Image by: alex yosifov
By Alvin Martin

The other night I went out with some old friends from college and while we all had a good time, I couldn’t help but notice that a few of them still haven’t moved on from the mentality we all had back in those days. My one friend Mike got so wasted that another buddy and I drove him home almost an hour away. It wasn’t a big deal, but that is all it took for me to realize how glad I am that those days are behind me.

For some guys though, old habits die hard. And in order to develop the kind of emotional maturity necessary to take your life to the places you want it to go, you’re going to have to work extremely hard at it. You can still have fun and indulge in the activities that give you pleasure, but you can’t let them control you guys.

According to studies, men remain emotionally stunted until age 43, which is like 11 years late after women. But how does one measure emotional maturity? What does an emotionally mature man look like?

Emotional Maturity as a Practice of Life

In “13 Signs Of An Emotionally Mature Man,” Vishnu Subramaniam points out the importance of being open to growth. The willingness to change our old, unhealthy patterns leads to a more fulfilling life. Sometimes, we care so much about our “macho” image that we fear showing our emotions because it would make us look weak and effeminate.

I got news for you guys, strength requires vulnerability.

“Getting it all together” doesn’t mean that you have to be cold and insensitive at all times. Take it from Frederick Callison, a 52-year old homeless man from Sacramento who refused to beg for money despite his current difficult situation. Instead, he chose to be nobody’s victim and didn’t blame others just because of where he is at in life.

It comes down to taking responsibility for all of your actions and being able to honestly confront yourself and actively begin to change the parts of your life that DON’T DO ANYTHING for you.

This is especially important when it comes to your health as well.

I came across this article on Food Matters titled “Should You Activate Your Nuts and Seeds?” which would guide you on your path to wellness.

Choosing healthy foods is a good start, but it doesn’t end there, especially with nuts and seeds. In order for our body to be able to extract the maximum goodness from nuts and seeds and get the full nutritional potential when we eat them, we have to do something extra. Yes, gentlemen, we have to activate our own nuts.

This article provides us an alternative to the high price of health food stores and gives us a complete procedure on how we can activate our nuts and seeds at home quick and easy.

Also, speaking of vibrant health and natural living, it won’t hurt to check Kashmira Gander’s section discussing how a vegan diet can cut the risk of prostate cancer by 35%. Just so you know, guys, this type of cancer is one of the most common among men. So, we have to be really cautious with what we are putting in our body.

You just have to know your limits and what’s good for you. If you really want to become a better man, then you should stop making poor choices that are designed to deplete you emotionally, spiritually and physically.

Emotional Maturity as a Crucial Ingredient for a Long-Lasting & Happy Relationship

Remember that an emotionally mature man has purpose in life greater than himself. He wants his relationships to last, he is always prepared to make sacrifices and he is always ready to do whatever it takes to make things work. “Why Modern Relationships Are Falling Apart So Easily Today” by Ankush Bahuguna clearly describes the feelings down inside an emotionally immature man. After reading this, you should be able to tell the difference between thinking like a man and acting like a boy.

Truth is excitement fades in relationships because we always look for instant gratification, we don’t have enough patience when things become a little inconvenient for us and we believe that maturity in a relationship should develop over the years when in fact, maturity is a prerequisite to serious and loving relationships.

Struggling with maturation is a serious issue. Our overall success in life depends on it. Emotional maturity is more than just the ability to handle our emotions. It is also about being capable of delaying gratification, being receptive to criticisms, thinking of yourself less and realizing that you don’t know it all.

It is all about making the best choices to create the life we desire. Now tell me gentlemen, is it really that hard to make the best possible choice for yourself? NO!  Because you’re a man on the path to emotional maturity.