While it is true that no man is an island, we also can’t deny the power that lies in one’s ability to survive with little to no help from others. The quality of life nowadays is not making it easier for anyone to put their trust in any man. We are living in a fast-paced world. At face value, it would seem that everyone else around you has it all figured out. Yet, the reality is that there are carefully selected moments that are also modified enough to give spectators an idea of perfection. Everyone seems to have an idea of how certain aspects of life should work. Yet, not so many seem to care to implement any of it. The point is, our world is already complex and people have their ideas of what life is or should be. As such, you might need to find your path and be prepared to walk it alone at some point if you want more out of life.
Living a purposeful and satisfying life is almost impossible when what is meant to be a personal journey becomes more of a community project. Often, he who has the means controls the outcomes. Thus, the help we get from people often comes at a price. For some, this happens at the expense of their dreams and purpose. Independence protects us from such. It allows us to write our stories our way and makes it easier to repel any influence that is likely to derail us. It is rare to have people support what they are opposed to or think is against the current normalcy. Life doesn’t have to be that boring and limited! Hence, the need for individuals to be able to sustain themselves financially and psychologically as they work on their dreams.
There is no doubt, however, that self-sufficiency is not something that you just wake up and start doing randomly. It is a lifestyle that requires you to put your mind to it and carefully consider how you would navigate through life once you go that route. The following can help start and maintain an independent life:
1. Know what you want – the first step to starting a new life is knowing what you want and why you want it. Without a goal or reason for the life you are choosing, you will not have a reason to continue when you face challenges along the way. Knowing what you want is often a constant reminder of why you should keep going despite the hurdles you keep coming across. It also gives you direction. Thus, it makes it easier to make choices and figure out the necessary steps to take to have what you can call a successful and meaningful life. In this case, you will know what you lose every time you ask people for help. For example, you might be missing out on opportunities to grow or discover and use your strengths.
2. Prepare yourself mentally – once you know what you want, you should mentally prepare yourself for that life. You should know and acknowledge that the journey won’t always be easy. Most importantly, you should also have plans as to what you will do when the journey gets tougher. Contrary to popular belief, independence has more to do with the mind than physical possessions. It is mostly rooted in knowing and accepting your situation, plans to do more with your life, and learning to live within your means. It also takes mental strength to enable you to stay focused in all of your encounters. Self-sufficiency is not sustainable without such a mindset. This applies to the rich as well because they risk losing it all and going back to dependency if they lack these qualities.
3. Align your budget – this is a crucial part of an independent life as alluded to previously. If you were good at managing your finances before your journey to independence, then you need to get better. Overspending shifts from spending recklessly to include spending on important things that may not be urgent or necessary. You need to ensure that your spending allows you to save for your other plans as well as emergencies. In short, all that is required financially is that you learn to live within your means. Ensure that your lifestyle is in sync with your plans.
4. Set boundaries – boundaries are everything. Set boundaries for yourself and others. You can hardly live an independent life when you don’t limit your movements and everyone has easy access to you. Limit the type of people you spend your time with, and how you spend your time. Doing that will help you stay clear of any drama while you spend time on what is more important. However, this is not the equivalent of being mean to people and not offering a hand where it’s needed. Just be disciplined.
5. Change your habits – our repeated actions, especially ones that we do impulsively, make up a greater part of our lives than we realize. They often work against our will and pull us back to the exact things that we are fighting. These include how we handle stress and certain hobbies. An independent life requires you to have habits that will help you stay focused and maximize every moment of your life. Thus, although taking breaks from your scheduled tasks is important, the activities we do for amusement should be planned and regulated. For example, if you are planning to watch TV, ensure that you don’t find yourself doing it in place of a task. The session shouldn’t last longer than planned just because the show got more interesting. Cultivating habits that align with your goals will also help get the most out of your time. You can watch documentaries and other educational shows instead of movies.
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