This Is What It Actually Means To Be An ‘Old Soul'

“Old souls are not interested in playing hard to get or partaking in the chase. In fact, they find the rules of modern dating to be absolutely exhausting.”

— Molly Burford, thoughtcatalog.com

“Old souls have the easiest time becoming over-workers, almost feeling guilty if they don’t use all of the energy they have to create.”

— Brianna Wiest, thoughtcatalog.com

“Old souls are after long-lasting, impactful, meaningful relationships in all aspects of life. They’d rather have a few close friends than dozens of acquaintances they hardly know but this can give the impression they’re some sort of social outcast.”

— Koty Neelis, thoughtcatalog.com

“Old souls aren’t afraid to spend time alone. They’re comfortable with silence.”

— Holly Riordan, thoughtcatalog.com

“Old souls are always the black sheep of the family. They view life differently than most of us do. They’re the weirdos of every gang.”

— Samantha Brannon, themindsjournal.com

“When all has been said and done, old souls give more than take. If your partner is an old soul they will leave you feeling as though you are a better, smarter, wiser, more improved and wholer version of yourself than what you were before you met them.”

— Aletheia Luna, lonerwolf.com

“An old soul wants someone who is willing to open up their heart, even if it hurts. They want a partner who isn’t afraid to be vulnerable. Someone they can share a deep connection with.”

— David Wolfe, davidwolfe.com

“When you’re an old soul and a hopeless romantic, you don’t give up. You don’t settle. You keep fighting. You keep dreaming. You believe that somehow, you’ll find the truth. You’ll find the home you’re looking for. You’ll find where you belong.”

— Rania Naim, thoughtcatalog.com

“Old souls have inquisitive minds. They’re easily inspired and desire to learn as much as they can about the world and those around them. They don’t fear change or adventure. They’re open to new ideas and new ways of doing things.”

— Lori De La Cruz, lifehack.org

“You don’t have to have sex with someone to cheat. Emotional cheating is a real thing to someone with an old soul. Loyalty is a bond. Being faithful is a moral obligation.”

— Justin Gammill, iheartintelligence.com

“As they have high expectations for themselves, they also expect a lot from their partners. Unless kept in check, this quality can be a real deal-breaker because no one’s perfect.”

— David Vanallen, reflectionofmind.org

“They read constantly. Interesting digital articles are nice, but for them, nothing is better than cracking open a brand new, actual book.”

— Kim Quindlen, thoughtcatalog.com

“Old souls don’t settle. They honestly would rather be dead than to ever settle. They have always known that they can’t do casual relationships like most people their age. They can’t stomach the idea of being intimate with someone who they hardly know, and they won’t give into peer pressure to have o…”

— Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, thoughtcatalog.com

“Everything has to be planned in advance. If someone waits until the last minute to ask you to hang out, it's either not going to happen or you'll be super pissed about it.”

— Cassandra Rose, yourtango.com

“In an age where relationships don’t always last, you still have faith that two people can make it through life together and still be madly in love by the end.”

— Grace Eire, littlethings.com

“Possibly the best thing about being an old soul is that when you do find your people, the friendships you form tend to last.”

— Jen Hubley Luckwaldt, rodalesorganiclife.com

“You know that there are so many people out there that would be great for you, but you also know that they’re homebodies just like you, so it’s hard to meet them.”

— Julie Sullivan, thoughtcatalog.com

“You still believe in the power of a hand-written word. You take the time to send a hand-penned thank you notes because they’re far more significant than an iMessage.”

— Karen Wathen, thoughtcatalog.com

“Old souls are less interested in in the grandness of what you say and more interested in your sincerity and honesty.”

— Samira Khan, thoughtcatalog.com

“You worry about the future A LOT. Most of the time, you're lost in your head, thinking about what your next move should be.”

— Cassandra Rose, yourtango.com

“Being an old soul can be an isolating existence at times. You need your solitude to sit and reflect on life and to recharge when you’ve completely exhausted yourself but sometimes this can be frustrating to your friends and family. They love you and they want to be around you.”

— Koty Neelis, thoughtcatalog.com

“Old Souls are rarely controlling, demanding, clingy or possessive, and they prefer instead to give you the undivided freedom to ‘do your own thing’ without conditions – all they expect is honesty. They will support your dreams and desires and will stand by you in your plans and pursuits, but they al…”

— Aletheia Luna, lonerwolf.com

“They aren’t going to go out of their way to meet new people, but once you become a part of their life, they aren’t going to let you go. They’re going to treat you like family.”

— Holly Riordan, thoughtcatalog.com

“One reason old souls are so good at seeing multiple points of view is that they understand that people have a lot more in common than they realize. While most see the differences between individuals and groups, old souls see the points of connection.”

— Jen Hubley Luckwaldt, rodalesorganiclife.com

“Old souls are healers, and sometimes don’t know when to draw the line between what’s their responsibility to take on, and what’s not.”

— Brianna Wiest, thoughtcatalog.com

“An old soul understands that having pain is all part of the human condition, and will love you through your darkness because they still see all of your light.”

— Molly Burford, thoughtcatalog.com

“Old souls care more about experiences, about spending quality time together than they’ll ever care about expensive jewelry and flowers or what money buys. They value you, the wonderful person you are, the person they fell in love with.”

— Lori De La Cruz, lifehack.org

“You’d be happy to make new friends and spend time with them, but you’re not going to lower your standards just so that you can tell yourself you have more than five friends. You’re perfectly happy with the life you live; no need to change it.”

— Julie Sullivan, thoughtcatalog.com

“They tend to struggle with being indecisive. Because it’s never just ‘an easy decision.’ For them, it’s overthinking a million different factors and a million different possible turnouts.”

— Kim Quindlen, thoughtcatalog.com

“Old souls are not ones for vengeance or holding grudges. They prefer to move on to focus on higher aspirations in life and it also helps them focus on their faith in the human spirit.”

— Samira Khan, thoughtcatalog.com