10 signs you’re actually more mature than you think you are

Maturity keeps us level-headed yet proactive in navigating life.

It allows us to overcome struggles coming our way or manage relationships with others, greatly improving our quality of life.

When we talk about maturity, most, if not all, of us can immediately think of a person or two close to us – these people are usually great listeners and reliable constants in our lives, as they often tell us the words we need to hear.

Many people often associate maturity with age.

Age may be one of its vital factors, but going through various experiences, learning from them, and changing for the better are the things that develop your maturity and broad outlook.

And sometimes, we forget to look within ourselves and realize how far we’ve gone. You may be more mature than you think you are if:

1. You Start Adjusting to Tough Situations Better

When you become more mature, you realize that things aren’t always as bad as it seems and that every problem has a solution.

This gives you the calmness to accept the things you can’t change and adjust or make do with the current situation.

Mature people try hard to be sensible, allowing them to take control of their lives and be more at peace with its tides.

Sometimes, we get too caught up in the past until anxiety and intrusive thoughts creep in and get the best of us.

This robs us of the chance to live in the moment, learn from the situation, and grow.

When we lack the maturity to deal with difficult situations, we tend to act from raw emotions, which usually does more harm than good.

I know this is easier said than done, and this doesn’t mean you should remain calm at all times, either.

A mature person tries hard to process their thoughts and emotions according to the situation.

2. You’ve Developed a Healthier Relationship with Yourself

A mature person actively tries to leave toxic behaviors and attitudes behind to prioritize their well-being.

They work hard to unlearn habits that stunt their growth and hurt themselves in the process.

Being mature doesn’t mean being calm and collected all the time – it means you can recognize your feelings and allow yourself to be vulnerable.

We’re often our toughest critics – we tend to get fixated on reaching the destination while dismissing our hard work throughout the journey.

A mature person chooses to be kind to themselves and give themselves a pat on the back.

I used to punish myself also over the things that didn’t go right, but I realized this wasn’t healthy for me.

It doesn’t really change the situation, nor does it help me deal with other actual challenges in front of me.

3. You Keep an Open Mind and Don’t Judge Others

A mature person often has a broad perspective in life, so they always try to keep an open mind.

Experiences and meetings with others of varying cultures and walks of life make you realize that some people live differently than you.

You take in these stories with a sense of openness, and the last thing you’ll want is to react to situations you don’t really know about

Being mature doesn’t mean you’re a know-it-all who’s better than everyone, speaking over others or imposing on others what you know.

What others appreciate in mature people is their knowing when to listen and speak and saying appropriate things to say.

Mature people don’t usually judge or humiliate others, especially on things they don’t know much about.

4. You Think Carefully Before You Act

Some signs of maturity are trying not to be impulsive and thinking your actions through before doing them.

Mature people are responsible for their words and actions because they know they have consequences.

And doing something you haven’t thought through may cause unfortunate situations you may regret.

You may also hurt other people even if you don’t really mean it, and these are the words you can no longer take back.

Maturity allows you to be honest without being tactless and not allow your temper to get the best of you.

It’s also more important for you to give and earn respect than simply proving your point.

You can also weigh the positive and negative outcomes of your reactions better by thinking about it many times over before.

I used to get angry way too easily when having disagreements with people, but I realized that got in the way of us understanding each other’s points.

I learned that you resolve many misunderstandings with others if you try your best to stay calm.

5. You Verbalize Your Thoughts and Emotions Maturely

Maturity allows you to keep calm and collected.

You tend to think things through before speaking or acting on anything.

But this doesn’t mean you should always put on a facade or keep a strong face to repress your thoughts and emotions.

Being mature is learning to process these turbulent feelings, so you won’t do reckless things or say words in a burst of emotions.

Mature people try hard to use their words to communicate how they feel and establish healthy boundaries.

I know it can be difficult to tell others how you feel and what you want, especially when you’re not used to it.

That’s why you should work hard and practice communicating with other people your thoughts.

You may not know it yet, but this saves you time, effort, and emotional toll.

6. You Become Self-Aware of Your Issues and Take Steps to Address Them

Some people are often deemed immature because they usually fail to think about the consequences and gravity of their actions.

They usually get defensive or reactive about situations and tend to be selfish.

This leads to them having difficulties navigating adulthood and gaining meaningful relationships.

Anyone can still display this behavior once in a while because everyone is a work in progress – even the most mature people you know would relate.

Being mature doesn’t mean you never make mistakes.

It only means you’re self-aware of your bad habits and taking active steps to address them properly.

So don’t feel bad if you relate to some of the patterns mentioned above.

You may be more mature than you think because you’ve started recognizing them.

7. You Work Hard for the Things You Want

Maturity can make you more responsible — that’s why mature people sometimes feel satisfied when getting things done, whether it’s doing the laundry or finishing a task at work.

They tend to work hard for the things they want, putting their soul into their careers.

They always do their best to achieve stellar results and value their job, as they know it’ll bring helpful growth and experience in their career.

Mature people also know when to rest and give themselves a break. This is because they know that recharging is also important in working hard.

They also barely procrastinate because they prefer getting things done first. I used to dread doing hard tasks at work, choosing to do other unimportant things first.

While procrastinating isn’t entirely a bad thing, I realized this won’t be healthy for me if it turns into a habit.

8. You Walk the Talk

As mature people tend to be more responsible for their words and actions, you can expect them to try living with integrity as much as possible.

Maturity allows people to learn by realizing the consequences of impulsiveness.

Because of this, a mature person always strives to put actions into their words. They also try to live by the morals learned from their experience and even those of others.

That’s why you won’t expect mature people to hurt or trample on others intentionally.

They love achieving things through learning and hard work, so they usually won’t resort to cheating, lying, or stealing for the sake of superficial gains.

Needless to say, they’re also some of the most honest and loyal people you know.

So if you relate with these types of people, you might be more mature than you give yourself credit for.

9. You Know When to Listen and Speak

Another important trait of a mature person is learning when to listen and speak.

Maturity teaches you that we come from different walks of life and have different stories to tell, giving you a broader perspective on life.

It’s different from believing you already know everything and speaking over others without listening to them first.

Being mature also isn’t always about saying what you want to say but speaking when words are needed.

Mature people know when to say something and are usually careful with their words.

This is because they know that everything they say can affect other people.

Knowing when to listen and speak allows you to build meaningful relationships that become your strong support system in life.

You gain a deeper connection and learn to empathize with others.

10. You Learn from Your Mistakes

An important sign of maturity is learning from mistakes.

A mature person knows how to take full responsibility for their actions, be accountable, and learn to become a better individual.

You won’t expect them to evade serious conversations or dismiss the consequences of the things they do.

Mature people don’t usually blame others for the things they did wrong or deny their mistakes only to save face.

What’s worse, they don’t attack others when someone who cares about them calls them out for their bad behavior.

So if you know how to genuinely apologize to those you’ve hurt and become more mindful of your words or actions, then you might be more mature than you think you are.