Has someone described you as being “down to earth” before?
Maybe you’ve even used that phrase when talking about yourself because you feel that you exhibit grounded, earthly qualities and are comfortable being described as such.
People who fall into this category tend to be cherished by everyone who knows them because they show their value and decency on a constant basis.
Below are some of the most common traits and behaviors that are commonly associated with people who are down to earth:
1. You appreciate common sense and reality.
In contrast to dreamers who tend to live with their heads in the clouds, those who are down to earth live firmly in the realm of the tangible. Granted, they’ll be open-minded when it comes to others’ opinions and experiences, but they’ll also call a spade a spade.
For example, you’re very aware of your own skills and challenges and make decisions about things like schooling and career choices accordingly. You might have dreamed about being a singer when you were a kid, but if you know you can’t carry a tune to save your life, you might turn your path toward playing a musical instrument instead.
If you fall into this bracket, then you’re unlikely to jump on trends, nor go along with what everyone else is doing for the sake of fitting in. Instead, you consider everything carefully, and pay attention to what is, rather than what everyone else feels about it.
You may be fond of approaches that involve deductive reasoning, critical thinking, and logic, and you value facts over emotions any day.
By extension, you don’t judge situations based on hearsay or other people’s perceptions thereof. Instead, you prefer to see all the facts laid out as they are and then decide for yourself what you think and feel about them.
2. You value pragmatism.
Most down-to-earth people seem laidback and chill, but they’re usually hardworking and very efficient. The things they own and use are practical, rather than showy, and they tend not to own anything they don’t know how to use.
For example, you may not have a cupboard full of mugs and cups of all shapes and sizes, but instead have one great mug that you love and use all the time. When and if that breaks, you get another. You may not see the point in accruing a ton of things simply for the sake of having them: you’d rather invest in one great pair of shoes than have 40 cheap pairs languishing unused in the closet.
3. You don’t shy away from responsibility.
In the same vein as the pragmatism mentioned above, you’re likely more responsible than many of your peers. You’re the type who will ensure that the mortgage and bills are paid before spending any money on luxury items or impulse extravagances.
If you have animal companions, you might ensure that they’re fed and checked on before you take care of your own needs, and you’re diligent about sorting out what needs to be done.
Furthermore, you don’t run away from obligations or procrastinate about them because you know others depend upon you, and you don’t want to let them down.
4. You have integrity.
Those who are most down to earth tend to also be incredibly trustworthy. If you give your word that you’ll take care of something, you’ll do it. You won’t get carried away by daydreaming or a new and exciting hobby or relationship.
You do what’s right and needed because it’s the right thing to do, rather than being worried about potential negative backlash if it isn’t taken care of.
Bottom line: you’ve proven to people that they can trust you and rely on you. Their secrets are safe with you, and they know that if and when they need you, you’ll be there for them.
5. You appreciate fairness.
You have a strong sense of fairness and justice and ensure that you adhere to that. For example, you wouldn’t show favoritism to a particular employee simply because of nepotism, but rather you’d show all of them the same amount of appreciation and respect with regard to the work they do.
Similarly, you wouldn’t punish one child more than another for the same infraction, even if you liked one a bit more than the other. That wouldn’t be fair, and behaving in that manner would go against your personal code of ethics.
You try to ensure that there’s a level playing field in everything you do. This might mean dealing in equity rather than equality to ensure that everyone is treated fairly, such as adapting workloads or responsibilities to suit individuals’ capabilities.
Extra reading: 10 Traits Of A Fair-Minded Person
6. You’re reasonable when it comes to others.
You’re the type of person who adheres to the spirit of a law or situation rather than the letter of it, and as such can appreciate reason when faced with it.
For example, let’s say you’re a teacher and you tell your students that they need to hand their papers in by a particular date. If a student comes to you and tells you that they need an extension due to illness or a death in the family, you’d see that as a reasonable explanation as to why they need more time, rather than telling them that it’s too bad and they have to stick to that deadline regardless.
Basically, you understand that life happens, and sometimes we need to adjust expectations—or even rules—in order to deal with them reasonably.
7. You’re accepting of situations, adapting as needed.
While some people get flustered or anxious when life doesn’t turn out the way they want, down-to-earth people take everything in their stride. You may use phrases like “okay then” when things take an unexpected turn, at which point you’ll redirect and carry on.
This is often referred to as being “laid back,” and it implies that a person isn’t tensely perched on the edge of their seat all the time, but is relaxed and at peace instead. They might literally lean back comfortably and respond to what goes on rather than reacting in a knee-jerk, overly emotional fashion.
To be accepting of a situation doesn’t mean that you give up, but rather that you think “Okay, this is what I have to work with,” and move on from there. For example, let’s say that you’re diagnosed with a chronic illness. Instead of bemoaning your fate and thinking about all the things you can’t do or eat anymore and whatnot, you try to focus on the things you can do, and then do them.
Similarly, if you (or someone close to you) is diagnosed with a terminal illness, you’ll ensure that loose ends are tied up as needed, and then focus on doing as many meaningful, fun things as possible with the time you have left.
Extra reading: How To Accept What Is (Without Surrendering Your Power): 10 Tips
8. You’re willing to change opinions as new information arises.
One great trait of down-to-earth people is that rather than being stuck in a particular mindset or opinion, they allow change to happen as life experience unfolds. In essence, you give yourself space to change your mind about things as new evidence comes to light, or if you simply gain more life experience to shift your perspective.
You might have a particular perception about a situation based on what you’ve read about it, but later admit that your previous perceptions were wrong after experiencing it firsthand. Similarly, you might have firm beliefs about a subject based on things you’ve experienced or studied, but if new details are uncovered or new advances are made, then you’ll acknowledge that and change your mind accordingly.
For instance, you might be a history professor who’s been teaching about how Indigenous North Americans arrived from Europe via the Bering land bridge, but new evidence shows that migrations happened over a thousand years before Beringia could handle that kind of migration. Rather than choosing your stance on this as a hill to die on, you integrate this new information, freely admit that new discoveries have come to light, and carry on.
9. You’re authentic.
If you’re down to earth, then it’s almost guaranteed that you’re living life on your own terms, in a manner that’s as true to your nature as possible. You don’t care what types of clothes are cool or fashionable, but instead wear the styles and fabrics that you like best. Furthermore, you couldn’t give a rat’s back end what other people think about you or your life choices.
You embrace signs of aging like graying hair or laughter lines, and appreciate the knowledge you’ve accrued through life experience. You don’t pretend that you think or feel things that you don’t in order to make others more comfortable. That doesn’t mean you’re intentionally argumentative or cruel if you disagree with someone, but rather that you can agree to disagree and leave it at that.
When people describe you, they often say that you’re very “real,” rather than having a personality that changes depending on the social group you’re in. That kind of consistency is more appreciated and respected than you realize.
10. You display humility.
You’re not a braggart. You’re comfortable with the things you’ve achieved or created, and you might even take a great deal of pride in them, but you don’t go around broadcasting your own accolades to everyone around you. In fact, you likely downplay them if and when anyone else tries to big you up when you’re in a crowd.
Most down-to-earth people have a self-deprecating sense of humor, and gleefully make fun of themselves when others praise them beyond their personal comfort levels.
Extra reading: 12 things all humble people do (that attract others to them)
11. You’re accepting of others.
You live by the creed of “live and let live” when it comes to other people’s interests, ideas, faiths, and personal preferences. You don’t judge those whose lifestyles differ from your own, and appreciate the fact that just like flowers of all shapes, sizes, and colors make a garden more beautiful, so it is with human beings as well.
You appreciate wholesome and nourishing interactions over bickering and spite. Furthermore, you realize that you can learn a lot from those who are different from yourself. When interacting with other people, you enjoy hearing about their life experiences and learning about the things that interest them and make them happy.
Extra reading: How To Accept Others For Who They Are (Rather Than Who You Want Them To Be)
12. You’re patient.
Whereas high-strung people are often impatient, you’re the polar opposite. You have reserves of patience that would impress a saint, and you can put that patience toward endeavors ranging from detangling fishing nets to teaching small children how to put their socks on.
Similarly, you understand that not everyone will be able to pick up certain skills as quickly as you can, and that you may not be perfect at everything you try on the first attempt either.
If you’re in a teaching role, you’ll adapt your teaching approach to suit whoever you’re working with. In contrast, if you’re in the learner’s seat, you may try several different approaches to a new skill or problem until you find the one that works best for you.
13. You have and display compassion (both in personality and in action).
This involves kindness and altruism as well as the aforementioned patient mindset.
Some people get incandescent with rage if someone is walking slowly ahead of them or needs extra time at the grocery checkout counter, just to name a couple of examples. Rather than getting into a huff about it, you will ask whether you can lend a hand to help alleviate their hardship, or simply make their life a little bit brighter that day.
It hurts you to see those who are suffering, and if you don’t have the ability to do outreach or volunteer work, you may donate to charities regularly in order to help others when and how you can.
14. You can find common ground with anyone.
You have the ability to relate to just about anyone because you know that there’s some common ground to be found somewhere. You likely have friends from all different walks of life, and you appreciate one another for the things you have in common as well as for your differences.
Additionally, you don’t choose your friendships based on your perception of other people’s status, or to advance your own. Rather, you appreciate others for who they are, as they are. You show the same amount of care and respect toward people regardless of whether they’re royalty or considered “outcasts” by the general population.
Furthermore, you don’t put others down to raise yourself up. You know that everyone you meet has value simply by existing.
15. You listen more than you speak.
Most down-to-earth people learned a long time ago that it’s far better to listen than to speak too much. After all, you learn a lot more when you’re quiet and paying attention than if you’re always trying to fill up silences with small talk and petty chatter.
Furthermore, you’re the type who observes and considers things (and asks a lot of questions) rather than assuming or jumping to conclusions. While most people assume things about others based on personal leanings or past experiences, and then go ahead and accuse them of those assumptions, you take the time to consider the entire situation.
Only once you have a significant amount of information to work with will you come to a decision about how you think or feel about it, and whether to act on it or not.
16. You appreciate physical sensoria.
While some people like to dwell in the realm of the fantastical or theoretical, down-to-earth folks often prefer that which is tactile. You appreciate the feel of things, whether it’s the crunch of teeth through an apple skin, or the feeling of your lover’s skin against your hands.
Maybe you love the beach or the woods, and either swim or walk barefoot as often as possible. Or you like to wear fabrics that feel incredible and healthy against your skin, like silk, linen, or wool.
In essence, you prefer to experience your own life firsthand, through your direct senses, rather than viewing other people’s lives through screens.
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If most of these traits resonate with you, then you’re a very down-to-earth person. Those who are fortunate enough to have earned your friendship and loyalty are very lucky indeed, and the endeavors that you pour your energy into will undoubtedly be satisfying and life-expanding, whether they end up being successful or not.
