If you woke up one day and found out that you were the last person on Earth, how would the thought of being completely independent strike you? The word “independence” can be a bit intimidating, but once you get past it, the practice of actually being independent has so many benefits on your mental well-being. Underneath the idea of being independent as a means for doing things on your own, lies a more valuable peace of mind: doing things for your own good.
For instance, when you do things like choose to go makeup-free, eat a whole box of pizza, wear clothes you know your mother wouldn’t approve of, rant without a filter, leave relationships that hurt you, build new ones that support you, etc., you are exercising your confidence and improving your self-esteem, ultimately creating self-stability. Exercising stability means taking responsibility for yourself. Firstly, to understand that it is possible to do things on your own, you must know that you (and only you) are responsible for obtaining the happiness you deserve, living your life to its fullest, and loving yourself the hardest.
Stray away from relying on other people to give you what you already can, and will, give yourself. Independence teaches you that you are just as whole of a person in both separateness and togetherness. But, no worries if this level of commitment feels overwhelming at first. The practice of independence may be discomforting from the get-go, but I assure you that this risk-taking is healthy and worthwhile far beyond anticipation. As in any relationship, commitment takes time–remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day. However, never stop working toward the holistic embodiment of queen that you are rightfully becoming; instead, just take your time easing into it.
So, if you haven’t started already, embark on this journey and learn from every experience. Trust that in the end, that while this is a frightening exploration, it is also a fun one. As a result, the more work that goes into practicing your independence, the more you’ll see just how possible it actually is to make it on your own.