This article is possibly the truest reflection of my soul I have ever written!
It’s like a mirror showing me the deepest part of myself.
I am without a doubt an old soul through and through!
In fact, if you told me I was born in another time and transferred to modern day without my knowledge, I’d probably believe you!
But, like the old soul I am, I digress.
For those not in the know or those who are unsure about just what defines an old soul, an old soul is an individual who appears wise beyond their years.
They tend to have an appreciation or a love for things that others their age would dismiss.
The tastes of an old soul tend to be outside those of the mainstream, and they may yearn or associate closer with days gone by or an era which was before they were born, to the realities of the present day.
So, how can you tell you you’re an old soul?
I’ve been pondering what makes me an old soul as well as delving into the experiences and feelings of other old souls to bring you a list that I feel sums up the nature of an old soul, and some signs that may indicate you’re a member of the club!
7 Signs You’re An Old Soul
1. You Seek the Truth
Old souls like to seek the truth. They enjoy getting to the heart of a subject, learning about its origins or history.
Because of this need to seek the truth, old souls are usually passionate about learning and gaining knowledge.
This means that activities many old souls tend to enjoy include reading, quizzes, and watching documentaries, as these activities scratch the itch for learning that such people tend to feel.
I must admit to a documentary addiction myself!
For an old soul, knowledge is power and because of this they are usually the wise one in their friendship group, the one that others often turn to for advice or guidance.
This is a powerful trait of an old soul, as they are almost always viewed as inherently trustworthy and responsible.
So long as this does not become a burden for the old soul in question, this ability can make them an important member of a social groups, and can even place them in the leading role, as they are familiar with many experiences and can help others with their quandaries.
They are also likely to be the deep-thinker of the group, and will always question the ‘what and why of things’, instead of taking them at face value.
It is said that the truth will set you free, and this is certainly something that an old soul believes wholeheartedly.
Their philosophical outlook and ability to help others means old souls are often close friends and integral in the lives of younger souls.
2. You Have a Spiritual Side
As old souls love to delve deeper into the nature of the world, they often tend to have a spiritual side.
I myself have an interest and a passion for the old ways, which I embrace through my pagan beliefs, celebrating many ancient traditions to explore my psyche and gain a deeper sense of self.
Many old souls will have some form of spiritual outlet which allows them to express their need to look deeper.
Old souls are often driven to reach self-realization and a sense of ‘oneness’.
This means that they typically benefit from spiritual activities such as meditation, yoga, and scrying practices, such as tarot.
This type of exercise is beneficial to an old soul because it allows them to look within themselves and be more attuned with their mind, body, and spirit, allowing them to gain a deeper understanding of who they are and who they’d like to be.
3. Thoughts of Transience
Yep. This one hits me hard quite regularly, and is probably the largest drawback to being an old soul.
Those with an old soul frequently feel plagued by thoughts and reminders regarding their own mortality, the process of aging, as well as the changes time brings to everything around them.
This means that an existential crisis is a frequent occurrence, and low moments brought from yearning for the past can be common.
I’ve often found myself lost in thoughts of the past, or felt a deep yearning in my chest to relive or redo times in my youth.
This can be quite an intense feeling, and can even verge on upsetting, as there is nothing you can do to stop time, no matter how much you wish for it.
Because of this fear, or focus on the transient nature of life, old souls tend to lead their lives in a different way to others.
For an old soul every decision counts, which often means they aren’t inclined to be impulsive or make snap decisions.
Old souls can also simultaneously be introverted and suffer with FOMO (fear of missing out), making for interesting internal debates with their conscience!
4. Material Goods Matter Less
While it’s almost impossible not to be materialistic in the 21st century, old souls tend to be less focused on material items than others.
They’re unlikely to lust after the latest games console, or follow fast fashion trends. In fact, many old souls are the complete opposite.
Some of them, myself included, delight in the old and antique, and appreciate a good second-hand shop, thrift store, or goodwill, where they can find things from the past and revel in time gone by.
One of my most prized possessions is my record player and record collection, which, should anyone try to take them from me, would need to be prized from my cold, dead, hands!
Old souls also tend to put more value on experiences than they do material possessions.
They view meaningful reactions as far more valuable commodity than a piece of designer clothing, which will fall out of fashion come the next season.
It’s important to note that while old souls do put less of a price on trends, it does not mean that they are minimalists.
In fact old souls can often be at risk of becoming hoarders. This harkens back to my previous point about transience.
While newly produced goods may hold little appeal to an old soul, objects they’ve owned for a long time tend to be loaded with meaning and sentimentality.
The object may trigger memories of the past, which feeds the old soul’s desire to return to a past time.
The object may also be loaded with sentimentality, and viewed as a collection of moments when the item was purchased, used, or cherished, which makes parting with seemingly innocuous items a difficult task.
5. An Odd Ball
I want to mention that this point is highly subjective, as what society deems as odd isn’t what us old souls deem as odd.
However, if you’re an old soul you might have noticed you were often seen as the odd one out, because you had hobbies or likes that differed greatly from your peers.
I went through a time of coin collecting, and was fascinated by antiques programs, which when your 7-year old peers are interested in Barbie and pop music, does set you apart from the crowd just a tad!
Because of this, many old souls fear being singled out or bullied and more often or not will keep their quirky side a secret from the world, only opening up in small groups of trusted friends.
However, when their passions or interests are reciprocated by another, an old soul is likely to form a friendship with an unshakeable foundation, which lasts many years if not a lifetime.
6. Overthinking and Anxiety
A key drawback of being so focused on the existential and being a deep thinker is that for an old soul overthinking things can be commonplace.
As I mentioned, many old souls feel that each and every decision is important.
In a few short moments an old soul can quickly pontificate the potential outcomes for saying yes or no to a particular question or choice, meaning that day-to-day decisions can weigh heavier on an old soul than those around them.
Old souls thrive with a little constraint.
When options are too open- say a large menu list at a restaurant- they can struggle to make a decision, whereas if parameters are in place, such as choosing from a set menu, the decision becomes much easier.
As I previously stated, old souls also value experiences, and have a degree of FOMO when it comes to events, whilst simultaneously being introverted, which can result in a drawn out mental process mulling over whether they want to engage in an upcoming event or not.
In social situations, an old soul’s habit of overthinking paired with their awareness of self, and an interest in the more obscure or eccentric can leave them suffering with social anxiety.
Due to old souls typically being confident within themselves, and generally demonstrating a calm disposition, it is rare that these anxious feelings will be obvious externally.
Instead old souls tend to let the social toll be felt inside, leading to them becoming exhausted post-gathering, and greatly in need of a recharge.
The exhaustion old souls can feel at social events is largely down to their questioning mind and introverted nature.
Interactions can be viewed as complex to an old soul because they consider all aspects from etiquette, to boundaries, taboo topics, and outward perceptions.
That being said, while old souls may not thrive in general social groups, when they find a person they connect with, or have something in common with, they tend to flourish and are exciting and engaging to converse with.
👉If you like this post you might like this one: Famous Old Souls + Powerful Lessons We Can Learn From Them
7. Self-confidence and Strength
Finally, let us talk about the very best things about being an old soul.
While there are some drawbacks to being an old soul the positives are abundant also.
You may be an old soul who’s reading this and see the words ‘self-confidence’ and think that I couldn’t be more incorrect, but hear me out for a moment.
From my experience, old souls gain the self-confidence that comes with age much sooner than their peers. While you may not be there yet, you’re likely to achieve this far more quickly.
I can attest that I still have long periods of self-doubt, but as I start to near my 30’s I am finding my confidence rises daily, and I am no longer afraid to engage in activities that interest me and spark my passion, no matter whether society may deem them to be a little odd!
This self-confidence leads to old souls being survivors.
The wisdom you have gained early in life means that you are resourceful and able to adapt to and overcome a variety of challenging situations, which is why in your friend group you’re usually the one that people turn to.
As old souls know pretty early on in life who they are, they are also highly impervious to the toxic nature of peer pressure, and because of this can often be viewed by others as beacons for integrity.
Because they know who they are, old souls are also unlikely to be rattled by drama, and do not feel an overwhelming need to seek the limelight or insert themselves in other people’s business. Instead, they are happy to take a step back and wait until the storm has passed.
This self-awareness means that the old soul is also able to learn from their mistakes, and are therefore unlikely to make the same mistake twice, meaning that success can be achieved far more swiftly.
You may fool and old soul once, but you certainly won’t fool them twice!
In addition, their focus on the transient means that old souls like to plan for the future, which helps them to effortlessly evade being caught out by sudden changes.
Put simply, many old souls are infallible, sages of wisdom, whose strength and integrity regularly leaves them well above reproach!
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I’m Chloe, an introverted, old soul, just trying to make my way in the world! Aside from studying and writing about the spiritual, I fill my spare time with reading and making all manner of things from knitted scarves to clay creations. I define myself as a ‘low-key Pagan’ and focus my attention on living a good, kind, and empathic life. For enquiries contact me at: [email protected]
Mitzi
Monday 17th of October 2022
Thank you so much for your article on Old Souls. Each sign resonates with me, especially the "Thoughts of Transience". Also being an introvert at the same time longing to be an extrovert socially, causes me to constantly fight with myself and makes me feel so awkward when I do actually get out and engage in social events. Even though I love being an old soul, it can be a very difficult sometimes to exist amongst such a modern society. I find it very enlightening and it helped me to realize that I am not the only person in this world experiencing these signs. Thank you again for sharing.
Alan Young
Thursday 20th of October 2022
Hi! Thank you so much for taking the time to write this comment. I'm glad this article resonated with you and that it has helped you understand yourself a little better. And I agree, it can be really difficult to be an introvert sometime, but at the same time, we all have those moments when we feel like we want to be more social. Thanks again for your comment ❤️.
Michael, Al Milano
Friday 21st of February 2020
This is a long shot! I have way too much to write here.. Get back to me if you have the Lord our God in your life! And that's just the short version.. I'm all alone! Maybe I'll find a connection here..
Trevor
Wednesday 16th of December 2020
Hey man just read this. Funny how I was just reading more about how to be better in tune with my spirituality and relationship with god. I will be praying for you brother