18 Everyday Habits That Surprisingly Reveal a LOT About Your Real Personality
Your real personality is an open book for anyone who understands these psychological habits, which surprisingly reveal a lot about who you really are.
How You Roll Toilet Paper
The way you hang toilet paper might seem trivial, but it can reveal a lot about your personality. According to a relationship therapist, those who prefer the overhand method tend to be more dominant, while underhand rollers are often more submissive.
Do You Switch the Paper?
Some highly dominant individuals even admit to switching the paper direction in other people’s bathrooms. This quirky habit can provide surprising insights into your assertiveness and compatibility with others. It’s a lighthearted but telling way to learn more about yourself and your relationships.
Checking Your Reflection Way Too Often
Are you frequently checking your reflection, adjusting your appearance, or fussing over your clothes? This behavior might indicate perfectionism and a high level of self-consciousness.
Are You Insecure?
People who engage in this habit can be seen as nervous or insecure, and if taken to extremes, it can signal deeper issues like low self-esteem, anxiety, or even eating disorders.
Not Necessarily
It’s worth mentioning that not all mirror-checkers are insecure—some are simply detail-oriented and care about maintaining a polished appearance. Understanding the motivation behind this habit can provide insight into whether it’s a sign of personal style or a deeper concern with body image.
Your Handshake
You’d be surprised how a simple handshake can convey so much information about your personality. A firm and brief handshake suggests confidence, while a limp one can indicate insecurity or fear.
Aggressive Handshakes
Using both hands for a handshake might show aggression or dominance. Similarly, shaking with your palm down signals control and assertiveness.
Research has shown that people with firm handshakes are often seen as more emotionally expressive and extroverted.
Weak Grip
Those with weaker grips may come across as shy and anxious. Interestingly, women with firm handshakes are often perceived as more intellectual and open-minded.
- Friendly reminder: avoid wiping your hand immediately after shaking, as this can imply you find the other person unclean or that you are overly concerned about germs.
How You Eat: Fast vs. Slow Eaters
How you eat can say a lot about your approach to life. Fast eaters tend to be goal-oriented and competitive, often seeing eating as a task to finish quickly so they can move on. This might make them impatient and impulsive in other areas.
Slow eaters are usually more relaxed and mindful, taking time to savor their food and enjoy the social aspects of meals. They might be more patient and thoughtful in their daily lives, better at managing stress and anxiety.
How You Smile
The frequency and authenticity of your smile can reveal a lot about your personality. Extroverted individuals tend to smile more naturally and frequently, often exuding warmth and approachability.
In contrast, introverted individuals might find it more challenging to maintain a smile in social situations, often needing to consciously remind themselves to smile.
Can Smiles Reveal Extroverts?
Research supports this distinction. In studies where participants were shown photographs of people smiling, they could often correctly identify the extroverts based on the naturalness and frequency of their smiles.
What Do Smiles Say about You?
Extroverts’ smiles tend to be broader and more genuine, reflecting their outgoing nature and comfort in social interactions. Meanwhile, introverts may display more reserved smiles, indicating their preference for less social stimulation and a more inward-focused demeanor.
So next time you catch yourself smiling—or not—consider what it might be revealing about your personality and how you interact with those around you.
Nervous Tics
Nervous tics, like nail biting or skin picking, are more than just habits—they’re physical manifestations of inner turmoil. When anxiety, stress, or frustration levels rise, these tics often intensify.
Revealing Tics
Interestingly, the type of tic can reveal aspects of your personality. For example, individuals who pull their hair or bite their nails frequently tend to be perfectionists.
These repetitive behaviors are often a way to alleviate boredom, irritation, or dissatisfaction, offering a temporary sense of comfort and control.
How You Walk
Your walking style can say a lot about who you are. If you walk with an even stride and your head held high, you likely have a confident and open personality. Celebrities and politicians often use this “power walk” to convey strength and approachability.
Do You Slump?
On the other hand, walking with slumped shoulders and a downward gaze can indicate vulnerability and self-consciousness. Your posture might reveal whether you feel comfortable in your skin or often find yourself lost in thought.
Walking and Vulnerability
These subtle clues can have significant implications.
For example, individuals with psychopathic tendencies can identify vulnerability just by observing how someone walks. Therefore, adopting a more assertive walking style can help project confidence and deter potential threats.
Your Shoes
Your choice of footwear can reveal a lot about your personality. A study found that people can accurately guess someone’s age, income, and attachment anxiety just by looking at their shoes.
Agreeable Shoe Wearers
Comfortable shoes often indicate a person is agreeable, while those wearing ankle boots may have a more aggressive personality.
Calm or Anxious Shoes?
Wearing uncomfortable shoes suggests a calm demeanor, whereas new and well-maintained shoes might signal anxiety or clinginess. It’s fascinating how something as simple as your shoes can speak volumes about who you are!
Punctuality
Ever find yourself texting “I’m on my way” when you’re really just getting out of the bed? Or are you the type who never needs to send that message because you’re always the first one to arrive?
Our attitude towards time and punctuality speaks volumes about our personality.
Late vs. On Time
If you’re usually on time, you’re likely a realistic thinker who plans ahead and considers potential delays. In contrast, habitual latecomers might be seen as dreamers or “magical thinkers,” often underestimating how long tasks will take.
They might also experience higher anxiety levels and subconsciously crave the adrenaline rush of last-minute arrivals.
Punctual or Laid-Back?
Punctual people tend to be organized and systematic, planning their days meticulously. Those who are often late are generally more carefree and disorganized, hoping each day will be better than the last. On the other hand, those who are chronically late might be more self-focused or laid-back.
A Revealing Trait
While punctuality typically suggests reliability, conscientiousness, and discipline, it doesn’t mean latecomers lack these qualities.
However, your relationship with time reveals a lot about you.
Do You Prioritize Time?
People less concerned with punctuality are often more emotionally driven, sociable, and focused on happiness. They prioritize enjoying moments with friends and family over strict adherence to schedules that punctual people “obsess” over (which is always respectful regardless of your view on punctuality).
The Color You Wear
The colors you choose to wear can reveal a lot about your personality. Colors evoke specific emotional and behavioral responses, influencing how you feel and also how others perceive you.
What Colors Say about You
Extroverts often prefer vibrant colors like red, while introverts might gravitate toward cooler shades like blue. Yellow is typically favored by intellectuals, and green is often chosen by well-balanced individuals.
Each color can reflect different aspects of your character and can even influence your mood and behavior.
Your Sitting Posture
The way you sit can surprisingly reveal a lot about your personality and current state of mind. For example, if you sit with your knees slightly spread to the sides, it indicates an openness to new ideas and emotional flexibility.
This relaxed posture suggests that you are comfortable with your surroundings and open to engaging with others and exploring new experiences.
Legs Crossed and Hands Clasped Behind Your Head
Sitting with your legs crossed and hands clasped behind your head often reflects confidence and a sense of superiority.
This dominant posture shows that you feel in control and self-assured. It can also suggest that you are comfortable taking charge in situations and projecting authority.
Arms Crossed
Crossing your arms while sitting is a posture that can convey several things. It often indicates seriousness and confidence, suggesting that you are focused and perhaps feeling defensive.
This position can create a barrier, signaling that you are deep in thought or not entirely open to what’s being said around you.
The Number of Selfies You Take
How many selfies do you snap and share each day? Your selfie habits can reveal more than your favorite angles and poses—they can also offer insights into your personality.
Selfies and Emotional Stability
A study found an interesting link between selfie-posting behaviors and personality traits. The more selfies someone posts, the less emotionally stable they tend to be, often indicating lower self-esteem.
Young Selfie Takers
These frequent selfie-takers are also usually more extroverted and place a high value on their relationships. Interestingly, these effects are more pronounced in younger individuals, suggesting that as social media grows, so does its impact on our self-perception and social interactions.
How You Arrange Your Plate
The way you arrange your food on your plate reveals quirks and traits you might not even be aware of. It’s not what you eat, but how you eat it that matters.
Perfect Portions
If your plate looks like a well-organized map, with each food item neatly divided and spaced, you’re likely a meticulous planner. You handle tasks efficiently, without taking on more than you can manage.
Your discipline shines through in your consistent dedication to your goals, much like how you might have known your college major from day one and stuck with it. You have a knack for knowing your limits and ensuring every project you start is completed!
A Hot Mess
If your plate is a colorful mess, with foods mingling and sauces blending, you’re a spontaneous multitasker. You dive headfirst into experiences, eager to taste everything life offers (even if it means a bit of chaos!)
You live life with a laid-back attitude, focusing on deadlines but enjoying the ride.
The Bowl Mindset
If you prefer your meal in a bowl rather than on a plate, piling different foods together, you’re a creative thinker who loves to stand out. You delight in crafting unique and memorable experiences for those around you.
Your innovative spirit extends to your workspace and home, filled with personal touches that make any space feel warm and inviting. You prioritize feelings and the emotional atmosphere you create, both for yourself and others.
Your Handwriting
Graphology, the study of handwriting and its connection to personality, has intrigued scholars since Aristotle’s time. A 2018 study even found that a computer program analyzing handwriting could predict personality types with around 80% accuracy.
Heavy vs. Soft Pen Pressure
If your writing leaves deep imprints, it suggests you’re intense, energetic, and physically strong, but it could also indicate stress or a forceful personality.
In contrast, light pressure might point to a more relaxed, hesitant nature, possibly shaped by dominant influences during your upbringing.
Larger vs. Smaller Letters
Large letters often signify a person who loves attention and enjoys being in the spotlight. Smaller letters, on the other hand, typically belong to introverts who prefer to stay out of the limelight, showing strong concentration skills and humility.
Words Slanted to the Right vs. Left
Right-slanted words suggest openness and emotional engagement, whereas a leftward or upright slant might indicate a more reserved or avoidant personality.
The nuances, such as loops and flourishes, add depth to these interpretations.
Lines That Go Downhill, Uphill, or Straight
Writing that slants downward can indicate feelings of discouragement or depression, while upward-slanting handwriting is a sign of optimism and ambition.
Straight lines reveal a reliable and steady nature, indicating a strong work ethic.
How You Dot Your Lowercase I’s
Precise dots on your i’s reflect perfectionism and attention to detail.
Playful, round dots suggest a fun-loving personality, while sharp, quick dots could reveal a fiery, easily irritated temperament.
How You Cross Your T’s
A sweeping T-bar stroke signifies generosity, while a high T-bar shows ambition. If the stroke slants downward, it might indicate a critical, negative outlook.
The Amount of Space Between Words
Tight spacing between words might indicate a need for closeness and a tendency to be intrusive. Conversely, wide spacing suggests a preference for distance and a reserved nature.
Perfectly spaced words demonstrate organizational skills and a balanced perspective.
Your Emails
Your email habits can reveal a lot about your personality. The way you write emails, the language you use, and even the timing can provide insights into your character.
Frequent use of words like “I,” “me,” and “mine” can suggest narcissism, while extroverts often use casual language and discuss fun topics.
Typos and IQ
Attention to detail in emails, such as avoiding typos, indicates conscientiousness and perfectionism. Conversely, poor grammar can reflect lower IQ and academic intelligence.
How Do You Write Emails?
Long emails might show thoroughness and energy but can also suggest a degree of neediness. How you communicate electronically mirrors your real-life traits, making email etiquette an interesting window into your personality.
Your Drink of Choice
Your choice of beverage can say a lot about your personality and approach to life. A study published in Personality & Individual Differences in 2021 found interesting correlations between drink preferences and personality traits.
Sugary vs. Healthy Drinks
If you often reach for sugary drinks, you might be more impulsive and live in the moment, not overly concerned with future consequences. On the flip side, those who opt for healthier beverages tend to be more conscientious and forward-thinking, considering the long-term effects of their choices.
Your drink preference can subtly reveal how you balance pleasure and responsibility in your daily life.
Your Shopping Style
Do you find yourself meticulously reading product labels and bombarding salespeople with questions before making a purchase? Or do you prefer to rely on your gut feeling, avoiding the nitty-gritty details? If you’re the former, you’re likely an “explanation fiend”—a consumer who needs comprehensive information to feel confident in a purchase.
Conversely, if the thought of wading through endless descriptions makes you groan, you might be an “explanation foe,” an intuitive buyer who trusts their instincts over extensive research.
How Do You Shop?
A study led by marketing professor Philip Fernbach and cognitive psychologist Steven Sloman explored these shopping styles. They found that consumers generally fall into two categories: those who crave detailed explanations and those who prefer minimal information.
Participants were given the Cognitive Reflection Test (CRT), which revealed their preference for either detailed analysis or quick, intuitive decisions.
Shopper Types
Explanation fiends, who scored high on the CRT, analyze every bit of information and feel more confident in their purchases when they understand the product thoroughly. Explanation foes, with lower CRT scores, feel comfortable with minimal details and trust their initial impressions.
Detailed Descriptions vs. Gut Feelings
Both types of shoppers aim to understand a product’s worth, but their approaches differ.
Explanation fiends need detailed descriptions to build trust, while explanation foes rely on their gut feelings and quick judgments.
How You Handle Compliments
Do you often deflect compliments, insisting you don’t deserve them or downplaying your achievements? This habit might seem like humility, but it often reflects deeper issues like low self-esteem or imposter syndrome.
Rejecting Praise
When you reject positive feedback, you reinforce negative beliefs about yourself, potentially leading to a self-fulfilling prophecy where you start to believe you aren’t worthy of praise.
Over time, this can impact your ability to achieve your goals and enjoy success.
Gracious Acceptance
When you accept compliments graciously, simply saying “thank you,” it reflects a healthy level of confidence and self-esteem. You recognize and appreciate positive feedback without feeling the need to downplay your achievements.
This shows you believe in your worth and contributions. The extra confident folks might even respond with a playful “I know!” which, while bold, further highlights their assuredness.
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