Ever tell someone they are an old soul?

Anyone ever say this to you?

People would say this to me all of the time when I was growing up, and I would always kind of just shrug my shoulders and awkwardly say, “Thanks,” because I didn’t understand what it meant.

As my daughter grew up, I would say this to her all of the time. Isn’t that funny? I had never really reconciled what it meant for me to be called “such an old soul” but could recognize what it was in someone else.

A person with an old soul is believed to be someone who has learned from past incarnations or lives, someone who has more of an understanding of the world around them. Some believed highlights of being an old soul include but are not limited to:

1. You spend a lot of time thinking about how to make a difference.
2. Your empathy levels are high.
3. You focus on meaningful connections.
4. Material possessions don’t mean much to you.

My daughter had such an ease about her. Like she just always knew everything was going to be okay. She would handle life’s events with grace. This didn’t mean she didn’t get excited when something was exciting or upset when something was upsetting. She had an energy about her that was calm, peaceful, and soothing to be around.

I miss this. I miss her presence. This is only one of the ways in which I ache for her in my grief. Just seeing her would make me calm. Her spirit was incredible and contagious.

She had a higher standard because of what she had experienced in her past. She had a way of observing a situation that would easily fluster someone else and just breathe. She was a seeker of solutions and would unconditionally support you even if she thought you were making the worst decision of your life because she just knew everything would just be okay.

Whether you have been told you are an old soul or not, working on handling or trying to handle life’s events with grace is a tremendous exercise. I know it is one I practice daily. Not one I excel at. But I practice.

As I experience and examine my grief, which encompasses pulling apart every single fiber of my being, pausing instead of reacting has been a key tool for me. Practicing the pause. So many of us are so quick to react and respond. What about just taking a few seconds and breathing before responding and reacting?

Practicing the pause could potentially change the way in which your entire life operates on a personal and professional level.

You don’t need to be an old soul for this.

Try it.

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