Personal growth takes time. It’s our commitment to consistent behavior that helps shape us into better versions of ourselves.

That’s why men who embrace positive habits as they age often become more compassionate, wiser, and understanding.

The best bit?

These habits not only benefit themselves but also the people around them.

Here are some key habits that guys who get better with age tend to adopt along the way…

1) They embrace their sensitive side

Sadly there can still be a lot of pressure on guys to keep certain emotions to themselves.

Research has shown that “58% of men feel like they’re expected to be “emotionally strong and to show no weakness,” and 38% of men have avoided talking to others about their feelings to avoid appearing “unmanly.”

There’s no point in pretending that misguided notions of toxic masculinity aren’t still floating around out there. And it’s doing a lot of damage to guys’ mental health.

Studies show that the biggest cause of mental health issues in men’s lives include, work, their finances, and their health (more on this one later).

Consultant Psychiatrist Dr Natasha Bijlani, says there are plenty of outdated ideas of what it means to be a man:

“Traditionally, men have been less likely to seek support for mental health issues. This is probably for a number of reasons including stigma and the traditional ‘strong male’ stereotype still prevalent in our society – the idea that expressing emotion is a sign of weakness.”

Men who become better people as they get older learn greater communication tools to express the wide range of emotions they experience.

This not only helps them to share how they feel, but it helps their relationships with others too.

Prioritizing self-awareness can also deepen our understanding of ourselves and make it easier to regulate our emotions.

This more sensitive approach to feelings comes down to a mindset shift:

These men have been able to recognize that showing their sensitive side is a strength, not a weakness.

2) They think more about what they can give than what they can get

Particularly in our younger years, we can have a narrow definition of success. But life teaches us along the way that it’s not so simple.

There are both inward as well as outward markers of it.

We may have chased big dreams and achieved accolades that brought recognition and even wealth along the way.

Yet plenty of people who go down that road still end up with an itch that feels like it’s not getting scratched.

They come to realize that purpose is a powerful motivator.

We may try to shortcut to happiness by thinking worldly success alone will take us there. When it doesn’t, it causes some revaluation and reflection.

It’s then that people understand how meaningful contribution is.

A selfish approach considers “What can I get out of this?”

A wiser and more mature approach asks “How can I give back?”

It’s a subtle but powerful shift that improves not only your own life satisfaction but your relationships with others too.

3) They make gratitude an action and not just a feeling

Gratitude helps us focus on the positive aspects of our lives.

Research has shown that not only makes us more hopeful and gives us greater life satisfaction.

But it also encourages us to engage in more proactive behaviors toward others as well.

No wonder it’s been proven to help us build and maintain better relationships.

To turn gratitude into a habit we need to see it more like a verb.

It’s something we do and not just feel.

Putting gratitude into action can look like:

• Starting a gratitude journal
• Actively reflecting at the end of the day on what went well
• Offering heartfelt thanks when someone helps you out
• Noticing and appreciating the simple pleasures in life
• Writing thank you notes and emails to people
• Volunteering your time
• Doing favors for people to give back
• Doing something special for someone you care about
• Paying it forward

The bottom line is:

The more time we take to stop and smell the flowers, the more our life will forever feel in bloom.

4) They never stop learning

If we want to improve as we age, there’s a fundamental that we can’t neglect:

That’s to adopt a lifelong learner attitude.

That goes for personal qualities and behaviors just as much as it does any particular skills or knowledge.

People who think they’re “too old to change” are closing themselves off to opportunity.

But in the words of George Eliot:

“It is never too late to be what you might have been.”

It’s your outlook on life that determines whether you stay open-minded.

Lifelong learning can include:

• Reading books
• Taking workshops
• Going back to school
• Doing courses
• Trying new hobbies and interests
• Exploring new sides of yourself
• Cultivating a growth mindset

It’s easy to get stuck in our comfort zone and “settle down” in later life. But it all comes down to letting your curiosity grow with age, rather than dwindle.

5) They cut down on their drinking

A lot of us fall into that trap of leaning on alcohol as a social lubricant and a way to unwind.

In very small doses, that’s not going to do major harm. But when we are too reliant on it, drinking takes far more than it gives.

We can be guilty of using alcohol as a hiding place, and that’s never good for personal development.

Yet it can take time and growth within us for that to really sink in.

Discussing his reasons for quitting the booze, self-help author Mark Manson says he realized alcohol was no longer serving him as he evolved.

“See, my “party guy” identity had helped me survive my anxieties and insecurities in my twenties—it helped me build the confidence and social experiences necessary to become the successful man I was in my 30s.

But, it also began to destroy me in my 30s. Because by then, my life had changed, my values had changed, my career had changed, and my body had changed. My body and mind couldn’t handle the booze anymore.

I gained a ton of weight. I fell horribly out of shape. I slept poorly and became stressed all the time. By age 35, I began to experience some mild health problems related to my weight, poor diet, and my drinking.”

He noticed that stopping drinking altogether made him less insecure, much more focused on his priorities, and clearer on his values.

6) They exercise more

Whilst we may associate keeping fit with being healthier, it’s not something we would necessarily link with becoming a better person.

But I think a lot of that depends on your definition.

Being a better person also involves being the best version of yourself possible. And our fitness has a lot to do with that.

It all comes down to general well-being.

Exercise and staying active is a lifestyle choice that not only shapes your body but also impacts your mental health.

Countless studies have shown that exercise not only reduces stress but also makes you feel good.

That has a knock-on effect on everyone around you too.

If you want to feel better, emotionally and physically, getting in shape is a good way to do it.