Are you self-reliant? Do you really understand what this is or what the word means?
In terms of positive psychology, self-reliance has an important role. That’s because happiness is hinged on being, at least on some level, self-reliant. It’s important to note that being self-reliant doesn’t mean you have to do everything yourself. It’s not about financial independence, either. You don’t have to handle hardships on your own or be unwilling to accept help from others. Keep reading to learn more about self-reliance and how to improve it in your own life.
Accept Yourself
Learning about yourself and appreciating your character strengths is essential to support yourself throughout life effectively. Do you know what your character strengths are? Are you brave, curious, or kind? You need to take time to reflect on the achievements you have made and what you have accomplished that makes you feel proud. You need to avoid putting yourself down, or you may find your efforts to be self-reliant are sabotaged.
Build Inner Confidence
In the modern world, people are conditioned to feel happy when they receive reassurance, praise, and compliments from other people. If that is not something that is forthcoming, you may begin to feel vulnerable or insecure. In some cases, you could even feel helpless.
When you are self-reliant, you can feel confident in yourself when these things are not available. It’s important to note they may not always be. Are you unsure what to be confident about? Consider saying “no” to the plethora of robocalls you receive. Even taking control of something as small as this can boost your confidence to do other things.
Make Decisions for Yourself
You should not always look outside for security or rely on others to accept you. You need to accept yourself as a unique individual and try to practice non-judgment. It is possible to find a sense of security from inner sources.
This type of rational, independent thinking is something that is important to become self-reliant. As a child, you look to other people for guidance when solving a problem or making an important decision. This is something that is ingrained in you as you get older. Because of this, you may find it more difficult to handle cases of adversity with confidence. If you can build confidence in your abilities, it is easier to find security from inside sources.
Understand and Manage Dependence
Knowing when you are likely to turn to someone else is all part of self-knowledge. You may already know that you tend to turn to some people for certain things. However, in some cases, this is ruining your ability to build your own confidence. Setting goals and achieving them yourself will help provide you with a sense of accomplishment and reward. It is also going to help you grow the belief you have in your own judgment.
Accept Yourself the Way You Are
Accepting yourself is important. Rather than looking to other people for approval, give it to yourself. Seeking acceptance from other people is another way that you are practicing dependence on someone else. It can be a habit that’s hard to shake. If you want to develop a sense of self-reliance, you have to become aware of these tendencies. Once you do that, you can start to change them.
Develop Your Own Set of Values
Society’s overall values may not align with your beliefs. This can be at a subconscious level, which means that you may not always pick up on it. If society puts value on one thing and is not congruent with what you believe, you may feel like it is hard to accept. It is important to be true to yourself and develop values you really believe in.
When it comes to being self-reliant, there is no easy way to get there. It will take time and practice, but in the end, it can help you be a much happier person.
Author: Finnegan Pierson
