Natalya Edwards
People with big hearts and kind souls have many small habits that reveal their true colours. From putting others’ needs before their own to treating them with genuine kindness, their humongous hearts shine through every time.
These are 11 small habits that reveal a big heart and a kind soul.
1) They show respect through small acts
Kind souls genuinely care about other people and their well-being. They’re not for hurting others’ feelings or disrespecting them.
They won’t cross boundaries by asking personal questions, saying something hurtful or taking things without asking permission first.
They’ll show respect, saying ‘please’ and ‘thank you’, hold the door open for you and will respect your personal space.
Big-hearted people will also respect your time. They won’t leave you hanging if you’re due to meet up. And if they can’t come or run late, they’ll give you plenty of notice.
Their respect extends to other cultures too. If they’re going abroad, they’ll research the customs of the country they’re visiting and abide by them so as not to offend or disrespect someone’s culture.
As for languages, they may not know much French, for instance. But if they’re going to France, they’ll make sure to learn a few sentences in a show of respect.
2) They say good things about others
Big hearts feel awful saying bad things about pretty much anyone! They know it can upset someone’s feelings, so they avoid doing it. They don’t want to use their words to make others feel bad, which is why only good things will come out of their mouths.
That especially goes for their friends. Know that when your friend has a big heart and a kind soul, you are in safe hands. That’s because they’ll spread nothing but the good word about you when they’re not in your presence.
If someone tries to drag their friend down and taint their character, kind souls will defend their friend’s honour. They won’t be having any of that!
It goes without saying that people with big hearts and kind souls make for loyal friends and are some of the best friends you can have!
3) They freely give away compliments
Big hearts may not be too keen on saying nasty things about other people, but they are more than ok with dishing out compliments.
For example, if they like someone’s earrings, their top, or the way they did their hair, they won’t hold back. They’ll say how they feel.
They know it feels good to receive compliments and can even make someone’s day, so they have no qualms with being honest.
I mean, think about it. Isn’t it a good feeling when someone tells us how nice we look?
Compliments are the kind of good words that big hearts are happy to spread around.
4) They express how they feel
Big hearts and kind souls wear their hearts on their sleeves and will freely express how they feel. It may leave them feeling vulnerable, but they want their loved ones to know how much they love and appreciate them.
If they love someone, they’ll say it. If someone close to them feels down, they’ll give them their tightest and cuddliest bear hug.
If they have feelings for someone, they’ll sit that person down, take the plunge and tell them how they feel.
They’ll laugh at the top of their lungs until their throats get sore if they find something funny. They’ll cry in front of their friends when they’re upset or weep at a sad movie.
You get the picture. People with massive hearts can’t help themselves as they feel things deeply.
5) They empathize and understand other perspectives
People with big hearts are empathetic souls who soak up the feelings of others as if they are their own.
It hurts kind-hearted people to see someone bullied or criticized for something they’ve said or done.
You see, they see beneath the surface of a person. The act they may be putting on.
Kind-hearted people understand the complexities that make up a person. That’s why they can empathize and try to understand someone else’s perspective.
They also realize that everyone has a story, even if they’re not aware of what that story is. So, even if they don’t agree with someone’s choices or understand them, a kind soul will always keep an open mind.
6) They check in with their friends and family
It’s natural for big hearts and kind souls to worry about their friends and family because they love them so much! If they haven’t heard from one of them for a while, they’ll check in with them, be it a text or phone call.
This is especially true if they know their loved one is struggling or sent a worrying message on social media. People with big hearts will be the first to ask if they need anything.
They’ll also be the first to come around with snacks and a bottle of wine to cheer up their loved ones. That’s just the kind of person they are.
7) They make time for their loved ones (even when they’re busy)
Kind souls could have a packed-out schedule with barely any downtime, but they’ll still make time for the people they care about.
If their loved ones need them, big-hearted people will free up space in their packed-out calendar to spend time with their friends and family. They may even cancel non-important plans to spend quality time with their nearest and dearest.
If the people they love are struggling and need emotional support, know those with kind souls will find a way to be there for them and help out when they can.
8) They offer to help
It isn’t just their loved ones who they’re happy to help. They help those in need, too, even strangers! Big hearts wouldn’t think twice about it because they don’t like seeing people struggling.
If their friend is looking to move house, kind souls will ask if they need help moving or suggest someone they know who can help them.
They’ll cross the road to help an elderly person struggling with their shopping bags and help carry them to their house.
A family member struggling financially? Then a kind soul will lend some money with no questions asked (even if they don’t have much) to help them out.
9) They give without expecting anything in return
On top of that, they help and give without expecting anything in return.
As I said before, kind-hearted people care about others. It pains them to see when people are hurt, especially from a situation out of their control. That’s why people with big hearts and kind souls tend to be so generous, donating to charity or volunteering for a good cause.
It’s no issue for people with generous hearts. In a place that can be cruel, they want to be that tiny slither of good. That’s why they’ll help others without expecting anything from it.
10) They stay optimistic (even through tough times)
It’s not easy to be optimistic all the time. We will get down or overwhelmed at times.
You see, it’s inevitable that our feelings will get the best of us, so it can be hard to maintain a positive mindset 24/7. But kind souls will do their best anyway.
When horrible things happen, they’ll remind themselves that it’s a bad day, not a bad life, and tomorrow will be a better day.
They know that negativity only serves to hinder them, not help them, so they’ll try not to stay in that negative zone for too long.
Instead, they’ll use their bad experiences as lessons to help them when moving forward.
Another thing that helps kind-hearted people is reminding themselves of the good things that happened to them during the day. They know that even in their worst moments, there are always some good things to cling to.
11) They remind themselves of what they have
Kind-hearted people don’t need much in their lives to be grateful. To them, happiness is not about expensive cars, lavish holidays or having a stack of money.
What matters is the people they love and the simple pleasures in their life. Waking up to the morning sun. Going for a walk in the breeze. Sitting at the table with their family and with a full meal. Earning enough that they can live comfortably.
That’s more than enough for them.
Final thoughts
People with big hearts and kind souls genuinely care about people. This is why they’re so generous and will help others without expecting anything in return. They’ll also make time for their loved ones, regularly check in on them and be open with their feelings.
We could all learn from implementing these small habits into our daily lives, leaving a kind stamp in this world, just as those with big hearts and kind souls do.
