No, being grown-up doesn’t simply involve your age. Being mature is actually more about how you handle life when nobody’s watching, and whether you’re someone who keeps their stuff together or someone who wings it every day. The difference between the two is easy to see in small habits.
Here are ten things that, if you do, you’re probably more mature than most adults around you. Which one do you already do without thinking about it?
You apologize before you’re proven wrong
Mature people refuse to wait to be proven wrong. Rather than stalling until the other person pulls out evidence or tells them they’re wrong, they simply say they’re sorry & mean it.
They know it’s better to sort things out early. Other people defend themselves or go quiet, but mature people would rather admit their wrongdoings so they can move on. It keeps everyone feeling comfortable.
You ask clarifying questions instead of reacting fast
Assuming what people mean? That never happens with a mature person. They’ll check whenever a text sounds rude or someone’s tone changes, instead of building a whole story in their head.
It’s a lot better this way. Asking for clarification avoids a lot of potential stress & it makes their relationships far more understanding.
You don’t keep score in friendships
You’ll never find a mature person counting favors or texts. They won’t even think about who treated whom last.
When they like someone, they keep showing up, and they avoid turning friendships into math problems like other people. They know that connection isn’t supposed to be perfectly balanced anyway. They’ll get their turn.
You update your beliefs with better information
Are you someone who doesn’t care about being right? That’s a good sign that you’re mature. Whenever someone provides evidence that makes more sense than your opinion, you’re happy to change your mind.
You’d rather know the right information than continue to protect your point of view, and you recognize that there are some things you’ll never know. And that’s okay.
You can talk about your past without trying to rewrite it
You can always count on a mature person to tell old stories exactly as they happened. They don’t adjust the facts to make themselves sound better or to make someone else seem worse.
They simply tell it like it was. Their focus on being honest makes them far more grown-up than those who insist on always being painted in a good light.
You can disagree & still stay connected
Just because you’re mature doesn’t mean you don’t argue. The difference with mature people is that they’re fine to completely disagree with someone, without ending the friendship. They’ll shrug & maybe laugh it off.
The truth is, they don’t need everyone to see life their way because they recognize that there’s room for different opinions in their world. It says a lot about how adult they feel on the inside.
You can admit when you’re emotionally tired
Emotionally immature people fake their energy & sometimes overexplain when they feel tired. But not mature adults. No, they’ll tell other people that they’re “just tired tonight” and that’s it.
There’s no need for any guilt or apologies. Why? Because they recognize what burnout feels like & they refuse to let it flatten them, so they’ll be honest about their energy levels. It’s a normal part of how they connect.
You don’t expect closure from people who hurt you
Tidy endings don’t always come. Mature people know that. They understand that some people never explain & never apologize, and that’s that.
Real adults will process their feelings themselves and perhaps talk it through with someone else. They let the story stay behind them. It’s a kind of maturity that most people don’t express until much later, if they ever do.
You can be happy for others even when your own life feels stuck
Yes, it sometimes hurts seeing someone getting a raise or buying a place. However, mature people feel genuinely glad for others, rather than comparing themselves or feeling jealous about it. There’s no resentment.
Mature people recognize that someone else’s win doesn’t take anything from them. In fact, they’re happy to see people in their world doing well, and they have space in their heart for happiness where envy used to be.
You can say “I don’t know” without shame
Mature people don’t pretend to have answers. It doesn’t matter whether they’re at work or at home, they’ll say “I don’t know” without making up a cover story or deflecting. They’re curious about the answer.
Mature people understand that being honest about their lack of knowledge saves them from awkward explanations later. And really? People trust them more because of it.
Sources: Please see here for a complete listing of all sources that were consulted in the preparation of this article.
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