wellness

The 27 green flags that tell you, almost immediately, that someone's a good person.

We talk about red flags a lot, particularly when it comes to relationships.

If the majority of your friends don’t like someone. 

If a person refers to an ex partner as “crazy”. 

If they attempt to fast track the relationship, in a way that could be deemed clingy or possessive. 

Red flags are really important because they highlight subtle and sometimes imperceptible behaviours that someone likely isn’t good for you.

But we don’t spend an awful lot of time acknowledging the green flags – the tiny things we notice in other people that indicate they’re probably a bloody good person worth getting to know.

We discussed green flags on Mamamia Out Loud. Post continues below. 

We spoke to a bunch of women about the green flags to look out for when it comes to new people. Here’s what they came up with.

  1. They speak to waitstaff politely, or anyone in the service industry
  2. They love animals and are kind to them
  3. They speak about their parents with respect
  4. They actually… text you back
  5. They ask questions about you
  6. They remember details about you from previous conversations
  7. When you walk away from them, you feel good about yourself
  8. Your friends and family love them
  9. They ask how you are, and genuinely listen to the answer
  10. They’re passionate about something, and they pursue it
  11. They revise how they think about things based on new evidence and information, and are curious to have their opinions challenged
  12. They compliment other people behind their backs
  13. They listen to the person everyone else is talking over
  14. They ask questions, and are open enough to say when they don’t understand something
  15. They’re not constantly checking their phone
  16. They include people in group settings
  17. They respect your alone time
  18. They say thank you
  19. They ask if you’ve eaten
  20. They put their rubbish in the bin and clean up after themselves
  21. They get excited about the stuff you’re excited about
  22. They return what they borrow
  23. You’re actually yourself around them
  24. Your pet likes them. A lot
  25. You can disagree respectfully
  26. When they say they’re going to do something, they do it
  27. When they say the four magic words “leave it to me”

Of course, something like your pet warming to a new person isn’t enough evidence to confirm that someone is unequivocally ‘good’. It’s just a green flag, which might indicate they’re gentle or kind.

You know what else makes you a good person? Donating blood! Post continues below. 


When you notice multiple green flags in someone – perhaps the most important being how you feel when you walk away from them – then you might have just met someone, either as a friend or a partner, who’s very, very special.

What are some green flags you’ve noticed? Let us know in the comments below.

Feature image: Columbia Pictures.