Maturity and independence seem to be a difficult subject to broach for the youth of today. There are so many hindrances, both physical and immaterial, that slow down the intellectual progress of those coming of age. Maturing doesn’t have to be an impossible task. Here are some ways to practice and achieve maturity:
Make Practical Choices
When you start earning your own money, you tend to feel powerful and make poor choices about where to spend it. You might buy expensive appliances and electronic gadgets because you think that you deserve them. You reason with yourself that you’ve had enough of living an ordinary life, and now it’s time to make big purchases. Just remember that being practical doesn’t mean small or cheap. You can invest in a sprinter van for sale in Salt Lake City if you need to ferry large groups of people or want to moonlight as an Uber driver.
Put Others Before Yourself
One of immaturity’s most obvious qualities is that of selfishness and self-obsession. Mature people, on the other hand, help and heal others. They reach out to the brokenhearted and the disenfranchised. They give cheerfully and have no qualms about spending a few minutes of their time to listen to others. However, this doesn’t mean that you completely ignore yourself. That’s far from the meaning of generosity and selflessness. A mature, caring, and understanding person is capable of stepping out of their bubble of fear and cynicism. They can see the goodness in others without wearing the proverbial rose-colored glasses. They are kind as well as practical.
Invest, Not Gamble
There’s a massive difference between risking money and time for a greater cause and just throwing your earnings into what you hope will be a successful gamble. Investments are carefully thought out with the help of consultants and experts and developed through years of experience. Choosing your job or life partner or having children are big investments. Choosing against them is also part of maturity if you know you aren’t going to be happy in living with a certain person or raising kids.
Practice Gratitude
A mature person sees the meaning in every person’s actions. They understand intent without being clouded by bias, judgment, and excess of emotion. This allows them to be grateful for past favors done for them. They recognize the helpfulness of people, and they acknowledge it as often as they can. When you thank others for their help, you show that you are thoughtful and mindful of their energy and time and that they can trust you to help in your own way when they need it. Be thankful for the smallest and simplest of favors, such as the janitor cleaning up after your staff meeting, or even the security guard who greets you every day.
Growing up and becoming mature are part of a good life. Whether you find this out when you’re twenty or fifty is your own journey. Work on improving yourself slowly and remember to try and become better in small aspects before meeting greater challenges.