People often talk about growing up as if it happens suddenly — one day you just wake up and you’re ready. But in reality, it’s a slow, quiet process that you usually notice only afterward. You start thinking more on your own, feeling things deeper, questioning more. It’s confusing and beautiful at the same time.

Growing up isn’t just about the body — it’s about your mind and heart learning to work together in new ways. You begin to see that things aren’t black and white, that people are more complicated than you thought, that the world isn’t always fair. It can feel heavy, like losing the safety of childhood, but that’s also where independence begins.

It’s normal to not feel “grown up,” even when you think you should. Maturity isn’t about having all the answers — it’s about learning to live with the questions. You grow every time you take responsibility, choose honesty over comfort, or discover something new about yourself.

Alma’s tips:

Don’t rush. Growth happens anyway — in every choice, every feeling, every moment you dare to be honest with yourself. Talk to someone you trust about the parts that feel confusing. And remember: growing up doesn’t mean losing your youth. It means beginning to understand who you are, and slowly learning how to stand in that truth.