Liv Walde
Life can come down tough on the pure of heart.
The naivete and wondrous consideration they have towards other people often leaves them the target of other people who don’t have quite as tender and selfless a heart
The thing about pure hearted people is that they often don’t know how pure they truly are.
Nor how rare their genuine kindness is.
Someone who will puff out their chest and tell you they’re pure-hearted probably isn’t quite as kind as you (or they) might think, as pure-heartedness and boasting tend not to walk hand in hand.
So what does it look like when someone does have a pure heart?
Might you be more pure-hearted than you think?
Let’s find out:
1) You care greatly for other people
As in, you’ll still be visibly shaken hours (or even days) after a friend confides in you and tells you about a traumatic experience they went through.
Your empathy goes beyond the normal consideration and understanding people share with one another.
You genuinely carry the suffering and pain of others around on your shoulders.
At times, it’s pretty exhausting.
2) You agree to help others out without a second thought
“I’ll come and pick you up from the airport at 4am!”
You’re so quick to jump into offering your (free of charge) services to whomever it might help.
In the case of the above, this isn’t for your mom.
Or your partner.
It’s some random colleague you only met last week.
You’ll move heaven and earth for those you love without question.
On top of that, you go the extra mile even to help those that you don’t really know.
Even if it comes at an inconvenience to you, your selfless nature means that you often put the needs of others above your own.
You jump at any chance of making someone else’s life a little easier.
3) You don’t carry grudges
Conversations like, “don’t you remember what she did in highschool? She’s disgusting”, don’t sit right with you.
You don’t carry grudges.
When faced with disagreement or conflict, you might still feel a little sore or bitter – but those emotions are quickly cleansed from your palate.
Big on forgiving and forgetting, you don’t let past experiences continue to drag down how you feel about people or impact your day to day life.
4) You’re grateful for the little things
As someone with a pure heart, you likely feel things very deeply.
You might even sit on the scale of being a highly sensitive person.
Either way, you notice and love the little pleasures life brings.
A friend remembering to pick up your favorite snack.
The barista remembering your coffee order.
Waking up to the deep glow of a beautiful sunrise.
You’re grateful for everything.
When you can, you also voice this gratitude and express how much you appreciate other people showing how they value you.
Gifts and flowers are met with nothing but a beaming smile.
5) You smile a lot
Ever been called a smiler?
Those with a pure and kind heart often can’t hide it.
Their emotions pour out from their heart and spread across their faces.
If you’re the type to find yourself strolling around, headphones in, with a big grin on your face, you might be harboring a tender heart.
You’ll also likely share that beaming smile with other people.
Toddlers in prams.
People crossing the street.
Fluffy dogs.
You just can’t help but smile at them.
So much that occasionally, your mouth starts to hurt.
6) You’re brutally honest
Sometimes in a bit of a blunt way that doesn’t always land so well with other people.
Having a pure heart causes a minor moral dilemma in that you know you want to protect people’s feelings by telling them white lies, yet you also believe that honesty is the best policy.
Being pure of heart, you’re true to your word and forthright in saying what you think and what you know.
Never in a forceful or brainwash-y manner.
You just struggle to lie and prefer presenting the facts.
When faced with the option of white lies versus honest truth, you’ll likely be left stressed and disheartened.
7) You see the good in people
Even if you’ve been hurt, even if you’ve been burned by a flame, you still dare to trust.
If you’ve had some bad experiences, your pure heart might be a little singed around the edges.
Nonetheless, you still believe in the good of others.
You open your heart and welcome newcomers and you take chances in trusting people.
Even if those people turn out to be malicious or end up hurting you, you somehow always find a way to forgive or justify part of their behavior…
They’re insecure.
They’ve been hurt before.
They didn’t mean it.
It’s usually unintentional. Others might think you naïve, but your pure heart just can’t stop seeing the good in others.
8) You treat everyone as equals
Fawning over people who can give you something in return for your flattery is like a foreign language to you.
Societal hierarchy and etiquette you understand, yet you don’t give certain people privilege or higher standing than others.
You know that everyone was put on this planet as equals; regardless of gender, race, sexual preference, or past experiences.
Singling people out and labelling them as better or worse than others just doesn’t sit right with you at all.
9) You’re not a fan of gossip
On top of not holding grudges, you often shut down petty gossip when it starts rising up amongst those you’re hanging out with.
Criticizing or demeaning people behind their back seems like a nasty game to play, especially when you see everyone as created equal and deserving of respect.
So, sometimes even subconsciously, you’ll shut down other gossipers once they get started.
“Hey, that’s mean”.
“Don’t talk about him when he’s not here like that”.
“That’s a horrible thing to say”.
Your pure heart probably doesn’t understand why people would concoct such vitriolic statements, but it does a good job of shutting down rumours and cruelty before it spreads.
10) You bring out the best in people
Or so they say.
Or maybe they don’t even say, but you notice.
You likely maintain long-lasting friendships owing to your kind, genuine, and reliable nature.
And those that are given the blessing of your company glow in your presence.
Someone who tends to err on the more pessimistic side of life you notice shining when you’re around. They just seem more happy, more optimistic, more at ease with life.
People appreciate those with a pure heart.
It means that they can feel safe to open up and bring their authentic selves.
With time, this can contribute to growth on both ends and is often one of the most fulfilling relationships.
11) You never expect anything in return
Some people approach relationships as transactional.
I’ll scratch your back, you scratch mine.
But if you really think about it, do you ever expect a favor in return for helping a friend?
You might be disappointed if they don’t return the same degree of support and reassurance, but you’re unlikely to be keeping score in a notebook under your bed.
You also won’t glare at them if they refuse to help you pack up and move house and start listing all the times you’ve gone out of your way to help them.
Whilst eternally grateful for the appreciation that others do show you, you never enter into relationships or acts of kindness with terms and conditions stipulating that you’re to be owed something in return.
12) You can’t imagine wanting to hurt someone else
Not just in a petty gossip, name-calling way either.
Emotional manipulation and all other forms of physical or psychological torment don’t run through your brain.
You know the feeling when an ex tramples on your heart and you lie in bed at night imaging 100 ways in which you could painfully torture them?
Yeah…you can’t imagine it, can you.
Those with a pure heart and gentle soul feel anger and bitterness.
They just don’t have the force of will or ability to consider hurting that person in return.
To a pure hearted person…
All hearts are pure.
Which sucks a little sometimes, as being able to see people for what they’re worth – particularly if they have ill intent or are overall unpleasant – can sometimes help to avoid toxic relationships.
Yet, without the incredibly pure-hearted amongst us, the world would be a dimmer place.
So if you resonate with the above signs, you likely have a very pure heart.
Whilst it shines brightly and you might find people gathering around you like moths to a flame, not everyone means you well.
But take my word; you will find others out there who will cherish and protect it.
