Self-Sufficiency Promotes A Healthy Mindset

‘Happiness belongs to the self-sufficient.’ Aristotle.

 

A healthy mindset is the key to live a happy life. If you seek fulfillment or meaning, you have to do everything in your power to ensure that you adopt the right mindset. You must align your thoughts to what you want to achieve.

 

The greatest battle always occurs in the mind. What you allow in your mind determines whether you will succeed or fail. To have a chance to make significant accomplishments, you must be in control of thoughts and your emotions. You must be able to shut out negativity and distance yourself from anything that diminishes your confidence. It is only once you develop a positive attitude that you can win during life’s greatest battles. Only then can you have a healthy outlook on life, with the promise of endless possibilities.

 

Why you should be more reliant on yourself.

 

‘Self-sufficiency is a deep-rooted sense of completeness and stability.’ Dr. Steve Taylor.

 

Self-dependence weans you from being overly reliant on other people for your happiness and success. Being incapable of doing certain things for yourself gives other people too much power over you. It leaves you vulnerable. This is why people form unhealthy attachments to certain things or certain people. Never give people room to hurt or manipulate you by showing them that you cannot fully function without their help. Take responsibility for your life and make decisions that are best for you. You can take control of your life by acquiring skills that help you be more self-sufficient. 

 

For example, if you are too dependent on your partner in a romantic relationship, having them do everything for you, will be difficult for you to recover if that partner leaves your life. It is the same logic for reliance on drugs or alcohol. Once you remove them from the picture, you may fail to cope with certain things. If you are too dependent on your job, what happens when you get retrenched or when you cannot perform the duties you used to? What if the only solution available is resigning? What will you do then?

 

Self-sufficiency allows you to bounce back from any form of adversity. It may not prevent bad things from happening to you, but it gives you the strength to pick up the pieces and move on with your life. It gives you control over your emotions and how you react to negative circumstances. Above that, it helps you deal with failure more healthily. You get to be more compassionate and patient with yourself when you make mistakes, instead of beating yourself up and condemning yourself as a failure.

 

The link between independence and mental health.

 

Being confident makes you feel good about yourself. It boosts your self-worth when you know you can achieve anything you set your mind to. This promotes a healthy self-image. Instead of cowering back and living life in the shadows, you step out and do whatever it takes to make your mark.

 

Having that sense of self-worth and knowing that your life is meaningful promotes good mental health. The knowledge that you have the skills to make meaningful contributions in the workplace will make you confident to take on more tasks that challenge you. You become motivated to discover more of your potential. You volunteer to do the heavy lifting because you know that you have the strength for it. 

 

People who center their life on other people’s thoughts and opinions often pay for it mentally. They have little confidence in themselves and their abilities and often rely heavily on other people for guidance. This leaves them dissatisfied as they live according to other people’s standards instead of their own. Such people hardly make big decisions without consulting others, leaving room for self-doubt to rear its head. This leads to frustration and depression, as they fail to live up to their potential. It happens often that such people lose out on opportunities to do great things because they were more concerned with what people would think or say. 

 

Being self-reliant allows you the control you need over your destiny. You become bold enough to stand for what you believe in and cannot be swayed from your path. Even when the people around you doubt you, being self-sufficient gives you the confidence to give your most daunting dreams a shot. You take more risks, applying yourself to things that you would normally be too afraid to try. You do not give audience to the fears and insecurities of others when you have faith in your strength and capabilities. It is this attitude that leads to great accomplishments. It motivates you to aim higher and achieve more goals until success is a guarantee. 

 

Self-sufficiency has roots in self-acceptance. When you are sure of yourself and fully aware of your strengths and weaknesses, you learn to embrace who you are. Your shortcomings cease to make you feel inadequate. You develop a healthy self-image, viewing yourself as a person worth attention and respect. Self-love is a vital ingredient to overall health. Placing a high value on yourself teaches others to value you. 

 

Being self-sufficient contributes to your overall well-being. You develop a healthier image of yourself when you have control over your emotions, thoughts, decisions, and actions.

 

Being able to rely upon yourself- to admit that you and you alone handle your life- is a considerable step toward self-confidence and realizing your dreams. It is in your best interest, as it promotes a healthy mindset.