Every woman is different and grows differently. However, many women have this in common: in order to become mature, as they move from adolescence to adulthood, they must prepare for a series of major physical, emotional and intellectual transformations. While some of these changes can be controlled, certain biological processes take time. The maturation process does not happen suddenly: it takes a girl several years to become a woman, but during this long period she lives precious life experiences that help her to reach adulthood.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Becoming a Woman by Maturing Emotionally
Step 1. Keep in mind that being a woman is a mindset
It's not just a physical matter, it's also about the way you think and feel in your skin. Coming to feel like a real woman is a milestone that will likely cost you a lot of time and effort, but you can take some steps to encourage this step.
Step 2. Read some books on women and femininity
The world is constantly changing and you will have to learn many things. So, consider taking a look at the library or buying some books that can guide you in the female universe. Pay attention to the life and autobiographies of women you admire and respect: they will show you the challenges they have faced, helping you to overcome your difficulties.
Step 3. Learn social behaviors and develop your social skills
If you behave like a grown woman, not only will you be treated as such, but you will also fuel your self-esteem. Here are some important tips:
- Avoid postponing. Keep your schedule and get what you need to do in the right time.
- Be polite. By behaving with kindness and courtesy, you can prepare yourself to become an adult and responsible person.
- Defend yourself. Courtesy is important, but that doesn't mean you have to get trampled by people. Learn to express your opinions confidently, even if the people around you don't behave as polite as you expect.
Step 4. Act with confidence and confidence
While women tend to underestimate their abilities, men tend to overestimate theirs. This attitude is called "lack of trust". Remember this when you enter adulthood: even if you are nervous when you have to face a task, it is not certain that you are not the most competent person among those for whom it could have been destined. Here are some strategies for overcoming the trust gap:
- Look for female examples. Find a woman in a position of power to learn leadership skills, such as speaking confidently, leading a team, and making constructive criticism.
- Don't let people take advantage of you because you are "nice". Kindness and education are important qualities in adulthood, but women are often asked to be kind and polite at the expense of their competence and preparation. Try to find a balance between affability and your determination.
- Speak with self-confidence. Learn to express yourself with confidence and authority. Stand up straight, do not lower your voice, look your interlocutor in the eye and speak while modulating the tone well. When you want to be categorical, don't express yourself by asking questions or requests as if asking permission (i.e., using the typical question intonation).
- Take the baton. Just as from a teenager you have the opportunity to develop your leadership skills by following the example of other women, so even when you grow up you can become a point of reference for the younger generations. Pass on your knowledge and skills to a woman smaller than you so that she can benefit and continue to hone your leadership skills.
Step 5. Learn what is happening in the world
If you are up to date on the most important current news and events, others will see you as an informed and responsible woman. Plus, you'll have plenty of conversation points when talking to an adult, and you'll also begin to understand what your place might be in a world that is very growing with you. Furthermore, you will have an extra tool to determine what your values are at the threshold of adulthood. Consider:
- Read newspapers, watch or listen to the news regularly;
- Identify the journalists you admire most and follow their inquiries;
- Read well-documented essays on the topics that interest you.
- Draw your own conclusions. While you will need to get information from other sources at first, eventually you will be able to analyze the events on your own. If you are old enough to go to the polls, you can vote for candidates and parties that align with your political beliefs. If not, you can find other ways to get involved, perhaps by writing, signing petitions or volunteering at the associations of your choice.
Step 6. Celebrate the transition to adulthood
In most cultures there are important ceremonials and customs that mark the passage of the adolescent to adulthood. These rituals allow him to feel like an adult and a full member of a community. Whether it's the eighteen birthday party, the "Quinceanera" (celebration of the fifteenth birthday in some areas of Latin America) or the sixteenth birthday (celebrated in Anglo-Saxon countries), these rituals represent an important turning point in a girl's life.. Depending on your culture of origin, you could throw a party to commemorate your entry into adulthood and the beginning of your life as a woman, saying goodbye to your teenage years.
Step 7. Set goals and achieve them
It is important to set goals in full autonomy to embark on a life path that reflects your expectations. They may differ from what parents wish and, instead, be influenced by friends and peers. Alternatively, they may be completely different from what family members or peers expect. Perhaps the most important thing that indicates a woman's level of maturity is the fact that she lives by following her own choices and values. Therefore, think carefully about what you want in life and make a plan to live up to your goals.
Part 2 of 3: Acquiring Skills to Live in the Female Universe
Step 1. Keep in mind that being a woman is not just a physical matter
This change also implies maturing from an emotional, psychological and behavioral point of view. More importantly, it means learning to be independent, learning new skills and habits that will help you chart your path to adulthood.
Step 2. Cultivate the skills you wish to acquire
You will have to learn a multitude of things. You probably won't be able to assimilate everything suddenly. However, what you will learn will allow you to identify the path you will have to take in your life, without relying on others. So, consider taking a look at the library or buying some books that can guide you in the female universe. To learn valuable skills, pay attention to manuals that contain helpful advice on how to act. The internet, friends, and a mentor are also important resources for gaining the skills needed to become an independent woman.
Step 3. Manage your financial resources
Knowing how to manage your money is an important aspect when moving from adolescence to adulthood. You will surely find your first job, you will have to prepare to pay for college or you will think about moving out of your parents' house. In all these cases you will have to learn important skills to be able to live, such as:
- Manage your bank account;
- Keep track of income and expenses;
- Pay taxes in due time;
- Set aside money for major purchases and create a safety plan;
- Learn when it's time to take out a loan and when it's not the case.
Step 4. Reflect on your travels
To become a more independent woman, you need to understand how to move from one point to another without depending on your parents. Depending on your age and the city you live in, you may learn to drive and get a driver's license. If not, you have the opportunity to use public transport so that you can travel freely to school, work and other places.
Step 5. Develop your professional skills
If you respect your commitments, are punctual, take responsibility for your actions and respond appropriately to criticism, you will be able to live your life as an adult woman, especially in the workplace. By finding a job and keeping it, you will learn to be self-employed and also gain some financial independence as you grow and mature.
Step 6. Take care of your personal hygiene and your appearance
During development you will meet different needs in terms of hygiene and beauty. For example, you will want to shower more often than you did when you were a child, and you may want to use different facial cleansing products if you have pimples or acne problems. Here are other aspects to take into account:
- Keep your hair tidy. Whether you have long or short hair, straight or curly, you will need to keep it from looking messy. You could pick them up by making a bun, shorten them to keep them looking healthy, or trim split ends frequently.
- Take care of your clothing. Make sure your clothes fit you well and are clean, wrinkle-free and in great condition.
- Wear accessories. Some women love to wear jewelry and make-up, while others a little less. If you choose to wear accessories, make sure they are suitable for your age, appropriate to the dress code that applies in the workplace or school and hypoallergenic. For example, a necklace with a bright pink unicorn pendant is more appropriate for a girl who goes to school than for a woman who works in a bank. In this case, consider a simple gold necklace.
Step 7. Take care of the living spaces
Whether you live with your parents, siblings, roommates or alone, you will still need to take more responsibility for cleaning your home. As a child, you might have been able to fly over, but adulthood comes with more obligations. This means tidying up, vacuuming, washing the floor regularly and making sure common areas (such as the bathroom and kitchen) are always clean.
Step 8. Learn to cook on your own
By understanding how to prepare a healthy snack and meal, you will be a self-satisfied and healthy woman. You probably won't always be able to count on someone else doing the shopping, so learn to plan what to eat, make a grocery list, buy wholesome and nutritious ingredients, and cook.
Expect to make mistakes when learning to cook, but remember that mistakes will allow you to learn
Part 3 of 3: Becoming a Woman by Maturing Physically
Step 1. Learn about the transformations that occur during puberty
Puberty is the stage of human biological development in which a child's body becomes an adult body. There are a number of physical and emotional changes as a girl grows up and gradually becomes a woman. Puberty usually begins between the ages of 8 and 13 in females and can last for another 6 years. Therefore, it is important to understand what kind of changes to expect in order not to be agitated or frightened by the changes that occur on a physical level. Typical changes in this phase include:
- Increase in stature and pubertal growth spurts;
- Development of the hips and breasts. In this period it is normal to feel pain and sensitivity in the area of the hips and breasts;
- Hair growth in the armpits and in the pubic area;
- More profuse sweating;
- Development of acne and other skin changes
- Beginning of menstruation;
- Changes and mood swings.
- Keep in mind that if your first period doesn't come by age 14, you should talk to your doctor to make sure your development is progressing properly.
Step 2. Ask your mentor what physical changes puberty implies
Every woman experiences puberty differently and chooses differently how to manage the changes it brings. However, you can adopt some strategies to make these transformations more acceptable and less stressful. To this end, it is important to turn to an adult and reliable female figure (she could also be part of the family), asking her how to react to the inevitable changes that occur in the body and mood. He can serve as a mentor during this period of life. Not only will it talk to you about how she coped with her development, but it could also guide you by preparing you to handle the physical changes that will accompany you into adulthood.
Step 3. Learn to accept the body as it changes
The years in which you gradually turn into a woman can be exciting, but also discouraging. Many girls are stressed by weight gain, skin changes, new roundness and sudden pubertal spurts. During this vulnerable period of time, 50-88% of young women experience negative feelings about their body. Therefore, try to engage in activities that do not make you physically uncomfortable, so as not to get trapped in negative thoughts. For instance:
- Please note that the representation of the world made by the media is not exact. It's easy to make negative comparisons with the supermodels and actresses that populate the media. However, remember that celebrities are not the norm. Do not underestimate that, to change the appearance of famous people, special effects, the skills of the make-up artists and professional techniques of lighting and digital retouching are used. If you can, try not to be swayed by the unrealistic ideal of female beauty spread by the mass media: turn off the television, close fashion magazines and spend more time with your friends.
- Don't hesitate to compliment yourself. Although puberty also involves unwanted changes (such as acne), there will be other physical aspects that you will appreciate. Do you like being taller? Feeling more adult? Being more curvy? Look in the mirror and get some compliments. You should feel proud of how you grew up.
- Compliment your friends. Remember that your friends will surely have a negative view of their body or feel as insecure as you are. Highlight all their good points and help them fuel their self-esteem.
- Eat a healthy diet and exercise. Many girls are tempted to rely on very restrictive diets or train constantly at the thought that the body is changing. However, gaining weight and body fat as well as being more curvy are normal changes in a growing body. Try to avoid extreme behavior and, instead, follow common sense at the table and in sports. Always eat nutritious foods when you are hungry, without fasting.
- Discuss any concerns that affect your body with your doctor. If you think something is wrong, talk to him about it. He will be able to help you understand if such a change is normal and healthy.
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy has been shown to be effective for those who develop a negative body image. If you are obsessed with negative thoughts about your physical appearance, see a doctor or psychologist. You are not forced to live in cages in these mental patterns, but you can feel happier and safer by following proper treatment.
Step 4. Go shopping with a friend or your mentor
Often the physical changes caused by puberty require you to buy new clothes in order to feel good in your own skin. You will likely have to go shopping around a lot during puberty. Also try to give yourself some time before finding out which clothes and style of clothing you prefer. Helping a friend or mentor to shop will make this task easier. Although each person has their own tastes, you will surely go in search of the following items:
- If you notice more sweating, you will need to start buying deodorant (which masks body odor) and antiperspirant (which reduces underarm sweating).
- If you notice that your breasts are growing and starting to hurt, you will probably need to buy various types of bras for sports and everyday life. It is a piece of underwear that will help you support and cover it.
- If you notice that the hair has become thicker or darker all over your body, you will certainly need to use a razor or shaving kit. Not all women get rid of all body hair - decide what's best for you!
- When you start menstruating, you will need to start using tampons or tampons to keep your clothes off.
- If you suffer from acne, you will need to purchase pharmaceuticals and a special facial cleanser. You may also want to ask your doctor for advice on stronger prescription medications.
- If you increase in stature and become more curvy, you will have to buy other clothes by choosing between those for girls and women. You may have to change sizes more times than you think if you grow quickly. In order not to spend too much money, try taking a look at the used clothing stores as you become familiar with the changes in the body and find the style that suits you best.
Step 5. Consult a gynecologist so as not to neglect sexual health
During and after puberty a girl can become pregnant. It is a huge responsibility that can be discouraging. Therefore, you will need to take care of your sexual health. You should start consulting your gynecologist as a teenager, because he can advise you on the best methods of contraception, educate you on the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases, undergo cancer tests and show you other methods to keep you healthy.
Step 6. Realize that all of these changes don't happen suddenly
On average, women reach emotional maturity at the age of 32 (men at 43). So, you have a lot of time to grow and change: you will not become a woman overnight. It is a long and gradual process. Furthermore, the brain does not develop fully until you reach the age of 25. Try to savor your journey into the female universe, even if it will take a long time.
Advice
- Surround yourself with mature girls and women you admire. Grow by following them as an example. Confide your goals, your dreams and even your mistakes - they can help you understand what it means to grow and mature.
- Realize that the transition to adulthood doesn't happen suddenly, so don't rush to learn, grow and feel like a woman.
- Remember that not all people who are biologically female want to become women and that not all women you see were originally girls. The important thing is that you are ready to mature to become the person you want to be when you grow up.
