Jelena Dincic
In this crazy, high-speed, social-media and technology-filled world we live in, it’s nice to know that there are still some people out there who are thoughtful and considerate, and who actually care about other people.
There seem to be more people living in a “bubble” today than ever before and it feels like we’re forgetting about the qualities and virtues that make us human.
Luckily for us though, there are still thoughtful people in the world, and while they’re around, I think we’ll be okay.
Could you be a thoughtful person yourself? Let’s find out.
Here are 11 personality traits of a thoughtful person.
1) They’re considerate
Depending on your age, dear reader, you may or may not remember the “good old” days when kids were taught to be kind and considerate. Whatever happened to that?
It seems like today it’s “each man” for himself.
Well, not when it comes to thoughtful people. They’re actually considerate of other people’s feelings. That means that before speaking and before doing something, they think about how their words and actions will affect others.
Why?
Because thoughtful people care about others and don’t want to hurt someone’s feelings or accidentally cause any pain.
2) They have empathy
I guess most of us have empathy to different degrees (I say most because psychopaths don’t).
I just feel that with years of being bombarded with horrible images of war and people suffering, we’ve kind of become “immune”.
Not thoughtful people though. They remain very sensitive to other people’s feelings.
When a thoughtful person sees someone in trouble, it’s impossible for them to look the other way. In fact, it’s so easy for them to put themselves in someone else’s shoes that they often have a hard time “snapping out of it”.
It doesn’t matter whether the person in question is a friend, a stranger on the street, or even someone on television, thoughtful people’s empathy runs so deep that you’ll often find them shaken up and in tears!
3) They’re compassionate
And it’s not just that they can feel what others feel, they also have a strong urge to do something to help.
If a friend is clearly miserable and going through something, even if they’re not ready to open up, a thoughtful person will find a way to help.
If they see someone hungry and cold on the street, they’ll be sure to buy them a warm meal and bring them an old blanket – even if it means that they’ll be late for an appointment.
And do you know what else?
Their empathy doesn’t stop at people, oh no! They care about animals and can’t bear to see them suffer.
In fact, you’ll find that a lot of thoughtful people work in animal shelters, foster animals at home, or have adopted more animals than they know what to do with!
All in all, they’re kind and caring and eager to help out whenever they can.
4) They’re generous
Being generous can mean so many different things.
The first thing that comes to mind for many people is “money” and material things. And yes, thoughtful people like to buy things for others and help them out financially if they’re in the position to do so.
But money isn’t everything and they know that.
Some people are lonely and would love to have someone spare some time to spend with them. Others may need help understanding or learning something new.
So, whether it’s their time, resources, or attention, thoughtful people genuinely enjoy giving to others – in fact, they’ll even give up their piece of chocolate cake to make someone else happy! I don’t know if I could go quite so far.
5) They’re respectful
Sorry, but I’m gonna have to get all nostalgic for times gone by once again, but, whatever happened to respect?
Whatever happened to treating others the way we would like to be treated?
Well, you can be sure that when it comes to thoughtful people they treat everyone with respect – friends, strangers, young and old. They believe that we’re all equals – regardless of our sex, background, religion, race, or whatever else may make us different.
The bottom line? The world would be a much better place if everyone could just take a page out of a thoughtful person’s book and show respect for one another.
6) Open-mindedness
Another personality trait of thoughtful people is their open-mindedness.
Being open-minded means that they’re willing to consider new ideas and perspectives instead of dismissing them if they clash with their own views.
I think that open-mindedness is an important trait for people to have because it allows for greater understanding and empathy toward other people.
What’s more, when someone is open-minded, they are more likely to listen to others without judgment and are open to learning new things and seeing the world in a new light.
When it comes to conflict or disagreement, an open-minded person is the one that’s most likely to find a solution that benefits everyone involved.
7) They’re selfless
Now, this doesn’t mean that thoughtful people are saints who are always going to sacrifice their own happiness and well-being for others.
What it does mean is that whenever they can, they try to be kind and considerate of other people’s feelings, and when the people in question are people they care about, they have no trouble putting their needs before their own.
Why?
Because it makes them happy to do something nice for someone they love.
And do you know what else?
When they do something nice for someone else, they don’t feel the need to brag about it, in fact, they often keep it to themselves. There’s certainly no quid pro quo involved with thoughtful people.
You see, when it comes to genuine acts of kindness, the point isn’t for the other person to know what you did or sacrificed for them, but for you to know that your actions had a positive impact on someone else.
Does this sound like something you can do?
8) They’re patient
Patience and thoughtfulness go hand in hand.
When you’re patient, you are likely to take the time to listen to others, understand their needs and perspectives, and respond in a way that is thoughtful and considerate.
But that’s not all.
A patient person is also quite likely to remain calm and avoid reacting impulsively in situations where emotions are running high.
And why is that good?
Because it can help prevent misunderstandings and arguments, thus helping to maintain positive relationships.
9) They’re tactful
Ah yes, the dying art of being tactful.
So what exactly does it mean to be tactful?
Well, it means thinking before opening your mouth to speak. It means asking yourself, “Is this the right time to bring this up?”
It also means choosing your words carefully in a way that is considerate of other people’s feelings and asking yourself, “Will any good come from me saying this?”
Being tactful is all about being careful not to hurt someone’s feelings. It’s actually quite similar to being diplomatic – using the appropriate language and tone, avoiding criticism, being respectful, and trying not to be judgmental.
10) They’re good listeners
Don’t you just hate it when you have something that you’d really like to share – whether it be a piece of good news or something that’s weighing heavily on your mind – and you can’t seem to find anyone to listen?
Because here’s the thing, a lot of the time, people nod their heads but don’t really listen to what we’re saying. Maybe they’ll catch a word here and there and they’ll chip in with a “that’s great” or “that sucks” but then they’ll take over the conversation and make it about them.
It’s a pretty shi**y feeling, isn’t it? Makes you wish you didn’t say anything in the first place.
Now, if you’re lucky enough to have a thoughtful person as a friend, then you’re in luck because they’re really good listeners.
They genuinely care about what you have to say and will ask you a bunch of questions and give you the satisfaction of reacting in the right way! They’ll focus all their attention on you and it won’t even occur to them to bring up their own agenda!
The bottom line? It’s pretty damn amazing to have a thoughtful person as a friend.
11) They’re humble
Do you know why thoughtful people don’t brag about their success and their accomplishments?
Because they don’t want to make anyone feel bad! They don’t want someone to feel inadequate just because they don’t make the same amount of money as they do or because they haven’t managed to advance as far in their career.
Thoughtful people know that everyone progresses at their own pace and that we all have our strong points, but that we can’t all be good at the same thing. For them, life isn’t a competition.
In short: Thoughtful people are humble. They’re happy to do well but they don’t think of themselves as being better than others and would never want their success to make someone else feel bad.
Conclusion
And there you have it, 11 personality traits of a thoughtful person.
If you recognize some of these characteristics in yourself, great! If not, I strongly recommend that you ask yourself how you can acquire these traits and qualities and become a more thoughtful person.
Good luck!
