What is Maturity?

What is Maturity? Different people see the meaning of maturity in different ways. People often think of maturity as being associated with a specific age. But in many cases, when a person has reached the age which is considered to be “mature”, he or she may not yet be mature mentally. Maturity is not defined by a specific age. The United States government, similar to that of other countries, has a set of specific ages in which people are considered “mature” enough to participate in activities such as drinking, driving, or being no longer sustained by parents. Because not all who are of these ages are mentally mature, accidents and various other issues have occurred. Maturity is the point at which one is capable of making rational decisions, having humility and taking full responsibility for one’s actions, having empathy, being docile, and being secure in one’s own skin. There are many attributes that one must possess to be considered mature. A person must be able to make decisions that are not influenced by his emotions. For example, when confronting a situation, he must be able to choose the solution that will be most beneficial to him and everyone involved, no matter how the person “feels”. A mature person must also be humble and take full responsibility for all of his actions. This means the person must not be so arrogant that he is unable to recognize and acknowledge when he makes a mistake. Another attribute a person must have to be considered mature is empathy. One must be able to put oneself in another’s shoes, understand the emotions that person may be experiencing, and treat him with compassion. A person must also be docile. He must be teachable, not be stubborn, seek wisdom, and not assume he is all-knowing (Elmore). The last attribute one must possess to be considered mature is being comfortable in one’s own skin. The person must be confident in who he is and not let this be swayed by anyone. Maturity is a growing process that is primarily

Cited: Elmore, Tim, Dr. "Artificial Maturity." Psychology Today. Sussex Publishers, 14 Nov. 2012. Web. 01 Apr. 2014. Steinberg, Laurence. "What the Brain Says about Maturity." The New York Times. The New York Times Company, 29 May 2012. Web. 1 Apr. 2014. Wilson, Laurence, MD. ""How to Mature and Grow up Faster"" The Center for Development, Inc., n.d. Web. 02 Apr. 2014.