I wanted a catalog of virtues for LUVolutionaries to reference on a regular basis, so I put together a List of Positive Character Traits. The main reason this resource is needed is because it’s clearly more meaningful to appreciate specific things about a person rather than affirm them with generic compliments. I found similar lists online but none of them had ALL of the good personality traits in one place, so I made one myself!

You can’t go wrong, encouraging people but there IS a right way and a less right way to do it. Let me explain. Being precise, rather than general, about the traits we see in someone shows them we recognize their unique qualities and genuinely care about them as an individual.

Here’s an example: You could say “You’re a nice person Pam” OR you could say “You’re great at hospitality Pam, it’s remarkable how you make everyone feel important and cared for!”

See what I mean? Genuine, supportive, SPECIFIC edification — aaaaaaand you just made Pam’s day!

Ways to Use this List of 320 Positive Characteristics

Besides using this List of Positive Traits for better verbal encouragement, you can use it for writing in cards (a weakness of mine, sadly), love notes or creating personalized gifts. Speaking of personalized gifts … For my Mother-in-Love’s 70th birthday, we wrote 70 distinct character traits we love about her on small pieces of paper. Afterward, we folded them up and dropped them in a cute jar.

She reads them when she needs a pick me up or just wants to put a smile on her face. In fact, after reading them, instead of throwing them away, she keeps them to fill the jar again later.

Smart lady! 🙂

For more personalized gift ideas, check out the Words of Affirmation Gift Ideas post.

Man, I love giving gifts that remind people how much of a gift they are to the world! Making them does take more time than grabbing a gift card at Starbucks, but they’re always, always worth it!

It’s good for the soul, ya know?! To to be appreciated for your abilities and attributes. Who doesn’t need that? Thankfully, everybody has a unique set of positive characteristics, so even when it comes to difficult people in our lives, there are still qualities to affirm in them.

I’m not saying it’s easy, just that it’s possible! 😉

List of 320 Positive Character Traits

I made sure to stick to the Positive Character Traits only. Most of us have a running list of the negative characteristics we’re working to overcome, so we don’t exactly need someone highlighting them for us! Let’s be a witness to one another’s greatness and dig for gold. It’s more fun that way!

Able
Accessible
Accountable
Adaptable
Adoring
Adventurous
Affable
Affectionate
Agreeable
Alert
Ambitious
Amicable
Amusing
Appreciative
Articulate
Assertive
Astute
Attentive
Assertive
Authentic
Available
Aware
Balanced
Beautiful
Benevolent
Bold
Brave
Bright
Brilliant
Broad-minded
Calm
Candid
Capable
Captivating
Careful
Caring
Cautious
Certain
Charming
Charismatic
Classy
Clear
Clear-headed
Clever
Collaborative
Committed
Compassionate
Communicator
Comradery
Confident
Connected
Conscientious
Conscious
Considerate
Consistent
Content
Cooperative
Cordial
Courageous
Creative
Curious
Dainty
Daring
Dashing
Decisive
Dedicated
Deference
Delicate
Deference
Dependable
Determined
Devout
Dignified
Diligent
Diplomatic
Direct
Discerning
Disciplined
Discreet
Dutiful
Dynamic
Eager
Easygoing
Effective
Efficient
Eloquent
Empathetic
Emphatic
Empowering
Encouraging
Enduring
Energetic
Enterprising
Enthusiastic
Equitable
Ethical
Expressive
Extroverted
Exuberant
Facilitator
Fair
Faithful
Fearless
Firm
Flexible
Focused
Forgiving
Forthright
Frank
Friendly
Funny
Generative
Generous
Genuine
Gentle
Genuine
Giddy
Glamorous
Good-Natured
Gorgeous
Graceful
Gracious
Grateful
Gregarious
Handsome
Handy
Happy
Hard-Working
Hardy
Helpful
Heroic
Honest
Honorable
Hopeful
Hospitable
Humble
Humorous
Idealistic
Imaginative
Immaculate
Impartial
Independent
Innovative
Independent
Integrated
Integrity
Inquiring
Insightful
Integrity
Intelligent
Intentional
Interested
Intimate
Intriguing
Introspective
Introverted
Intuitive
Inventive
Jolly
Jovial
Joyful
Jubilant
Just
Keen
Kind
Kingly
Knightly
Knowledgeable
Leader
Legendary
Liberal
Listener
Lovable
Loving
Loyal
Magnanimous
Mature
Meek
Merciful
Meritorious
Meticulous
Mischievous
Moderate
Modest
Neat
Networker
Neutral
Noble
Non-Authoritarian
Non-Judgmental
Nostalgic
Nurturing
Obedient
Objective
Observant
Open
Open-Minded
Opinionated
Optimistic
Opulent
Orderly
Organized
Original
Ornery
Passionate
Patient
Patriotic
Peaceful
Persevering
Perceptive
Personable
Persistent
Personable
Persuasive
Pioneering
Placid
Planner
Playful
Pleasant
Plucky
Polished
Polite
Poised
Polite
Powerful
Practical
Precise
Principled
Proactive
Problem-Solver
Productive
Profound
Protective
Prudent
Punctual
Purposeful
Quaint
Quick-Witted
Quiet
Quirky
Quizzical
Rational
Reasonable
Relaxed
Reliable
Reserved
Resilient
Resourceful
Respectful
Responsible
Responsive
Reverent
Romantic
Rowdy
Saintly
Scrupulous
Secure
Self-Confident
Self-Disciplined
Selfless
Self-Generating
Self-Reliant
Sensible
Sensitive
Sensual
Serious
Serving
Shrewd
Shy
Sincere
Skillful
Sociable
Solid
Spiritual
Spontaneous
Sporting
Stable
Stately
Steadfast
Stealthy
Stern
Stoic
Straightforward
Strong
Studious
Suave
Subtle
Submissive
Successful
Supportive
Sympathetic
Tactful
Tasteful
Temperant
Tenacious
Thorough
Thoughtful
Thrifty
Tidy
Tolerant
Tough
Trusting
Trusted
Truthful
Unassuming
Uncomplaining
Understanding
Upright
Versatile
Vibrant
Virtuous
Vivacious
Warm
Well-Read
Well-Rounded
Willing
Wise
Witty
Youthful
Zealous

We tend to put people in categories and relate to them from there, but it really doesn’t matter how talented, successful, beautiful, or charismatic someone is. There isn’t a person breathing that can’t benefit from a little extra love. Between the negative thoughts we have about ourselves, social media insecurities, unrelenting marketing, and difficult relationships, it’s easy to feel like we’re missing the mark.

My hope is for this List of 340 Positive Character Traits to be used as a weapon to slay giants. You know the ones — those great big intimidating accusations that try and convince everybody of our insignificance. Let’s fight back by reminding the world of THE TRUTH: We are made in the image of an incredible God who freely gave each of us some of his dynamic characteristics so that we could demonstrate his nature and goodness on the earth.

Now go slay those giants and be a world changer with your gracious, precise, constructive affirmations, because the world needs more of that. The world needs more of you.

TAKE ACTION: Start with yourself. Look over the list of 230 traits and write down all the ones that represent you. We can’t remind others of who they are without first reminding ourselves.