One of the signs that show that someone is mature is by being able to control their emotions. That is managing their emotions, and not allowing the emotions to manage them. This is not a function of age. A lot of people think that you show strength through influence, power, or even wealth, but they tend to forget that you can actually show the real strength through self-control, being able to stay calm even in the midst of turbulence, so as to think clearly and then respond wisely. In the presence of provocation for example, you will understand that true strength lies in pausing to think before responding, than reacting out of anger. Learn to control your emotions.
Everyday you live, even in your interactions and relationships with people, you will be presented with opportunities that will test your emotional stability. For example, you might board a bus and the conductor might insult you, or your colleague at your work place might take all the credit for a work that was collectively done by both of you, or a loved one might act in a disappointing way, etc. In these moments, you will discover that it requires emotional control and maturity to be able to stay calm without bursting out from within. Instead of "giving them a piece of your mind," you can choose to stay calm and choose another way to respond. Just to let you know; being emotionally mature does not mean that you suppress your emotions, rather it means that you have found an appropriate way to express them. Like; knowing when and how to speak, knowing what to do, all these without allowing anger, frustration, or pride to take the lead.
Being emotionally mature also means that you have recognised that your feelings are temporary, but the consequences of the actions that you take out of your uncontrolled feelings will stick around for a very long while. A friend of mine who broke up with his girlfriend shared with me what he passed through before the breakup. The girlfriend, though very beautiful, and had what a lot of guys would want in a girl, but with a catastrophic anger issue. She would boil at the face of slight provocation. In fact, you would not want to see her angry. At certain time, she got angry and broke the new TV that he bought. At the other time, it was the windscreen of his car, and it was even based on some wrong assumptions of what did not happen. When he could not bear it, he broke up. Lack of emotional maturity costed her her relationship.
Before you react or respond, whether through speech or actions, try to take a few moments to think about the potential effects and consequences of your response. Sometimes, it may not even be worth it in the first place. In addition to pausing to think, you also need to have empathy. One of the proofs of emotional maturity is empathy. When you put yourself in someone else's shoes, or when you see things from their perspective, it will be easier to for you to respond to them from a place of understanding and not of anger. You will become less angry at people when you realise that they also have their own struggles, flaws, and weaknesses. It makes you to follow them on the basis of humanity, and not with anger or provocation.
Emotional maturity helps you to build respect and credibility. The truth is that people will trust you more when they know that you can maintain your composure even in the midst of pressure. Even at your place of work, as a leader, being able to manage your emotions makes you a pillar of stability. This is because you can create a peaceful atmosphere and can inspire confidence in others. You may not be able to prevent pressure, but you can choose to either allow yourself to be cracked by the pressure, or if you will manage it well.
In order to build emotional maturity, you have to first be aware of yourself. Know who you are. Discover what normal triggers you emotionally - what easily makes you angry, what makes you sad, and what gets you anxious. When you have discovered all these, you will prepare your mind to respond to things consciously and with empathy. In addition to being aware of yourself, you also need to be aware of the emotions of others. This is what you need to be able to interact with people and relate with them effectively. Your emotional maturity is not a function of how loud your reactions are, but how graceful your responses to situations are.
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