10 Signs You're A 'Meaning Seeker' — Someone Who Hates Small Talk & Boring People
PeopleImages | Shutterstock Despite being a fundamental part of our humanity and well-being in life, finding meaning in our routines and feeling a strong sense of purpose can feel impossible.
Especially when we want the comfort of predictability, the change, newness, and challenges we have to accept to find our purpose can persuade us away from it entirely. However, if you're a "meaning seeker" who's curious and open-minded, you have a unique sense of self-assuredness that allows you to step outside your comfort zone. You may hate small talk and boring people, but the real signs of your rarity come from the things you make time for.
Here are 10 signs you're a 'meaning seeker' who hates small talk and boring people
1. You invest in community
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While "third spaces" are dwindling in our culture, which are partially responsible for our epidemic of loneliness, there are still ways to find and invest in community, without having to pay an entrance fee. However, it's usually the people willing to step out of their comfort zones and challenge themselves with novelty who figure out how to create meaning through community in their daily lives.
From talking to strangers they don't know and connecting with their neighbors, even when life feels chaotic and busy, they invest in micro-connections that build security. They may not entertain superficial small talk for the sake of attention or status, but they will find meaning through small engagements with community when it's intentional and grounded.
2. You find ways to cultivate joy at work
Even for people working in careers, companies, and industries that don't light them up inside, there are still ways to create meaning at work. Especially for younger generations who are seeking purpose in their jobs, there are so many small habits and choices that can make getting up every morning exciting and fulfilling, rather than draining.
If you're finding meaning, chances are you already make space for these things at work. From creating conversations with a boss to negotiate more of the work you enjoy to creating boundaries that help you focus on things that boost your creativity, and even being curious about new tasks and sectors that feel interesting, all of these habits make your career more exciting.
At the end of the day, people creating meaning don't linger in stagnancy. They don't constantly complain without taking action. They craft self-awareness that helps them figure out what they enjoy and lean on curiosity to find new things to appreciate.
3. You practice spirituality
Spirituality can mean many different things depending on the person, from organized religion to practicing astrology rituals. However, this connection with something bigger than ourselves is part of what creates meaning in our lives.
Especially if you can find spaces, communities, and practices that add value and joy to your life, you'll find a more profound sense of meaning by connecting with them daily.
4. You interact thoughtfully with strangers
Even if it's on public transportation while commuting to work, as a study from the Journal of Experimental Psychology tested, connecting and intentionally interacting with strangers can add to our well-being and happiness. We're reminded of the humanity all around us, and more importantly, less caught up in our own heads.
If you regularly talk to strangers, you're probably happier. However, social connection is a huge part of meaning in our lives, so there's a chance that these small, mundane conversations are also giving you a purpose that boring, avoidant people and a lack of empathy can never beat.
5. You reflect on life and memories often
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If you're a "meaning seeker," whether it's finding patterns in interactions from the day or going back to connect with nostalgic memories from childhood, you aren't afraid to reflect. While most people avoid and distance themselves from solitude and quietness constantly, these people lean into the challenge of regulating and reflecting for their own sake.
According to a 2021 study, self-awareness and reflection create meaning for a number of reasons, but especially because it helps people to know and understand themselves better.
6. You feel connected to nature
If you're really cultivating a meaningful life, chances are when you go outside, it's not just to get fresh air or move your body. You feel a deeper sense of connection and wisdom with the Earth around you, which both supports you in finding purpose and provides meaning on its own.
Especially because nature offers opportunities to put our humanity in perspective and appreciate life, as a 2023 study explains, of course the people who respect the earth and spend a lot of time outside feel more meaningful navigating daily life.
7. You're a writer
Part of a writer's job is to appreciate and verbalize the subtleties of life, the small nuances and pieces of joy that the average person might miss in their daily lives without reflecting on them. Even if you're not a professional writer and only do it while journaling or in your free time for fun, creating space for the habit can be profoundly influential for creating meaning, whether you're paid or not.
Of course, it can help us process emotions and boost our mental health, but writing is more nuanced and profound than that, even. If you're a "meaning seeker," you know better than anyone, because even the most mundane habits and events can be transformed into something purposeful through writing.
8. You say 'yes' to new things
While you still likely follow your values and set boundaries when you need space, most of the time, if you're truly a "meaning seeker," you say "yes" to new things. You're not afraid to lean into challenges and to make mistakes, because at the end of them there's at least an opportunity to learn.
From conversations with strangers to new foods, even saying "yes" to a social plan that you're not entirely sure about, you're not afraid to step out of your comfort zone in the name of growth and curiosity.
9. You keep track of goals
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While most people have goals and dreams, the difference between someone who creates meaning out of them, compared to someone who lets them gather dust, is keeping up with them. According to a study from Frontiers in Psychology, that's just one part of cultivating meaning: writing down and tracking goals over the course of a person's life.
On top of writing them down and reflecting on what's important, the most motivated and fulfilled people also craft micro-habits and actions that take them a step closer every single day. Even if it's one minute of journaling or a single conversation, they're intentional about making progress in small, mundane ways.
10. You experiment with new passions
Hobbies are often the key to building a sustainable life, but only when they're value-driven and intentional. That's why people who crave purpose and seek meaning often experiment with their hobbies. Whether it's drawing, going outside, trying a new movement routine, or booking a creative class, they're not afraid to try something or put themselves in a room that's still unfamiliar.
On top of building a sense of fulfillment, simply engaging in these hobbies also boosts a person's happiness and well-being. So, it's not some existential, profound task for most people, but a ritual that offers immediate pay-offs over things like doomscrolling and screen time every day.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a senior editorial strategist with a bachelor's degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.
