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At what point is enough, enough and we make that decision to cross over into adulthood?  Not just adulthood , but absolute maturity.  The point where we leave all our insecurities behind, shed all our inhibitions and just start to coast through life.  It’s a point where I see the individual coming to terms with who they are and where they are going.  These individuals no longer feel the need to compete, compare or attempt to make themselves feel superior.  They have found acceptance and a place of peace and contentment.  But how much of this is truly maturity or is it something else altogether ?

As I interact with different people on a daily basis, I often wonder do we even truly realize what real maturity means, can it be achieved and whether it’s truly sustainable?   Is it a relative concept; sort of like success, where it means different things to different people ?   Or is it more concrete and a well defined set of milestones that are eventually met?

Neuroscientists say that there is no set time when the brain actually matures into adulthood, as different regions mature along different timetables for each individual.  With this being said, how do we know when we recognize a mature individual?  What are the characteristics that are exhibited in a true mature individual?

I tend to believe it comes from nothing less than experience and our willingness to accept the consequences for our actions, learn and grow from them.  With each challenge we face, there is always a lesson to be learned.  The characteristics I have started to look for in people is non-judgement, optimistic realism and confidence.  In the past year, I feel as if I have matured by leaps and bounds.  The funny thing is, I always felt like I was more mature than most but I now realize, I had a lot of growth ahead of me.

I would love to hear what you feel really demonstrates maturity.  Leave your comments below or join me tonight at 7PM CST via twitter using #LetsTalkProse and sound off about your growth experiences.

Until next time, remember We all create the person we become by our choices as we go through life. In a real sense, by the time we are adults, we are the sum total of the choices we have made.– Eleanor Roosevelt

Mara Prose