal standards.

You are confident in yourself and your own self-worth that you don’t have to maintain a perfect persona in front of everyone 24/7.

3. You’re a Realist

Authentic people recognize that the world isn’t always black and white, and that affects how you see your reality.

You’re not a cynic, but you’re not a naive optimist. You know what works, and what doesn’t.

You learn to trust people, but you’re cautious against anyone who might try to take advantage of your kindness.

As an authentic person, you recognize the world for what it is.

You know how to face the harsh realities of life that many refuse to acknowledge, and that gives you the advantage of knowing how to move forward, even in bad times.

4. You Aren’t Easily Swayed By Material Things

You’re not the type to buy the latest iPhone when your current phone is still functioning.

You focus less on the price tag or the popularity of a brand and more on the quality of the product you’re receiving.

Some people may call you stingy, but you and other authentic individuals call yourselves practical.

There’s nothing wrong with splurging every now and then, especially when it’s earned.

But when you do, you aren’t swayed by marketing tactics or trends.

You don’t base your worth on the brands you wear, nor do you rate other people based on what they have or don’t have.

5. You’re Unapologetic About Your Thoughts and Beliefs

You’re not going to say something just because that’s what people around you are saying.

You form your own thoughts and opinions.

That’s not to say you’re a contrarian for being a contrarian’s sake.

Rather, your beliefs aren’t reliant on a crowd, but the belief you form based on how you perceive the world.

And while you’re open to changing your beliefs as more facts come along, you aren’t going to apologize for the views you have at any point.

There will always be those with differing opinions.

You’re open to conversations about your contrasting views, but they won’t hear apologies from you nor can they try to sway your stance.

6. You Avoid Drama at All Costs

Your inner circle consists of people you can trust.

Authentic people enjoy the company of those who are simply themselves, regardless of society’s expectations, social status, and other arbitrary standards.

You’re honest, even to a point where things can get argumentative, but you’re all capable and mature enough to hash it out.

Authentic people don’t feel comfortable around people who are constantly hiding behind a mask.

You avoid people who gossip because you’re not sure what they could be telling others about you behind your back.

For authentic people, a simple drama-free life is always the best way to go.

7. You’re Emotionally Mature

You’re in control of your emotions, both in public and in private.

Disagreements rarely turn into shouting matches for authentic people because a sound argument and a clear voice speak volumes for them.

No matter how difficult your situation is, you know how to put emotion aside and provide sound judgment.

That’s not to say that authentic people can be cold and robot-like.

You know the right time to show emotion and when to put emotions aside.

This means people look to you as a sincere person. When you do show emotion, people can trust that it’s the real deal and not any hidden agenda.

8. You Celebrate Others’ Success

I heard somewhere on the internet that the best way to know if your friends are the real deal is during your success.

When you’re down, it’s easy for anyone to pity your position and be sympathetic and be your shoulder to cry on.

But when you’ve achieved your goals and found success, the truly authentic people around you will genuinely celebrate.

Authentic people aren’t threatened by those who succeed.

They know that everyone eventually excels, and they’re happy enough to wait for their chance at success.

You lift people up whenever you can for a chance at their success and then congratulate them without taking any of the credit.

Your worth isn’t diminished when others shine, and you know it.

9. You Listen to Others

Being authentic means having substance, and you can’t do this if you’re trapped in your own bubble.

In a conversation, there are those who wait to speak, and there are those who genuinely listen and respond.

You can’t have a meaningful conversations if you have poor listening skills, so you make it a habit to listen and continue the conversation based on what others say.

This could be one of many reasons why people enjoy conversations with you. You make people feel seen and heard.

You never come off as someone who likes to hear themselves talk, and you know just the right questions to ask.

10. You Have Healthy Relationships

Authentic people enter different kinds of relationships wearing their heart on their sleeves – no drama or double meanings necessary.

While you’re not the type to rush into a budding romance, you hate the coyish games that some people play and are very straightforward with your emotions.

While you can keep your emotions in check, you’re not the type to pretend to be cool and reserved when you’re not.

You love generously, and you give love to those who have earned it. But most importantly, you also know how to love yourself and choose your own happiness.

11. You Think Differently

Have you ever been in a situation where someone asks a subjective question to a crowd and you tend to have a very different answer from everyone else?

That’s because authentic people think on their own wavelength.

This means not following the normal thought process and finding different ways to see things.

You don’t conform to the same ideas, which allows you to think out of the box.

Outside of social settings, this gives you an advantage in many areas.

Your creativity has helped you create different solutions not many would normally consider.

You see things that other people don’t, even if it’s plain sight.

This may mean butting ideas with others every now and then, but your creativity provides a lot of insight to collaborate and create better ideas.

12. You Choose Your Battles

You know that not every argument has to be won, nor are some relationships lost worth losing sleep over.

You value your mental health, integrity, safety, and everything else that makes you yourself.

This means not rising to the bait or getting involved in drama or chaos started by someone else.

Your clearheadedness allows you to pick your battles carefully.

You know when it’s not worth the time or energy to get into, so it’s much easier to walk away.

You don’t have to apologize or explain yourself to anyone, and it shows.

You’re not going to make a mountain out of a molehill, and neither will you blow things out of proportion, especially when it doesn’t add that much value to your life.