Who would not love to be in charge of his/her life? Surely, all of us, but the reality is, it’s not that simple. To be independent truly takes a lot of courage, and this is what we are going to be talking about in this article.
So, What Is Independence?
What does it mean to be independent? Independence is the human ability to pursue his or her will, passion, and inner values without giving into his or her emotions, desires, hurdles by life, or an external situation. To be independent means to project one’s true self in a true way with no dependence on any circumstance or another human being.
This is when we recognize that it is not about seeking satisfaction through achieving a goal; rather, it is the realization of having autonomy over your conditions regardless of the external situation.
According to research, only a fully independent person can live his or her life to the fullest with no dependence on any external or internal situations. Features of an independent person include;
- He or she is affirming in their values, beliefs, and outlook on life, and fully realize that their satisfaction and happiness does not in any way depend on anyone or anything but themselves.
- These are emotionally grounded and well put people who know what they want and don’t let their weaknesses get a hold of them.
- Moreover, they are more connected to everyone and everything around them as they can read between the lines. This is unlikely in people who are highly dependent on other people and take most reactions and conditions personally.
- An independent person is genuine, humble, and does not get panicked easily.
With all these benefits that come with feeling fully independent, it is fairly well to say that we all, in some way, want to get independent as human beings.
So, the question is how to be independent?
How to Become Independent?
How do you become emotionally independent? The following ways can help you become a more independent version of yourself:
Acknowledge Your Core Beliefs and Values
Learning to acknowledge your core beliefs and values is one significant and primitive way to become an independent person. Finding the beliefs that you value is essential to start acting accordingly to them, which is vital in making you follow your heart and mind.
Learning what brings you inner satisfaction does not have to mean a materialistic goal or thing; rather, it is the essence and a gift you would like to share with the world. It can be anything like honesty, integrity, truth, or love.
Take some time out from your routine to write what you truly believe in and identify ways how you can live up to your own values.
Unlearn Continuously
Life is a process of constant learning, and you cannot learn something new unless you try unlearning your old beliefs about the world and yourself. Aspire to be daring and take risks to see what goes in your favor.
However, for that to happen, it is necessary for you to overcome your fear of failure first. This goes right for independent people too. Remember, the people who are fully independent are not all in all fearless, but it is their constant bravery and the ability to take risks that differentiate them from ordinary people. They know how to embrace the unknown with full acknowledgment.
Focus Pro-activity and Assertiveness
Assertiveness simply means to be present in the moment. And only a positive and proactive person can do that. You must let go of your past and forgive yourself for the mistakes you did before, and not stress about the unknown.
Independent people know well enough that our present holds the most importance in our lives, so they are seldom seen stressing over something that has passed or something that has not happened yet.
For this to happen, it is best to be less judgemental about yourself and the situation surrounding you, and have a solution-oriented approach.
Prioritize and Meet Your Needs
Finding merely your values and beliefs isn’t sufficient to live a life that reflects independence. An independent person is the one who knows how to get his or her needs fulfilled in a manner that does not put them off the guard.
On the other hand, co-dependent people tend to overcompensate for other people’s needs rather than their own as a way to make up for their own unheard inner voice.
Remember, you cannot fully give if you don’t meet your needs first. It is also important to realize that nothing in the world can compensate for your needs, so you need to address yourself.
Exercise Decision Making
One of the best ways to become an independent person is by deliberately and frequently making decisions for yourself. No matter how old we grow, we’re often stuck in an endless cycle where most of our life decisions are made by some other party.
It could be anyone from our spouse to our boss, and although it is good to take suggestions from people that matter to you, it is always a powerful step to take the steer in your hand and listen to your intuition some time. The more you exercise it, the more it becomes easier for yourself to respect your intuition and give it a voice and be the authority in your life.
Final Thoughts
So, now you know how to be independent. These were some of the ways for how you can help yourself become a more independent and more satisfied version of yourself. However, it is important to note that it is not a one-time applied tactic, and you cannot become one overnight.
Rather, it is essential to consider that discipline and patience are necessary to help you practice these points for becoming an independent individual. Also, know that progress doesn’t have to be linear. You’d might want to give in on pursuing the best, but always keep looking for the amazing lessons you will learn along the way.
