How is emotional maturity developed? Are there ways to measure emotional maturity?

It isn’t the easiest task, considering the number of things that are out of our hands completely. However, there are still things within our control which we can tackle and improve.

Emotional maturity can be defined as being able to manage, express your emotions adequately and regulate your emotions in a healthy way.

This can help when it comes to developing a sense of dependence on self-reliance and forming a level of freeness from feelings of inferiority and competitiveness. Below are some strategies that may help you develop ways to grow emotionally.

1. Allow yourself to feel your emotions

An important part of growing emotionally is allowing yourself to feel those emotions you don’t like, which usually are negative emotions. I’d like you to know that some negative emotions are healthy as well. Those can be feelings of sadness, anger, grief, disappointment, and loneliness. Acknowledging our negative emotions and allowing ourselves to sit with those feelings is very important to live healthily.

2. Understand why you’re feeling this way

A way of dealing with situations that trigger negative emotions in you is to understand the why:

What is underlying these emotions of sadness? What could be contributing to this feeling?

Did something specific happen that altered my mood? What is it exactly?

Have I been in this situation before? Is there something I can do to avoid being in a triggering situation that I’m not doing? Or is there something I need to understand about this triggering situation?

3. Be aware of what you want in life

Knowing where you’re going or working towards is essential when you strive towards emotional growth. It is often hard to realize your own meaning for life, but this can come from everyday life experiences like having a meaningful conversation about values with a friend or trying to rearrange your priorities. Don’t put so much pressure on yourself to find something grand. Just think about questions such as:

What am I good at? What do I enjoy doing?

What is the one thing I would want to do every day even if I am not getting paid?

What do my friends come to me for? How do I add value to my surrounding?

 and you’ll understand yourself and your feeling better. 

4. Communicate assertively 

Assertive communication is being able to talk to people in a way that respects their opinions and rights, while also standing your ground on your beliefs, needs, and personal boundaries. 

Emotional growth is understanding you deserve space too, your emotions and needs are as valid as anyone else’s, and communicating these aspects are fundamental to growing as a person.

5. Prioritize your self-care routine

It seems like a trivial thing to say but: take care of yourself.

Be kind to yourself and try to practice self-care, whether it’s taking some earned time off or. Taking care of yourself will give you the space you need to recalibrate, reassess your goals, identify what is important to you, make necessary changes, feel more empowered and become more emotionally independent. 

6. Know that you’re doing your best with the circumstances you’re in!

Life can be tough. Things sometimes don’t work the way you want them to. And that’s okay, as long as you’re making the best out of the situation. Not everything is within your control, and that’s okay too.

When is emotional maturity achieved?

The nice thing about the concept of emotional growth is that we are human and there is always room to grow. Some days you won’t be able to achieve emotional intelligence, and that’s fine too as long as you’re aware of it and take note of how to make the changes you need for emotional fulfillment.