13 Signs You're An Old Soul and Think Differently

13 Signs You’re An Old Soul And Think Differently

You may have heard of the term ‘old soul’ before. In essence, it describes a person who thinks and behaves like someone noticeably older than they actually are. Old souls demonstrate the knowledge and wisdom of older age, as well as possessing a strong sense of inner worth. They are often puzzled by the things on which their peers place value, and they do not have the same sense of what is fun or entertaining. Old souls convincingly create an impression of possessing experience that they can’t possibly have. Here are some indications that you may just be one of them!

Number 1 - As A Child, You Preferred Mature Company And Activities Preferring to spend time with grown-ups in childhood is probably one of the biggest signs of an old soul. Of course, you did enjoy playing with other children and shared their sense of adventure, but you also loved interacting with adults who took you seriously enough to satisfy your curiosity. You enjoyed spending time with grown-ups partly because of what you could learn from them; you valued their stories and knowledge; while you often found your peers to be somewhat silly. You simply preferred more adult-like activities such as reading, talking or having tea.

Number 2 - You Are Independent And Prefer To Follow Your Own Path Since old souls like to be self-sufficient, they aren’t eager to be a leader - and they don’t really need one. Therefore, your mantra is “live and let live,” as you aren’t especially critical of what others are doing. They have their way, you have yours. This is why you are puzzled when others criticize you. As long as you aren’t bothering anyone, why should they care? You like to follow your own interests and have no problem going it alone.

Number 3 - You Give Remarkably Mature Advice Because you are quite mature and follow your instincts, you tend to give unusually sound advice that not only astonishes others, but even surprises you on occasion. You are a patient listener and take time for people who ask questions. Also, you can easily read between the lines and sense things unspoken. Your intuition tells you things other people aren’t aware of. These traits make you someone others like to confide in. You come across as authentic, and others trust you implicitly - even though they might find your maturity and foresight somewhat disturbing at times.

Number 4 - You Spend Time Reflecting On Your Life Old souls tend to be responsible beyond their years and don’t always look to others to take care of things for them. Unlike many people, you do not continually regard life as unfair. You know that unexpected things can happen, and you know that how you deal with them is mainly up to you. Taking responsibility for your decisions and actions is imperative for you. This is because you have learned to think seriously about your life and take time to learn from your experiences, in order to apply these lessons in the future.

Number 5 - You Tend To Be A Homebody Old souls enjoy the comfort and quiet of home. They find pleasure in their own musings and are able to find their own entertainment. If you find yourself spending as much time as possible at home, then you are definitely an old soul. You probably LOVE sitting on the sofa with a good book and a nice cup up tea. You enjoy the peace and quiet your home provides. When you do leave the house, you prefer experiences that will enrich you and stimulate your mind - or even test you. These are not necessarily exclusively intellectual. For example, you might find rock climbing to be an interesting challenge, or be curious how quickly you can master a skill. On the other hand, merely partying or dining out ‘just because’ usually seems to be a waste of time, unless it offers the possibility of engaging conversation. Your time is valuable, and you prefer to spend it on something worthwhile.

Number 6 - The Classics Hold Your Interest You value history and culture and feel drawn to classical literature and music because of what they tell you about the human experience. You have a solemn respect for the arts of ages past. This can mean that you seem out of step with the interests and tastes of your peers, who might regard you as being somewhat strange. Past classical art forms fascinate you. While others are listening to EDM or Hip-Hop, you may prefer some old-time Rock-and-Roll. You likely click right past the latest hit TV series in favor of an old classic film.

Number 7 - You Have A ‘Feeling’ About What Works Old souls seem to instinctively know ‘what works’ and ‘what doesn’t.’ This doesn’t mean that you think you always know best; you are open to other ideas. But you have come to trust your own intuition. You often feel that you ‘just know’ what the best thing to do is. You have a gut feeling about how things will work out, even if you are not able to explain it logically. You also tend to stick with what has worked for you in the past and are skeptical about adopting new habits or technologies, even if they are supposed to represent improvements. There’s a pretty good chance that you still handwrite your to-do lists on paper pads and tack them to a bulletin board, while others eagerly record everything using an app on their smartphone.

Number 8 - You Don’t Confuse Being Busy With Being Productive As an old soul, you see no need in unnecessary stress or drama in your life. That’s because you know how to organize your work and your relationships, without constantly placing yourself under pressure. You know how to relax, you value your peace and quiet, and you find ways of avoiding the stress that seems to follow so many of your friends and acquaintances. You realize that being busy and being productive are not the same thing. Therefore, you prioritize your work, with an eye for doing what needs to be done while leaving time for yourself and enjoying something worthwhile.

Number 9 - You Value Learning Old souls have a love for learning new things. And it doesn’t even have to have any practical purpose! You simply enjoy expanding your knowledge and feel a deep sense of accomplishment in mastering a new subject. You are the type of person who takes up oil painting - just for the heck of it; or learn another language, just so you can better converse with your foreign friend and to understand more about their culture. For you, learning is a form of growth and personal development.

Number 10 - You Don’t See The Fuss About The Latest Craze While others seem to be frantically trying to keep up with the newest fashions or fads, you tend to regard it all as a waste of time. Where’s the sense in all that? After all, “here today, gone tomorrow”, right? You like to stick with the tried and true. Sure, if you can really see an advantage in having a tablet computer, you are perfectly willing to get one. But what’s the use in getting a new smartphone with a higher-resolution camera, if the old one still takes perfectly acceptable photos? You do not define yourself by the latest gadgets you own or how fashionable you are. Your possessions serve a practical purpose, they satisfy your own sense of taste or provide for your entertainment.

Number 11 - You Feel Connected To The Past History holds a fascination for you. Your own past and the lives lived by others are a source of knowledge and wisdom. This is why you feel more connected to older people. You value their experience and appreciate what they are able to teach you. You also see history as a dynamic process and are deeply interested in how people lived before the advent of modern technology. Heck, you even see YOURSELF as a product of history! Because of this, you also appreciate older people and have no understanding for those who show little regard for them. You believe in taking care of the elderly.

Number 12 - You Are The Epitome Of Calm If you are able to remain calm and stoic - even in times of crisis - then you are probably an old soul. You may seem rather unconcerned or detached to others. But you just have another way of dealing with pressure. What’s the sense in getting agitated and stressed out? It won’t make anything better. When others around you are in a panic, you keep your calm and simply work the problem. You are the eye of the hurricane - you may bend, but you don’t break.

Number 13 - For You, What’s Inside Is What Counts Old souls don’t look for approval or admiration from others. They know their own value. They don’t need to rely on “Likes” or “Followers” on social media for a sense of their own worth. They also don’t need a prestigious profession or a fancy car in order to make themselves feel important. If you are an old soul, then you know that your knowledge, wisdom and character are what really count. You don’t need to waste time, money and effort trying to impress others.

You know what you have to offer. Relying on the opinions of others for validation is a never-ending quest, constantly subject to changes. Your own life and your own opinion of yourself are far more important to you than what others think of you. Besides, if you are genuinely true to yourself and your values, you will win the esteem of people who are worthy of your respect. There you have it. Now you have a much better understanding of what it really means to be an ‘old soul.’ How deeply do these signs resonate with you? Based on this list, would you consider yourself an old soul? Let us know in the comments below!