How To Identify an Emotionally Genuine Person

How many times have you found yourself involved with a person who faked their way through life?

A person who pretended to be someone they were not, who always said one thing and then did the complete opposite, someone who played mind games, and never followed through with their promises?

If the above situations sound familiar, it means you’ve crossed paths with a fake, emotionally inauthentic person — after all, the world is full of them.

Emotionally genuine people, on the other hand, are rare — but finding them is a true blessing. They’re sincere, trustworthy, reliable, and considerate. They make you feel emotionally safe and are always present when you need them.

What follows are five signs that can help you identify an emotionally genuine person — and hopefully, keep them in your life for a long time.

Let’s dive right in, shall we?

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#1. They’re Ridiculously Self-Aware

Self-awareness is one of the most important psychological traits influencing a person’s personal development. Clinical psychologist John Duffy defines self-awareness as:

Emotionally genuine people don’t run on “autopilot” and don’t busy their minds with unimportant chatters. They think before they speak and take note of their emotional state before they act.

You can trust that all their words and actions are genuine and are a product of a lot of self-reflection and introspection. They are also acutely aware of:

• the image they present on the outside world
• the impact their words and actions have on the people around them
• their strengths and weaknesses
• their mistakes

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#2. They Prioritize Giving Over Receiving

Think of all the people you’ve met throughout your life. How many of them were truly generous? How many prioritized giving over receiving?

Unfortunately, most people either hold back from giving their help, resources, or knowledge to others or give them only when they expect to receive something in return.

Emotionally genuine people, however, are genuine givers. Even more, they prioritize giving over receiving. They’re team players, don’t worry about being overshadowed, or outdone, and rarely collect debts.

With them, you don’t have to worry whether there’s a hidden agenda behind their actions. It’s in their nature to be helpful and giving, not because they crave to please others — they have enough confidence to be self-sufficient — but rather because making other people happy pleases them.

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#3. They Know How to Put Their Ego Aside

You know someone’s an emotionally genuine person when they don’t let their ego cloud their judgment or influence their actions.

That’s because emotionally genuine people are constantly striving to grow and become better people and partners, and they recognize that their ego is an obstacle standing in their way of becoming the best version of themselves.

Their ability to tame their ego manifests in multiple ways:

• They acknowledge their mistakes and try to fix them.
• They don’t need other people to confirm their values.
• They take responsibility for their actions and apologize when they do something wrong.
• They don’t have the need to always feel that they’re right or that they know better.
• They handle constructive criticism well.
• They accept other people’s feedback.

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#4. They’re Comfortable in Their Own Skin

If you’ve ever been in a relationship with someone who had low self-esteem, you know how emotionally exhausting watching them constantly searching for validation from others can be.

That’s something you won’t encounter if you cross paths with an emotionally genuine person. Confident and relaxed, these people feel comfortable in their own skin — and that goes for their appearance, character, and inner self — and don’t seek validation and reassurance from anyone.

They are in charge of their thoughts, have high self-worth, and don’t judge themselves too much or compare their achievements/character/appearance to other people’s.

In other words, they are people who have wholeheartedly embraced themselves — for all their strengths and weaknesses — and can easily embrace others as well.

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#5. They Stay Far Away From Drama

Another sign that indicates a person’s emotionally genuine is when they stay away from drama and negativity.

No unnecessary fights. No yelling, screaming, or name-calling. No mind games. No starting arguments out of nowhere for the sole purpose of having a distraction for a while.

You won’t see them gossiping, talking about other people behind their backs, or amusing themselves by creating conflict. They need neither the attention nor the sense of importance that usually comes with drama. In fact, drama for them is nothing but emotionally draining.

They’re focused only on their lives and don’t let other people’s drama bring them into emotionally loaded scenarios. And if they find themselves in a company of drama-loving people, they politely step away.

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Putting It All Together…

In a world where the majority of people wear masks that hide their authentic selves, having an emotionally genuine person in your life is one of the best feelings in the world.

For once, with this kind of person in your life, you won’t have to play mind games, decode their actions, wonder about their true feelings, or worry if they’re showing you their authentic self. With them, there’s only authenticity, stability, and emotional safety.

If you’re wondering whether someone in your life is emotionally genuine, look out for the following signs:

• Increased self-awareness
• Intense desire to give to people rather than receive something from them
• An ability to tame their ego
• Being comfortable in their own skin
• An unwillingness to participate in drama

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This post was previously published on Hello, Love.

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