I’m continually amazed by the wisdom I see in certain young people today, which has led me to believe that marriage readiness is based not on chronological age but true wisdom. Here’s how to know if getting married in your 20s is a good idea for you. Generally speaking, there is rarely any reason to rush to get married. If you’ve found the person you’re going to be with forever, there’s no real difference between tying the knot now and tying the knot five years from now. You’ll still be together and in love five years from now anyway, right? That said, there are some benefits to getting married young. Yes, you may not possess a certain emotional or psychological maturity that can only grow with age. But you also avoid becoming too attached to things having to be exactly as you’ve expected them to be. In other words, if you haven’t had time to develop your own routines and mindsets by living alone or with friends, it’s going to be easier to develop the skill of compromise so necessary to a healthy marriage. If getting married young worked for our grandparents’ generation, why wouldn’t it work for us? Additionally, if you’re marrying to get away from your parents or to bypass religious restrictions on sex, it’s better to wait. Marriage is not an escape hatch; it’s the biggest commitment you’ll ever make aside from having a child, and it’s essential to be truly ready and not just running from something else. A healthy marriage requires that two healthy, whole people come together to learn and grow their capacity to give and receive love. One truth about marriage: You should feel just as secure, accomplished, successful, and free whether or not you’re married. You should feel fulfilled and complete, with or without your partner. Remember, maturity is often less a function of age as it is about having a certain wisdom and willingness to take responsibility. Certain people possess these qualities at a young age, and certain others never attain them at all. Read other mbg stories on marriage: To receive a thorough relationship road map, check out her mbg video course, How to Have the Greatest Relationship of Your Life. And if you’re struggling with sexual desire and body image, consider her course Sacred Sexuality: A 40-Day Course for Women to Heal Body Shame and Ignite Desire.
