An old soul is someone who, regardless of their age, views the world through the lens of someone who’s lived a long life. They are typically wise and empathetic, which can affect the way they fall in love and maintain relationships. If you’re an old soul, here are 9 ways that you might see and approach love differently from other people your age.
- Dating apps don’t come naturally. Dating apps and old souls don’t really mix. Tools like Hinge and Bumble are the cornerstones of modern dating, but when you’re an old soul, they are very difficult to get used to. Everything that dating apps stand for, from an influx of matches to a lack of intimacy, seems unnatural to an old soul. If your soul is old, it’s much more likely that you prefer the idea of meeting someone the old-fashioned way.
- Casual hookups aren’t a thing. Hookup culture is fairly new as far as the history of dating goes. While there’s nothing wrong with one-night stands if that’s what you’re into, old souls tend to avoid casual hookups like the plague. They crave conversation and intimacy on all levels, not just physical. They want to get to know a person’s mind and soul as well as their body.
- Relationships must have meaning. Old souls tend to think of relationships as a form of self-exploration. Being with someone special helps you to learn more about yourself. It helps you to grow and improve. So if you’re an old soul, you probably won’t seek out a relationship just for the fun of it. You’re more likely to see a future with every person you bother dating (even if that future is years and years away). Old souls don’t really bother with shallow relationships.
- Meaningful tokens of affection over expensive ones. When it comes to gifts and other tokens of affection, old souls don’t buy into the very modern idea of needing to have the best of everything. They’re less concerned with receiving an expensive piece of jewelry that they can brag about on social media. Instead, they crave tokens of affection that mean something. Rather than a necklace that costs a lot but means nothing, they’d prefer a bunch of flowers that they once mentioned were their favorite or a book from their childhood that they said they loved.
- Communication is key. Most often, old souls value communication within a relationship. They don’t shy away from venting their feelings and having difficult conversations. Why? They know that it’s important to be honest with the person they love. If they have a problem, they tend to bring it to the table and deal with it. While this can be confronting, old souls don’t typically engage in passive-aggressive behavior. Most of the time they opt for honesty and assertiveness.
- Valuing labels. Many modern dating trends just don’t work for old souls. One of the trends that most old souls will never get around is dropping the labels. If they invest their time in someone and see a future with that person, then they want to be acknowledged as a boyfriend or girlfriend. They want that verbal commitment. And they want to be able to call the person they’re seeing their boyfriend or girlfriend too.
- Being hopeless romantics. Old souls typically want to see the best in people. They love old-school love that includes romantic gestures and public displays of affection. Generally, they like hearing how the other person feels about them and being flattered. In essence, they’re hopeless romantics. They wear their heart on their sleeves. Unfortunately, this also means that they can feel really hurt by common dating behaviors that modern society sees as normal, like ghosting.
- Wisdom when it comes to red flags. Although they may be hopeless romantics, old souls also know to look out for red flags. And when someone shows them a red flag, they listen. They’re not likely to persist with someone who keeps proving that they’re a bad choice, even though they like to see the best in people. Being old souls, they have an inherent wisdom that guides them through life. That sense helps them to avoid making bad decisions, like dating a guy who is essentially a walking red flag.
- Not needing to jump from relationship to relationship. The wisdom of old souls often means that they don’t feel the need to jump from relationship to relationship. Instead, they value alone time and don’t need to bring someone new in their life for the sake of it. Generally, they’d rather wait until they find someone amazing, who’s worth investing their time and energy in.
