50 Signs of Maturity

Published 6 September 2014

1.     You don’t feel the need to constantly argue with everyone who has a different opinion to you.

2.     You value your relationships more than the need to always be right.

3.     You have control over your feelings so they don’t always dictate your actions.

4.     You can see the motivation of another person’s actions regardless of how they come across, and as such can recognise when they mean well.

5.     You don’t blame others for the things you don’t like in your life.

6.     You are comfortable not having all the answers, and can admit when you don’t know something.

7.     You have found a way to let go of past failures, missed opportunities or hurts, and don’t bring them up in conversation at every available opportunity.

8.     You accept that the things you want in life are things you will need to work for.

9.     You can say no to another’s unreasonable demands without feeling guilty.

10. You do the right thing, even when no one’s looking or has asked you too.

11. You don’t turn little things into a big drama, but value peace more than a scene.

12. You don’t pit people against each other but promote unity instead.

13. You don’t use Facebook or other social media sites to air dirty laundry or to create drama for attention.

14. You don’t use Facebook or other social media sites to criticise, hurt or gang up against another.

15. You are not emotionally promiscuous – you know who to trust with your inner most feelings, and that there is a time and a place to air them.

16.  You can admit to your mistakes and accept the consequences without the need to lie about what happened.

17.  You are willing to learn new skills to become a better person.

18.  You contribute to society in a meaningful way and without resentment, and realise that people are only entitled to the things they work hard for.

19.  You can listen and be open to other views without necessarily risking your own beliefs.

20.  You don’t crumble as soon as things go wrong, but can take a deep breath, assess the situation and make plans to overcome it.

21.  You don’t expect others to fix everything for you.

22.  You can ask for help when you need it without feeling stupid.

23.  You can truly listen to others and draw them out instead of thinking they’re just there for you.

24. You don’t take yourself too seriously and can laugh at yourself.

25.  You understand that you don’t have to continue in a bad mood, but that you can choose happiness daily.

26.  You take your health and education more seriously than popularity and aren’t embarrassed by putting on sunscreen or having a night in to study.

27.  You have fewer friends but better ones.

28.  You’re not as concerned about what others think of you.

29.  When others treat you poorly, you realise it’s their issue and not worth letting it steal your happiness.

30.  You realise that forgiveness is a strength, and you can forgive both others and yourself.

31. Instead of complaining about something, you find ways to improve the situation.

32. You are able to celebrate the successes of others without getting jealous or critical, and nor do you hold people back because you don’t want them to be better than you.

33.  You can keep long-term commitments, even when it gets hard or boring.

34. You do something you don’t want to do just to help another person out.

35. You can be humble about the great things you do, give credit to the people who helped and supported you, and refuse vanity.

36. You are conscious of showing appreciation to those in your life.

37. You don’t let your moods impact negatively on others.

38. You don’t feel the need to put someone down in order to feel good about yourself.

39. You can take advice from others and respect their knowledge and wisdom.

40. You respect the interests, property, rules and values of others and know that just because something may be meaningless to you doesn’t mean it is to them.

41. You don’t always take the things people do around you personally, and aren’t easily offended even when it is about you.

42. You can say sorry when you’ve hurt someone or let them down.

43.  You can recognise when you’re behaving badly and correct it.

44.  You can be honest even when it may get you in trouble.

45.  You recognise there is a great joy to be had in serving others rather than in living solely for oneself, and that the golden rule of treating others as you want to be treated truly is the golden rule.

46.  You know that to help others, you need to take care of yourself too and make sure your life stays in balance, and you do this without feeling guilty.

47. You know that while you can help others, you’re not responsible for anyone’s happiness but your own.

48. You have integrity – your behaviour reflects your values and you are trustworthy and consistent.

49.  You stand up for those who cannot stand up for themselves or who need support.

50.  You realise that you can do whatever you’re passionate about, regardless of the people who may have told you that you couldn’t.