People Who Prefer to Be Alone Have These 21 Unique Personality Traits
The world we live in is comprised of a wide assortment of people, each with their own unique values, habits, beliefs, and personalities. On one end of the spectrum are those highly outgoing individuals, – the life of the party, the CEO commanding the boardroom. Comfortable in the spotlight and unafraid to make themselves heard, they spend their lives surrounded by others.On the other end, however, are those that prefer to spend their time alone. There are many stereotypes and misconceptions where these individuals are considered. Some believe that they are quiet because they are shy, or lack the confidence required to stand up and be themselves while around other people. According to Psychology Today, these stereotypes couldn’t be further from the truth. These ‘loners’ may be introverted; however, they possess a great deal of strength, confidence, and understanding of themselves. They know what they want in life, and they aren’t willing to waste their time on anything less.
As author and social psychologist, Bella DePaulo explains: “They do not have a particularly strong need to belong. And they are less likely to be lonely or to be depressed. Put all that together with tier openness, agreeableness, conscientiousness, extraversion, and low levels of neuroticism, and people who are unafraid of being single look totally badass.”
Do you prefer to spend time on your own? Check out these 21 personality traits associated with people who prefer to be alone:
#1 – They Possess an Incredible Emotional Strength
Spending time with their own thoughts and feelings, loners are able to accept, identify and understand their emotions. This empowers them to better understand how to deal with them, managing their emotions in even the most difficult of situations. This is a strength that others will admire.
#2 – They Are Naturally Empathetic
Not only are people who prefer to be alone more in touch with their own feelings, they are also more in touch with the thoughts, feelings, and emotions of others around them. This ability to identify, acknowledge and experience the feelings of others is both a blessing and a curse, providing them with the tools to care for others on a deeper level.
#3 – They Have a Strong Moral Compass
People who prefer to spend time alone often have a very clear idea of what they deem to be right and wrong. Taking the time to genuinely think through and analyze any situation that they find themselves in, they can apply this moral compass to their decision with an incredible level of accuracy.
#4 – They Are Open-Minded
Contrary to popular belief, those that enjoy spending time alone don’t do so due to possessing a mind closed off to the ways of the world around them. In fact, they often love new experiences and different ways of viewing the world, they just prefer to do so at their own pace and on their own time.
#5 – They Don’t Need Peer Acceptance
If you look at the world around us, you can’t deny that the human population has hit a point where the acceptance and respect of our peers are sought after above all else. Popularity and acceptance have become the earmark of success, which is a dangerous standard to live by. Those who prefer to be alone don’t need this acceptance to the same degree, learning to create their own sense of self-worth separate from the views of those around them.
#6 – They Admit Their Imperfections
Loners aren’t worried about trying to create a perfect appearance for the world around them, in fact, they are comfortable admitting that they are not perfect, no one in the world is. This is an incredibly powerful way of viewing the world as acknowledging your imperfections is the first step to personal growth in these areas.
#7 – They Prefer the Company of Other Intellectuals
When someone prefers to be alone much of their time, they are selective in regard to who they associate with and what they consider to be worth their time. Uninterested in small talk or meaningless conversation, loners prefer the company of those who can match them intellectually, challenging their thinking.
#8 – They Value Their Time
People who prefer to spend time on their own understand the true value of time, an asset in our lives that many overlook. Not only do they value their own time, they respect and value the time of others, always showing up on time, and never wasting anyone’s time in any situation.
#9 – They Have a Strong Sense of Intuition
Each of us has been blessed with a sense of intuition, however, those that are truly the most gifted in this area of their lives are the ones that are able to listen and tap into these gut feelings. Those that prefer to be alone spend more time getting to know themselves, and with that they come to understand, recognize and tap into this intuition.
#10 – They Are Highly Loyal
Just because someone prefers to be alone, that doesn’t mean that they don’t see the value of friendship. In fact, they are generally more selective of the friends that they will allow into their circle, placing an incredibly high value on the people they hold dear. This creates a loyalty that is unmatched.
#11 – They Are Independent
While there is nothing wrong with getting close to others, and turning to friends and family in your time of need, there is a line that has become increasingly difficult to identify. This line distinguishes between connecting with others and actual dependence. Learning to face the world on their own, loners don’t NEED others in their lives, they choose to have them around.
#12 – They Have Strong, Well-Thought-Out Opinions on the World
A misconception often associated with those that prefer to be alone is that they lack an opinion on many of the matters that occur around them, which is why they choose not to express one. In fact, as they sit back assessing the world, and practicing a high degree of introspection, these individuals develop incredibly strong and well-thought-out opinions of the world. The difference is that they don’t always share them with just anyone and everyone.
#13 – They Are Incredibly Self-Aware
Many people in life allow their minds to be overrun by the busy, frantic thoughts of their day and the opinions of people around them. Those who prefer to be alone, however, spend a great deal of time alone with their own thoughts which allows them to develop a level of self-awareness that others may not even believe to be possible.
#14 – They Radiate Kindness and Compassion
By stepping back and looking at the world around them from the outside, those that are alone are able to see the world in a different lens, one that is more in tune to the needs of those around them. This allows them to reach out and touch others in a way that spreads love and care.
#15 – They Respect Healthy Boundaries
Loners value the roles that others play in their lives, however, they also understand that there needs to be clear, healthy boundaries in place in order to protect both themselves and everyone else involved. They will respect your boundaries; however, they expect that same respect in return.
#16 – They Are Extremely Courageous
These people aren’t afraid to stand up alone in the world, demonstrating a courage and confidence that others admire. Regardless of what life may hand them, they are prepared to face it on their own without giving up or backing down.
#17 – They Are Level-Headed
Due to their incredible awareness and ability to focus, these individuals are the people you want around you in a time of crisis. Rather than becoming overwhelmed, they are able to view the situation with a calm, rational, level-headed mindset, quickly finding an effective solution.
#18 – They Understand the Importance of Self Love
It is a concept that so many people overlook, but one that is necessary to find true happiness, or to form happy, healthy relationships. Before you can genuinely love others, you must first learn to love yourself. They take the time to get to know themselves, discover the areas of their personalities that they love and find reasons to truly love themselves each and every day.
#19 – They Seek Meaningful Romantic Relationships
While some people may genuine struggle with the idea of being single, moving from failed relationship to failed relationship, those who prefer to be alone place a higher value on the importance of finding the ‘right’ person. They aren’t interested in wasting their time dating for the sake of dating. Instead, they have a strong idea of what they are looking for in a partner, and they are willing to hold out until they find the person that meets all their needs.
#20 – They Are Aware of Both Their Strengths AND Their Weaknesses
The downfall of so many people in today’s society is our habit of overexaggerating our strengths while remaining blind to our weaknesses. Loners take the time to know themselves better than most, developing a clear, concise understanding of all aspects of their personalities including acknowledging and understanding both their strengths and weaknesses.
#21 – They Are Highly Reliable
They aren’t quick to volunteer for things, preferring the safety and comfort of their own home and their own company. For this reason, if they give their word that they are going to do something for you, they have thought it through and they are fully prepared to commit. Always one to stand by their word, you can rest assured that they won’t let you down.
