7 Characteristics Of Mature People

The writer Stephen King is a master of horror, but also of black humor. When reading his famous phrase “ There are men who grow up or only come of age”, we probably come to mind names and faces of well-known people who do not have many characteristics of mature people.

Now, what do we mean by being a mature person? What are the behaviors that differentiate them from those that are not? Beyond related terms that do not express the same, such as seriousness or responsibility, it  is necessary that we investigate what it really means to be mature. 

According to the definitions of the RAE, this quality would have to do with a sensible or prudent judgment. In fact, it is not the only definition that the entity makes of this word: there is also another that refers to an individual who fully enjoys his abilities, but who did not reach old age. However, it is more useful to keep the first one. Let’s go deeper.

Characteristics of mature people

As we have seen, understanding exactly what maturity is is not easy. To better understand this quality, we are going to turn to a famous Nicaraguan communicator based in Mexico named Martha Debayle.

Debayle is a specialist in media and entrepreneurship, and a respected communicator in her country. For her, maturity can and should be applied to emotions and psychology.

In this sense, we can speak of emotional maturity when reality is accepted as it is. On the other hand, psychological maturity could also be distinguished when good judgment, prudence and autonomy are acquired. But, what characteristics of mature people can we find in those around us? How could we know if they have reached that moment where they have achieved a certain balance and stability? According to Debayle, these are some of the keys.

1- They do not lose control of emotions

This does not mean that they can control emotions, but that mature people have learned to live with them, to manage them, whether they are negative or positive, to modulate them. Be that as it may, they never avoid them. In fact, they stand up to them, accept them, internalize them as part of themselves and move on. The key is that they always do it without acting viscerally, or letting themselves be guided and act solely by them.

2- Responsibility

This is pretty obvious. Among the different characteristics of mature people, being responsible for one’s actions seems indispensable.

Thus, if we have reached a good level of balance, we will assume the consequences of what we do without blaming anyone for our mistakes.

3- Out with resentments

This is another basic aspect that we could link with the first of the characteristics of mature people that we have met. If we get carried away by emotions for a long time, anger could cloud our judgment completely.

In that case, resentments could make an appearance to stay. However, mature people are capable of forgiving, forgetting, and moving on with their lives.

4- Self-knowledge

Without a doubt, this can be one of the most basic and necessary features. A person who knows himself is fully aware of who he is. It recognizes its flaws and its weaknesses, but also its strengths and its full potential.

Recognizing a person who knows himself well is relatively straightforward. They tend to act safely, without trying to impose their point of view, without getting too angry, showing at all times a calm, consistent and respectful attitude.

5- He is not complacent

Mature people are not particularly concerned with looking good to everyone. In fact, they do not usually show a complacent attitude towards anyone. They know each other and act according to their personal satisfaction, this being their true motivation. Instead of pleasing others, they will go their own way, seeking to improve and grow in the selected direction.

6- They accept reality

This characteristic does not imply that reality cannot be changed in any way. However, a mature person accepts what happens around him and from that starting point, he can try to modify some aspects of himself, if possible, so that they contribute more. That is, a mature person  is realistic, but not conformist.

7- They can be alone

Any mature person knows how to be alone when it belongs. They are not afraid of loneliness, although this does not mean that they are lonely.

In general, although they value good company, they do not need to be with other people to feel good. If they are introverts, they have learned to socialize and if, on the contrary, they are extroverts, they have discovered how to stimulate themselves.

If you know a person with these characteristics, they are probably quite mature. The good news is that  we can all develop these attitudes and qualities. It is just a matter of getting down to work and starting to work on ourselves little by little. Prepared?