23 unique signs you’re an old soul (complete list)

Have you ever felt somewhat detached from other people?

As if you wonder why people are so caught up with small dramas and issues when you believe there’s something more important to care about?

That might be an indicator that you have an old soul.

Anyone can have an old soul, from children who are surprisingly patient and understanding to young adults who somehow give good advice all the time.

Some say it’s because of how they were nurtured, others say they’re an incarnation of some universal force; in any case, here are 23 signs that you or someone you know has an old soul.

1. You’re More Intentional With Your Choices

You’ve already lived a life before, so you know what to do with yours now.

You’ve become more mindful in your days.

Although you still go about your routines and habits, you’re intentional with every choice that you make.

When you’re sitting on the couch on a Sunday afternoon, it isn’t because you’re lazy — it’s because you planned to rest and enjoy the quiet weekend.

Everything has a purpose for you; from the shoes that you’re wearing to the notebook that you write your thoughts on.

You’re not quick to act on your impulses as well. You would rather take a step back and think about what it is that you really want.

2. You Value Quality Over Quantity Of Friends

It doesn’t matter how many people are on your friend’s list; what you care more about is how much you know each person that’s there.

That’s because, as an old soul, you value true and honest connections with whomever you interact with.

You have friends of different ages, and each one of them plays a valuable role in your life.

You’re sensitive to other people’s feelings.

When your closest friend comes to you with a painful problem in their life, you can’t but empathize with them and share their struggle.

You learn from them and they learn from you; you enjoy their company and they enjoy yours.

It isn’t a friendship strained by constantly having to talk either.

You know that however long you may not be speaking when you do get the chance to see each other again, it’s as if there wasn’t any break at all.

3. People Say You Give Good Advice

One of the hallmarks of an old soul is being “wise beyond your years”.

This can be observed when you give advice to your friend in distress.

When they talk to you about not being able to solve a problem in their life, you offer them wisdom that guides them to the answer they’ve been looking for.

If you find that you’re the designated advice giver in your friend group, that may be because of all the wisdom that you have to share with them.

You’re not even sure why, but you’re very much in tune with your intuition. You just know things.

4. You Enjoy Your Solitude

The detachment you feel can be caused by the fact that you enjoy your alone time. That’s because solitude is one of the most important things to an old soul.

You’re comfortable sitting by yourself and reading a nice book, or going out to a restaurant and eating alone.

You cherish these experiences because you enjoy your own company; it’s one of life’s simple joys for you.

While by yourself in public, you like to soak in the environment and the ambiance.

You like watching how other people go on about their day and imagine an entire world unknown to you hiding within their own souls.

Although others may call you distant, it doesn’t bother you all that much because you genuinely enjoy what you’re doing.

5. You Don’t Need The Latest Products

Your attachment to material things is limited. You don’t feel the need to upgrade your phone every year because that isn’t your biggest priority; as long as it does what you need it to do, you’re sticking with it.

Instead of seeing it as an innovative device, you see it as a tool to stay in touch with your closest friends.

This extends to your view of money as well.

You don’t feel the need to acquire a large amount of wealth — just enough to pay the bills and live a decent life.

Likewise, clearing your home of clutter is easier for you because you don’t see material items as being too important to you.

You can let go of certain objects because you understand that material items don’t last as long as the connections you’ve formed with other people.

6. You Don’t Try To Fit in

Listening to the latest music; watching the newest movies; keeping up with the fashion trends — these things don’t concern you as much.

You don’t mind lagging behind on the mainstream because you understand that, at the end of the day, what’s more important to you is if you’re actually enjoying what you’re consuming.

You don’t care about “missing out” on these latest trends because you aren’t the type to seek the validation of others.

That’s because you find that you’re perfectly content with who you are, what you enjoy, and the comfort of the clothes that you’re wearing — no matter how they look for others.

7. You Gravitate Towards Older People

This is a telling sign that your soul has been through life more than once; you enjoy the company of people that are much older than you.

Some say that this is because old souls can sense other old souls.

Although it might seem odd to people seeing you hang around an older group, you don’t feel out of place.

You like the stories that they tell, and maybe even the music that they listen to.

You have good — maybe even better — chemistry with people whose life started well before you were born. In times of your own personal problems, you look to them to give you wise advice.

8. You Don’t Get Caught Up In The Day-To-Day Stress

The daily busyness of life is something that you don’t allow to get to your head.

There are more pressing issues going on in your head than stressing about the schedule of your next meeting or getting into the petty drama of people that you only somewhat know.

Instead, you stay calm.

That’s because you’re more concerned with the bigger picture; how to make sense of everything and what the true purpose of life is.

The transience of life is something that you keep in mind at all times, which is why you want to make sure that you’re trying to live the most enjoyable and simple life that you can while you still have time.

9. You Like To Keep Things Simple

You keep your personal belongings to a minimum. You don’t have anything that you don’t need and you buy just enough food and groceries — no more, no less. It’s an uncomplicated existence that you enjoy having.

That’s because you know that the fewer things you have, the more at peace with yourself you can be.

What you value are the experiences you have with people and your surroundings.

Having a laugh with your friends or finally having a cool breezy day in the summer — these simple joys of life are ultimately what gets you out of bed in the morning.

You don’t look for anything big or fancy because you know that the most beautiful things in life are the ones that are simple.

10. You’re Contemplative

Do you find yourself in deep thought often? Are you often reflecting on life and yourself?

Old souls tend to be deeply introspective, wondering how they can improve themselves and if they’re living the best life that they can.

You take responsibility for your actions, which is why when faced with a decision, you’d be more willing to step back and give it some thought before acting on anything.

Another common trait that old souls share is that they’re naturally curious individuals.

They’re thinkers who want to seek the truth and learn new things about life, and especially people.

Their curiosity about people is what makes them wise and great friends to have.

11. You See Life As A Journey

Life is an ongoing process.

When you make a mistake, you understand that it’s all part of the journey; it’s just a bump on the road.

That’s because you know that you can always choose to change and be better next time around.

You don’t feel rushed to achieve your goals because it’s what you’re “supposed” to have reached at your age; amassing large wealth, owning a house, finding love, and tying the knot.

These things take time, and when the opportunity arises, you’ll know how to approach it.

The reason why old souls live the way that they do is that they’re said to have gone through life before already.

The knowledge they’ve accumulated helps them understand the most important things in life, for them: sharing the love with their families and friends, and living a life of peace and calm.

12. You are not too Concerned With Material Possessions

The older we get, the more we realize that material possessions simply aren’t as important as our society makes them out to be.

Instead, it’s really the connections and memories we make along the way that truly make life worth living – and old souls tend to recognize this reality much sooner than others.

If material possessions simply don’t interest you as much as they seem to interest other people then there’s a good chance that you yourself are an old soul.

13. You Easily Empathize With Others

There’s a lot of crossover between an old soul and an empath.

If you find that you find that you are deeply affected by both the highs and lows that other people experience then you are likely an old soul, an empath, or both.

In many ways, this can be a very positive thing. In other ways, strongly empathizing with the struggles of others can be a real burden.

However, it’s a burden that almost all old souls have to bear.

14. You Require a lot of Time Alone

People with old souls tend to experience a high degree of empathy and are more in tune with the emotions of others.

While this is a positive thing overall, it can also mean that old soul are quickly drained by prolonged social interactions and require a lot of alone time to recharge.

If you find yourself needing to slip away and spend some time by yourself on a regular basis or if you find that you are easily drained/overstimulated by long social interactions then it is likely due to the fact that you are an old soul.

15. You Like to Think Things Through

Wisdom and patience go hand in hand.

Since old souls are wise beyond their years, they often feel the need to think things through and ensure that wisdom is thoroughly put to use before they make a decision.

You may find that plenty of time for deliberation is a key part of your decision-making process and that failing to completely think things through leaves feeling uncomfortable unprepared.

If this description fits your own decision-making process then it’s a good sign that you are an old soul.

16. You Love Learning

The wisdom attributed to old souls is not typically something that they are born with.

Instead, old souls tend to have a passion for learning new things, and it’s this passion for learning that creates the wisdom old souls are known for.

If you love learning new things just for the sake of learning them then this a characteristic that you share in common with most all old souls.

17. You are Cool, Calm, and Collected

Do you find that you are able to stay calm even in the most stressful of circumstances? If so, you may be an old soul.

Old souls tend to realize that the circumstances of the moment are not nearly as impactful or life-changing as most people make them out to be.

Instead, old souls are able to keep the big picture in mind and stay cool, calm, and collected when everyone else is losing their heads.

18. You aren’t Excited by the Latest Fads

Being able to see the big picture at all times means that old souls don’t tend to jump on the bandwagon each time there is a new trend or fad.

Instead, people who are wise beyond their years are often able to see through the pomp and circumstance surrounding the latest fad and realize that it is only a temporary infatuation no better than everything that came before it.

If you have found that the latest crazes don’t seem to interest you much then you are likely wise beyond your years as well.

19. You Value Meeting New People

Because old souls tend to require plenty of time alone to recharge their batteries, they are often wrongly viewed as isolated people who don’t enjoy the company of others.

In reality, though, nothing could be further from the truth.

Old souls are fascinated with new knowledge and experiences and thus tend to love meeting new people.

They may not be a fan of small talk, large crowds, or social interactions that run too long, but meeting and conversing with new people is something that old souls value a lot.

20. You Feel Connected to the Past

Does the past hold a certain charm for you? Are you fascinated by history and the tales of great people who came before you?

If so, you may be an old soul.

Especially in today’s modern and fast-paced world, old souls tend to experience a deep longing for the simpler times of the past.

While there’s certainly no going back now, this connection to the past is something that most old souls tend to value and nurture.

21. You Like to Reflect on Your Life

People tend to spend a lot of time reflecting on their life the closer they come to its end. Old souls, however, start this process of reflection much sooner than most.

If you find that you spend a lot of time thinking about old memories, the choices and moments that have defined your life, and the overall course that your life has taken thus far in spite of the fact that the story of your life is still far from over then you yourself are likely an old soul.

22. You Didn’t Have Many Friends as a Child

A childhood defined by a lack of friends is one of the most common signs of an old soul.

Young children often have a hard time relating to and interacting with older people.

By the same token, children also often have a hard time relating to old souls – even when those old souls are children themselves.

If you had a hard time making friends as a child, it could easily be due to the fact that you were already much more mentally mature than the rest of the children your age.

23. You are Very Introspective

As much time as old souls spend studying the world around them, they spend even more time studying themselves.

Old souls tend to be very introspective, meaning that they put a lot of energy into analyzing their thoughts and emotions as well as the unique traits that make them who they are.

This can sometimes cause old souls to be overly critical of themselves.

However, a talent for introspection is an essential part of personal growth as well as a big part of what makes old souls wise beyond their years.

Enjoying Life as an Old Soul

If you find that the 23 signs of an old soul listed above describe you and your own life experiences then it’s likely that you are one of the rare people who are defined as old souls.

Being an old soul is its own unique burden, but it’s also a gift that can benefit you throughout your life in a number of extraordinary ways.

From the wisdom to make sound decisions to the ability to understand the value of the past and beyond, living life as an old soul certainly has its advantages and is something you should enjoy. In little time at all, you are going to have an old body to match your old soul.

For now, though, a young body and an old soul are some of the most rewarding combinations that a person can enjoy.

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