Life can be a bumpy ride, can’t it? But through those ups and downs, you collect experiences that not only change you but contribute to your personal development. We’re going to focus on how these experiences help you gain wisdom and maturity. Read on to see if you’ve faced any of the following.
1. Failures
Failing is not only a natural part of life, it’s a necessary part. We’ve all had our fair share of mess-ups—no, they’re never fun, but they’re wonderful teachers. You get to learn so much about how adaptable and resilient you are and use those lessons to improve in the future. You haven’t truly experienced life until you’ve failed.
2. Heartbreak
Nothing knocks you back like having your heart broken does. The worst part? It usually happens more than once and, well, they’re pretty devastating. But there is a bright side to dealing with heartbreak, and that is that it prepares you for the real world according to Psych Central. You learn that nothing is set in stone which changes your approach—one full of wisdom and maturity.
3. Living alone
There’s no experience quite like being independent and living alone. Not only is it fun, but it teaches you a lot—you learn more about yourself, how to take care of yourself, and what true freedom feels like. All of those things (plus the inevitable changes that come up) contribute to your growth, especially in the maturity and wisdom departments.
4. Health issues
Whether they’re your own or someone you’re close with, health issues can be a huge reality check. It makes you think about the preciousness of life and how you take care of yourself (or don’t take care of yourself). While these are difficult experiences to get through, the silver lining is that they reward you with more wisdom and maturity.
5. Changes in your career
People change jobs and industries more often nowadays—whether it was your decision or something like being fired or a lay-off, these changes teach you so much. Maybe you learn to create a healthier work-life balance, or maybe you find your true passion, whatever lessons you take from these experiences are chock full of wisdom.
6. Coping with general changes
One of the things about life is that change in every facet of it is inevitable. Learning how to be adaptable through it all is a huge sign of maturity and wisdom. Being able to embrace new experiences with openness and curiosity rather than with fear or resistance is another wisdom-gaining side effect of going through changes.
7. Traveling
One of the most rewarding, eye-opening experiences you can have is traveling to different places. Immersing yourself in another country’s culture is exciting, interesting, and, at times, shocking. Being able to witness how other people live is like a crash course in maturing.
8. Taking risks
Sure, taking risks isn’t the smoothest of experiences but it does elevate you when it comes to wisdom and maturity. When you put yourself out of your comfort zone, you open yourself up to so many different types of learning experiences (good and bad) and lots of personal growth.
9. Moving
This is probably one of the most stressful experiences to go through. Moves (especially big ones, like cross-country) provide you with a unique opportunity to take stock of your life. It’s like hitting the reset button on your life and identity—you clean out the stuff you don’t need, replace it with new things, and figure out how you fit into the new culture that surrounds you. It’s a great lesson in growth.
10. Parenting
Taking care of another human (or humans) is a big job—one that, while difficult, rewards you with a ton of maturity and wisdom. Think about it, another person is looking up to you and your job is to make sure they not only survive but flourish. That’s a huge responsibility but it’s also so worth it for everything you gain.
11. Loss
They say that grief is a teacher. That’s because with that intense sadness comes a lot of lessons. Lessons about life, love, loss, and appreciating what you have. The truth is that loss changes you (here’s how according to Psychology Today) and it makes you see the world from an entirely different perspective.
12. Letting go
Whether you’re letting go of a toxic relationship or certain expectations this is a game-changer when it comes to personal growth. When we’re young, it’s so easy to cling onto things (that we aren’t aware aren’t good for us yet) for dear life. But a part of gaining wisdom and getting more mature is realizing that letting go frees up space for way better things.
13. Dealing with money challenges
Money is a pretty touchy subject, but it certainly makes you grow up and see things from a more mature perspective. When you’ve had to worry about finances, it teaches you a lot about accountability, budgeting, resourcefulness, and the importance of spending and saving responsibly.
14. Taking responsibility
Nothing says maturity and wisdom like taking responsibility (positive or negative) for your own actions. As kids, we feel embarrassed about owning up to our mistakes and admitting when we’re wrong—we see it as a weakness. But as we grow and learn that it’s not so scary to take ownership, it becomes a strength.
15. Wins
When you experience success, you learn not only about how to celebrate yourself but also about your strengths and how adaptable you are. Wins are also a wonderful lesson when it comes to being humble—we learn how to stay mature and grounded even when we’re riding a high.
