I feel like over the past few years, especially with the rise of social media, it’s become increasingly difficult to know what someone is really like.

People share all sorts of stuff on their social media, it’s “Save this” and “Protect that”, but do they really care?

And apart from being so active on social media, do they actually do anything to help? To be honest, it often feels like a show.

So, how can you tell when someone is a truly caring person?

By looking to see if they display some of the traits I’m about to share with you!

1) They’re empathetic

Listen up:

Empathy is the foundation of true compassion and understanding – that makes it the defining trait of people who truly care about others.

The thing about empathetic people is that they have the ability to understand and share the feelings, emotions, and perspectives of others.

And how do they do that?

By putting themselves in someone else’s shoes, imagining what they might be experiencing, and connecting with their emotions on a deeper level.

In short: By feeling what someone else feels, empathetic people have an easier time caring about what others are going through.

2) They’re compassionate

Another trait of people who care deeply about the well-being of others is compassion, which is closely linked to empathy.

It’s a deep awareness of the pain and suffering felt by others.

But that’s not all, compassion is usually accompanied by a genuine willingness to offer assistance, comfort, and support.

3) They’re kind

If you want to know if someone is truly caring, ask yourself if they’re kind.

Think about it: You cannot be a caring person without being kind.

So look at their actions.

• Maybe they’ll show their caring nature through small acts of kindness, like helping a blind person across the street, taking care of a friend’s cat, or doing grocery shopping for their grandma.
• Or, they’ll show it with big acts of kindness, like helping a friend pay their rent or giving a job to someone in need.

All in all, a really caring person is no stranger to being kind.

4) They’re active listeners

When someone actively listens to what you’re saying, they’re showing you that they care about what you have to say.

It’s true.

• They don’t just nod their heads while you speak.
• They don’t interrupt you to talk about themselves.
• They actually listen to what you have to say because they’re genuinely interested.

You’ll notice that they’ll ask you questions to find out more and they’ll express genuine concern/excitement/joy/sadness depending on what you’re saying.

5) They’re very supportive

We all need a few caring people in our lives because they’re always supportive.

You’ll never hear a caring person say, “What a stupid idea, you can’t seriously think you can succeed in that!”

It’s quite the opposite!

No matter how far-fetched your dreams and goals may seem, caring people will be cheering you on. They’ll even try and help you overcome any obstacles you face on the way.

But that’s not all.

They’re always ready to provide emotional and practical support when you’re going through a tough time. So whether you’re going through a breakup or you’ve lost your job, you can be sure that you have a caring shoulder to lean on.

6) They’re selfless

Here’s the thing:

People who care about others aren’t selfish. They’re not all, “Me, me, me!”

When it comes to the people they love and care about, chances are they’ll put their needs and happiness before their own.

It makes sense if you ask me.

I mean, think about someone you really care about. Doesn’t their well-being mean the world to you? Wouldn’t you do anything to ensure that they’re happy?

7) They’re respectful

Look, it doesn’t matter where someone comes from, what they believe in, what their sexual orientation is, what color their skin is, who they vote for, or what their background is – really caring people treat everyone with respect!

The bottom line:

They know that everyone is different and that we’re all shaped by different experiences. And even when they don’t agree with the other person’s point of view, they respect it because they believe that everyone has a right to their opinion.

8) They’re forgiving

I know some old people, and I mean really old people, who’ve been carrying around grudges for the last 80 years!

It’s like they’ve stored and remembered every negative thing that ever happened to them.

That’s some pretty heavy stuff.

And the result?

They have a hard time trusting, opening up, and really caring about others.

Caring people are the opposite:

They like to forgive and forget and don’t let the past get in the way of how they feel about someone now.

We’ve all made mistakes at one point or another, but that doesn’t mean they should haunt us our whole lives.

Like that famous quote from the Bible says, “Let him who is without sin cast the first stone“. Now, I’m not religious myself but that quote makes a lot of sense to me.

9) They’re non-judgmental

It’s not very nice to be judgmental if you ask me.

I  mean, a lot of people are ready to put a label on someone and comment on their behavior without taking the time to get to know them and to understand where they’re coming from.

You never know what someone is going through, that’s why caring and kind people prefer to refrain from passing judgment.

But that’s not all, they don’t try to change others, they embrace diversity and promote inclusivity.

10) They’re reliable

Don’t you hate it when someone promises to help you out with something important (like moving houses) only to end up bailing on you at the last moment?

It really sucks that they don’t think about the situation they’re putting you in.

Well, really caring people aren’t like that. You can count on them to follow through on their commitments and stay true to their word.

I hope you have some really caring people in your life.