You’re probably familiar with the old adage “with age comes wisdom,” but that’s not always true. Maturity and wisdom are curated through habitual practices centered on humility, ethics, and grace. Male or female, young or old, these 15 habits reveal genuine wisdom and maturity in a person.
1. Prioritizing rest
Our culture worships the go-getter, the one who won’t quit. But this perseverance is often tainted with an unhealthy work-life balance or an unhealthy relationship with perfection. Mature people understand the importance of prioritizing rest. They recognize that it’s wise to take time to decompress, reflect, and regroup when life becomes too much. As Forbes explains, it’s impossible to achieve homeostasis without it.
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2. Knowing when to stay quiet
It’s natural to feel outraged when someone is rude, mean, and overbearing. When our boundaries are willingly, maliciously crossed, it’s easy, even understandable, for tempers to flare. However, mature people know when to zip their lips. Their self-control has been put into practice over and over, so they recognize when their anger, righteous or not, shouldn’t have control of their tongue.
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3. Knowing when to speak
Just as mature people know when to stay quiet, they recognize when to speak, and they’re always sure to share their opinions or thoughts with grace and wisdom. It’s not always easy to speak up, especially if someone cringes at the thought of tension or conflict, but wise people know when to shed their comforts and speak up for what’s right.
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4. Removing toxic relationships
Wise people recognize the destruction of hanging onto toxic relationships. Sometimes, it looks like setting very tight boundaries with siblings and parents. It might also mean cutting off a childhood friend or romantic partner. Nonetheless, they do so with honesty and integrity, knowing that their intent isn’t to start drama but to keep the drama out of their life. They are willing to walk through the temporary awkwardness, tension, and even heartache if it ensures that they are mentally and emotionally healthier in the long run.
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5. Honoring a healthy diet and exercise
This doesn’t mean that every wise person is a hyper-active vegan or gym junkie, but wise, mature people value their bodies. They prioritize drinking water, eating plenty of fruits and veggies, avoiding too many processed foods, and getting outside for fresh air and sunshine. Mature people want to live long enough to pass on their wisdom, and the kinder you are to your body, the kinder it is to you.
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6. Staying grateful in the hard times
Mature people have a way of remaining grateful when life gets tough. That doesn’t mean they aren’t sad, confused, frustrated, angry, etc., but they recognize that thankfulness shifts their perspective. It offers hope that readily combats heavy, even depressive feelings. Perhaps they keep a gratefulness journal, share one thing they’re grateful for on social media each day, or simply take a deep breath and start counting all their blessings when things feel unbearable.
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7. Maintaining a healthy work ethic
Mature people maintain a healthy work ethic. They value their coworkers by showing up a few minutes before the meeting, bringing questions and thoughts that showcase their investment, and honoring collaborative efforts. Wise people carry this same responsibility at home, offering to take on a chore their partner typically handles when they’ve had a hard day. They maintain this hard work ethic whether investing in a hobby, tending a garden, or even showing up for a relationship on the rocks.
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8. Remaining loyal to friends and family
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Mature people recognize that relationships take work. They’re not a one-way street. This means they send encouraging texts, show up for the big days, and are also open and honest in their communication. Now, wise people don’t stay in abusive, manipulative relationships, but they’re willing to not only maintain solid relationships but work through the ones that are going through a rough patch but are worth the effort.
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9. Being honest
Let’s be honest (no pun intended), it’s hard to be totally frank all the time. We often believe white lies can usually save us unnecessary drama, while outright lies might save us our job, our marriage, our everything. But have we really saved an authentic situation that’s founded on lies? Wise people know the answer to this question, and they allow honesty to take the lead—no matter what the consequences may be. Per Verywell Mind, honesty is what allows us to form deep, genuine bonds with people, and it builds trust, as well.
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10. Listening to those with experience
Wise people understand that they aren’t always the smartest person in the room. They value those who have gone before them and want to glean their wisdom. This might look like a young couple eating dinner once a week with a couple who has been married for fifty years. It could be a young entrepreneur asking to shadow his boss for a day. Maturity means listening to those with experience.
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11. Admitting fault
Wise people admit when they are unwise. They value the growth that comes from confessing faults and learning better, healthier ways to move forward. This level of maturity means being willing to swallow one’s pride and fess up when things go wrong. (This ability to admit fault also showcases how honest and trustworthy someone is.)
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12. Trying new things
Wise people can only become wise by being willing to admit that they don’t always know what they’re doing. With that in mind, mature people are willing to try new things; they are brave enough to step outside their wheelhouse. They’re unafraid to look like they don’t know what they’re doing because they value the insight they gain in discovering something new.
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13. Seeking therapy/counseling when needed
Mature people understand when it’s time to seek therapy or counseling. Perhaps they need a third-party perspective on family drama. Maybe they’ve discovered that childhood trauma is starting to impact how they parent. Going to therapy has had a stigma for decades, but mature, wise people don’t allow the stigma to stop them from doing the healthy thing.
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14. Letting others be human
Wise people don’t expect humans to be anything more than imperfect beings. Of course, this doesn’t mean they allow people to use them. Wise people certainly aren’t doormats. However, they are willing to extend the same mercy and grace they desire from others.
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15. Always looking to grow
Mature people are always looking to grow. That might look like taking a financial class to be more strategic with their savings or signing up for a fitness class to strengthen their core. Wise people are eager to grow and play an active role in pursuing opportunities to better themselves.
