There is a great difference between being alone and being lonely. A loner will always prefer being alone, but they will never feel lonely.

Loners are a unique type of people. They prefer having a smaller circle of friends, and they do not mind spending time alone, being with themselves. Unlike those who feel lonely, loners never feel lonely.

In fact, being in their own company is what makes them feel most fulfilled, as this is when they are most in touch with themselves. Loners are very self-aware, and perhaps this is the main reason they prefer to be alone.

Being friends with a loner is something not many have the opportunity to experience. They pick their friends carefully, and they can easily sniff out a fake. So, what makes a person a loner?

Here are 6 characteristics these people share:

1.Firm boundaries

A loner always exercises strong and healthy boundaries. They are able to understand themselves perfectly, and this allows them to set clear ideals and strong values. They know that they are never alone, as even if they are the last person on earth, they have themselves.

Therefore, they will respect their boundaries (and those of others), and they will let you know if you are about to cross them. In the end, if you are not faithful to yourself, you cannot be faithful to anyone.

2. Loyalty

A loner does not crave for the company of others the way many do. However, once they get to like someone and want them as a close friend, they become the most loyal of friends you can find.

They know how to value their worth, and if they find you to be worthy of being their friend, they will gladly give an arm for you when necessary. They exercise their loyalty in all fields in life, be it relationships, work, family, you name it.

Of course, they are also able to be loyal to those that they don’t know. A worthy cause can garner their support as well, and they are often the first to donate. For instance, the American Red Cross’ holiday giving campaign – focused on providing relief to disaster victims this year – will bring in many dollars from this personality type.

3. Open-mindedness

Even if they like being alone, this does not make them rigid and closed. On the contrary, they are very open-minded, and they are always up for new ideas and activities. A loner will not spend their lives in their room, or with the same beliefs and ideas.

They enjoy exploring new ideas and activities, and they do not mind trying out different things in life. However, they will make sure that they have had their alone time before taking up things that involve many people.

4. Level-headedness

Loners are amazingly strong and sober when tough situations come in the way. Their strong focus and willpower come as a result of their frequent self-reflection during their alone time.

They may feel overwhelmed by some stressful situations, but instead of wasting their time on distractions, they will decide to spend some alone time and recharge. During this time, they devise solutions to the problem and ways to cope with it.

5. Self-awareness

While many people who choose to ignore their thoughts and emotions, loners choose to indeed focus on them and become fully aware of them. Being aware of oneself is very important and something which is very difficult to achieve.

Loners know themselves better than anyone else, and this allows them to understand those around them better. Of course, everyone has periods of depressive and discouraging thoughts, but loners are able to navigate through them and learn their lesson.

6. Valuing time

If something is extremely important for a loner, it is time. They respect and value their time and that of those around them. In truth, time is the most important asset for success in life, and they are well aware of it.

This is why they will do everything in their power to never be late, never waste someone’s time, and never allow others to waste their time. They are categorical when time comes into question, and it is perhaps their most valued boundary that they will never change.

Loners avoid trivialities and fake behavior. They never tolerate people who think that they can be played with. They are very self-aware, and you can learn a lot from them about self-respect.

Respect their time as they respect yours, and respect their boundaries the way they respect yours. If you know how to connect with a loner, expect a genuine friendship filled with loyalty, great advice, and a lot of respect.

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