15 Signs You're Emotionally Mature

15 Signs You’re Emotionally Mature

While emotional intelligence enables us to read and understand emotions, emotional maturity allows us to come up with appropriate responses. Both of these are important in creating healthy relationships and living a balanced life. Of course, people do grow and become more experienced; however, maturity isn’t necessarily tied to age - there are plenty of ‘mature young people’ and ‘plenty of immature adults.’ When it comes down to it, maturity is about knowing what to do, say, and how to act in certain situations. Mature people embody several traits that distinguish them from others and allow them to understand what is appropriate when they interact with the world. Let’s find out what some of these traits are!

Number 1 - Self-Awareness Maturity grows from awareness - being aware of yourself and your actions. Self-aware people can look at themselves through the eyes of an observer. They can assess a situation from an unbiased standpoint, and understand how to make rational decisions. As an emotionally mature person, you have a good understanding of your own personality. You know your strengths and weaknesses - as well as your limitations and potential.

Number 2 - Self-Control When you are self-aware, you’re in a better position to exercise self-control. Because you can identify when irrational or inappropriate thoughts or emotions start to form, you understand WHY you need to resist the temptation to act on them - and have an easier time doing so. You are capable of a greater amount of restraint when it comes to doing things that are detrimental to your well-being in the long run. Being able to recognize and understand self-destructive behaviors also helps in overcoming them.

Number 3 - Accountability Reaching a certain level of maturity means you are able to grasp the responsibility of being human. Mature people know and accept that everyone is accountable for their own choices and whatever impact they have on the world around them. Therefore, understanding the consequences of your actions creates a proactive mindset. You don’t believe that things ‘just happen to you’ and that you can’t do anything about it. Bad situations CAN change as long as you strive to go about making the changes yourself. Living passively is not an option for mature people. Being accountable for and aware of your actions means you can live a fulfilling and conscientious life.

Number 4 - Humility While mature people understand the importance of each decision they make, they remain humble and modest. They have a good understanding of how the world works and don’t place themselves above others - regardless of social status, wealth, power, or other factors. You don’t let personal success go to your head, and you do your best to uplift others whenever you can. Treating other people fairly and with basic respect is your responsibility as a fellow human being - and as a mature person, you understand this.

Number 5 - Self-Acceptance Maturity gives a person the ability to truly accept themselves. They know, understand, and accept their shortcomings - without undermining or overexaggerating them. Emotional maturity includes seeking personal growth and self improvement - while also taking into account who you are in the present and making peace with it. You know that you can only look to the future once you accept where you are now.

Number 6 - Gratitude Along with self-awareness and self-acceptance, maturity allows you to have a great sense of gratitude for all of the good things that exist in your life - and the world. You are thankful for being able to spend time with your loved ones, doing the things that make you happy, and the gift of existence in itself. Because you see the value in everything, you don’t take things for granted.

Number 7 - Compassion Because of their ability of being grateful, emotionally mature people are able to feel more empathy for others. They wish well for those around them and take great care in making sure their actions don’t negatively affect others. Understanding the interconnectedness of the world and all its beings, means that you can feel the pain of others - as if it was your own. This knowledge and experience drives you to want to help in any way you can - spreading love and positivity everywhere. You give wholeheartedly and genuinely - without wanting or needing recognition for the actions you believe everyone should be taking.

Number 8 - Being Other-Centered As an emotionally mature person, instead of always putting your own interests first, you promote unity and connection. You celebrate the successes of others and actively support movements that improve the welfare of everyone.

Number 9 - Open-Mindedness Since having knowledge and understanding helps break down mental barriers, mature people are often open-minded. Things aren’t always black and white - there’s always a grey area in every situation and maturity allows you to see it. You have an open mind when confronted with new ideas and opinions, and you don’t judge people whose lifestyles may differ from your own. You are also much better with accepting that you may be wrong sometimes. Maturity allows you to see the facts and put them into account, while also remembering that the world is full of possibilities and things that are still unknown.

Number 10 - A Sense Of Wonder Maturity opens a person’s eyes to the world - rediscovering the sense of awe and wonder they had as children. This simply means your worldview changes and expands. You can once again see the world for its beauty - finding the excitement in nature and your own existence. With emotional maturity, comes the curiosity to ponder over more profound questions about life.

Number 11 - Optimism Paired With Realism A mature individual is good at balancing optimism and reality - looking at life in a positive light while also realizing its hardships. Good things can’t happen all the time, but the key to living a fulfilling life is to maintain a positive mindset in every situation and look toward the future. Simply put, you look forward to all of the possibilities life presents, but you are prepared to face problems - should they arise.

Number 12 - Flexibility One way to stay positive is by remaining flexible - no matter the situation. You understand that life is about change - and sometimes you have to just go with the flow. Since staying rooted in one place prevents you from growing and improving, you’re open to change and willing to adapt to the unpredictability of life.

Number 13 - Resilience Resilience ties in closely with the flexibility and optimism that mature people practice. It helps them face and get through whatever obstacles come their way. No matter how bad things get, you’re able to keep your head up and keep looking for a solution. You don’t let things overwhelm you - because you know how to tap into and use the strength you’ve built up from previous challenges. Instead of dwelling on failures, you step up and take charge - solving whatever problem is stopping you, - and you get back on your path to success.

Number 14 - Patience Patience is another immensely helpful trait that a mature person possesses. You know that some things take time and don’t always come when you want them to. They require effort and patience. And this patience extends to other people, too. They might not always act as they should, but you have a huge capacity to forgive shortcomings. You don’t see much use in trying to control others - since one person’s thoughts, emotions, and experiences can wildly differ from another’s.

Number 15 - Honesty As an emotionally mature person, you don’t need to deceive others - you can be open about yourself. You don’t desire to hide behind a mask and don’t see the point in lying to others. It’s much easier to just be yourself. Mature people realize that honesty really is the best policy. It feels genuine and it feels right, being truthful to yourself and to others. So, how many of these traits can you identify with, and which do you need to work on? Let us know in the comments below!