8 Useful Tips to Be an Independent Person
To be an independent person, you have to learn to feel comfortable with yourself. In this sense, we can say that someone is independent when they can let go of possessive attachments.
During childhood, we depend on parental relationships. However, as we develop, we acquire new characteristics. An independent person must have good self-esteem and feel comfortable in solitude , among other aspects.
In this article, we’ll review 8 practical tips for being an independent person.
The advantages of being an independent person
Having autonomy helps to achieve better personal development. Independent people can plan projects without depending on third parties.
This doesn’t mean that you can’t work in a team. Instead, independence implies not being limited by lack of support but also knowing how to take advantage of it when you have it.
Meanwhile, emotional independence is another strength. It’s about knowing how to manage your emotions efficiently, even when there are close ties in between. Being independent is a protective factor against unhealthy emotional attachment.
What are the disadvantages of independence?
In some cases, people can become polarized in an exacerbated independence. For example, when we’re not able to delegate functions and try to do everything alone, this is unhealthy. It’s necessary to function independently. However, it’ s not healthy to close ourselves off from all support.
We’re all interconnected beings, which means that we naturally relate to others. However, if independence is excessive, people don’t achieve a good all-around development. When we try to do everything on our own, obligations may overtake us and we miss out on the chance to create meaningful relationships.
Useful tips to be an independent person
Here is a list of 8 fundamental tips to achieve independence. The recommendations in the following list help you to be determined and independent in life. Let’s take a look at them.
1. Emotional recognition helps you become an independent person
Independent people manage to relate to others without generating unhealthy attachments.
In this sense, recognizing the emotions we have towards others is important. When we can detect and recognize what we feel towards others, it’s possible to accept it. Then, we don’t act on that emotion in an unhealthy way.
2. Involvement in household chores
Independence applies to all scenarios of life. Being in the habit of taking care of household activities benefits self-efficacy. A good idea to do this is to select specific days to do household chores .
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3. Self confidence helps you be an independent person
Having self-confidence helps us to become independent. Therefore, people who are confident in their abilities can take on controlled challenges.
Self-confidence can be achieved by making small accomplishments happen. For example, setting realistic goals and achieving them in the short term motivates us for new projects.
4. Accepting the opinions of others
This point refers to not aspiring to always be right. Understanding that we can accept different opinions without entering into conflict is a sign of independence.
In relation to this point, it’s important to be willing to broaden your perspective on different topics. What others have to contribute increases our wisdom about life.
5. Being self-motivated helps you become an independent person
Some people need others to give them a motivational pep talk. On the other hand, those who are moving toward independence can self-motivate themselves to accomplish their goals .
An effective technique for self-motivation is to look in the mirror and repeat positive phrases, or affirmations. What we say in front of the mirror should be focused on achieving some goal. For example, if we want to pass an exam, we can apply this technique a few minutes before studying.
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6. Accept that we can’t always have what we want
Tolerating some degree of frustration helps you become more independent.
When we’re able to overcome disappointments, our peace of mind doesn’t just depend on success. To be less dependent on results, it’s important to focus more on learning from experiences .
7. Always verify the information you receive
Independent people prefer to verify the information before simply accepting what others say.
In this sense, researching certain topics allows us to have independence of judgment. In other words, we don’t allow ourselves to cling to the opinions of others.
8. Be consistent in your speech to be an independent person
When we promise things we can’t keep, we become slaves of our words.
Being consistent with speech avoids cognitive dissonance . That means there will be no contradictory thoughts trying to coexist.
Can I be independent in a relationship?
Life as a couple presents different challenges. One of the most difficult is maintaining independence while in a relationship. Therefore, it’s important to clarify that couples can and should strive for autonomy, even when living under the same roof.
For a healthy couple relationship to exist, it’s necessary to learn to have shared intimacy. For example, reading a book in the same room as your partner while she waters plants.
It’s not natural to share all hobbies, activities, and interests. Instead, a healthy relationship works from the unique individualities of its members.
All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.
- Figueroa, M. G. (1970). La autonomia.
- Álvarez, S. (2015). La autonomía personal y la autonomía relacional. Análisis filosófico, 35(1), 13-26.
- Vived Conte, E. (2011). Habilidades sociales, autonomía personal y autorregulación (Vol. 194). Prensas de la Universidad de Zaragoza.