Ever feel like you were born in the wrong decade? Do you think a lot about everything? Are the stars you dream of meeting no longer with us? Did you struggle to find a group among your peers? Do you just feel older than you are? If you answered yes to any of these, you may be an old soul. Old souls are often labeled rebellious, introverted, or as loners from a young age.
There’s nothing wrong with being one. We’re a rare breed in today’s society; we fearlessly march to the beat of our own drum, cherish wisdom and knowledge, and view the world differently than our peers. It’s just a little difficult to be one in today’s world.
As kids, old souls are a bit more mature than their peers and don’t always see the point in the tasks as hand. Because old souls have different interests and behavior, even as kids, it’s hard for us to make friends we can really relate to. I know I struggled with this as a kid; I had a few friends but I never shared their obsessions with Hello Kitty, nail polish, or the Jonas Brothers.
There were many nights I stayed up talking to my Dad about why I didn’t get invited to parties or why I just didn’t seem to fit in. Luckily, he always encouraged me to be me. I’m pretty sure he said, “screw the other kids,” at least once. So far, there hasn’t been a day where I’ve regretted listening to him.
In a society where men and women are constantly surrounded by images of what we are supposed to look like, where status is overly important, where there is sometimes a lot of pressure to fit in, and where judgement is all too common, it’s difficult for old souls to stay true to who we are.
We’re sometimes falsely labeled as hipsters but there is a definite difference in a hipster and an old soul; old souls don’t have to try to be different, we just are. We were born this way. We’re wise beyond our years because we learn from our mistakes and from the observations we make about life. That’s what makes us feel so old.
We’ll never be content being occupied with popular gossip, the latest chart-topping tune, or the coolest gadgets. Those things just don’t matter to us. Old souls are more interested in expanding their knowledge, living life in a way that makes them happiest while staying true to who they are. There are lots of times we feel we belong in a different decade. We desire to be connected with on more than a surface level; we want someone who can relate to us and who will accept the fact that our idea of fun is a little bit different.
This is one of the biggest struggles for old souls. I know it’s something I’ve battled a lot in college. For fun, most people go out to hip, crowded bars and drink all night for fun. While there’s nothing wrong with it, it’s not the way an old soul wants to spend a night. We would much rather spend a quiet night in, perhaps with a friend, maybe at a local concert. Because of this, old souls can be seen as boring, strait-laced, or just weird.
The fact of the matter is we’re none of those things; we shouldn’t be called such because our idea of fun is a tad different. Instead of criticizing someone for their differences, accept who they are and try to get to know them. Honestly, you’re likely to find out we’re pretty easy- going. Most old souls won’t criticize those different from them. We realize we’re all different and that’s A- okay. As they say, “whatever floats your boat.”
If you ask me, being an old soul isn’t a bad deal. Old souls are free spirits just blowing in the wind. Sure, there’s always going to be an internal struggle to be more like everyone else your age. But deep down you know the way you are is just fine. In the end, staying true to who you are and being yourself are infinitely more important than pleasing someone else to fit in; drinking all night, dressing a certain way, or saying certain slang phrases to fit in will never make you feel like a complete person.
That’s not something that only applies to old souls, it applies to everyone. As Dove would say, “love the skin you’re in.”
