How to be more independent: 8 useful tips
In the early stages of our lives it is natural for us to depend on other people, be it our parents or caregivers, depending on the circumstances. But there comes a time when it is necessary to stop clinging to those bonds, learn about how to be more independent, and not always be conditioned by the care of others.
In the following article we will review a list of tips to learn to function more autonomously in our daily lives.
- Related article: "Emotionally mature people: 6 traits that define them"
stop depending on others
Independent people are not lonely or bitter; in fact, they can correctly relate to their peer group at times when it is necessary.
What really characterizes these people is that do not totally depend on other people to meet the objectives that are set, they do not mind carrying out activities alone, but they do not seek to isolate themselves voluntarily either.
In addition, they stand out for their self-confidence in their fundamental abilities to live in a autonomous, and they understand that the company of other people is not always necessary to carry out some draft.
However, independent people are also capable of detecting when they need help in certain particular aspects, and they do not mind asking for it. They understand that they cannot cover the entire workload of some situations by themselves, and they know how to delegate functions.
How to be more independent?
Here we will review some useful tips on how you can become a more independent person in life.
1. Capacity for self-acceptance
It is necessary to understand ourselves more objectively. That is, we must be clear what are our strengths and what are our points to improve.
This recognition will help us better understand where we can perform well on our own, and where what others would be good to have help or delegate functions to other people with a better knowledge of the area.
2. self-motivation
When we begin to develop self-motivation, we are gaining ground to become more independent for the future. The ability to self-motivate is what makes us more confident people.
When we have learned to give ourselves motivation on our own we don't need a bunch of people telling us we're good at something, because we have already identified our strengths and weaknesses, and we know what we can be capable of.
- You may be interested: "Types of motivation: the 8 motivational sources"
3. Respect for the opinions of others
The independent subject does not believe that he is the owner of absolute reason on all the issues he knows. On the contrary, he is always willing to expand his knowledge by actively listening to other people, even if he does not share his point of view.
when we are independent we do not let people who think differently from us determine us with their opinions, because that means giving the other too much control over us.
4. Recognition of emotions
independence means being able to relate to others without becoming dependent on them. To the extent that we manage to recognize our own emotions as well as those of others, we become less likely to generate affective attachments that can complicate us in various areas of life.
To recognize emotions properly we must ask ourselves the right questions: What exactly do I feel? What motivates this emotion? Is it worth fostering this feeling?
Regarding the emotions of others, it is good to take into account the behavior of others. Many times we think that emotions are subject to the words that others say to us, but the reality is that the facts are more significant.
5. Accept that things do not always turn out the way we would like
If we can be aware that things will not always go as planned, we will become more tolerant of frustration and less dependent on immediate results, which allows us to focus more on long-term results.
Sometimes circumstances occur that are beyond our control, and it is not worth losing your temper because of it; it is simply time to accept that fact and find the best way to deal with it.
6. Coherence between thought and action
Another of the most useful tips on how to be more independent is to cultivate self-confidence, as we have seen before. But It is not enough just to believe that you are good at something, you must be able to prove it. Avoid falling into personal overvaluation.
7. source verification
Some people take what others have told them as something true, as an irrefutable truth, while the independent subject prefers verify this information for yourself and is able to search various sources on its own to have a better picture of the facts.
8. Learn to do housework
Being independent means being independent in all the basic areas of life, not just in very specific ones. For this reason, it is important to invest time and effort in learning to do the basics to live alone: cook, wash and iron clothes, manage the domestic economy, etc.
Bibliographic references:
- Kawamoto, T. (2026). "Personality Change from Life Experiences: Moderation Effect of Attachment Security." Japanese Psychological Research, vol. 58(2). pp. 218 - 231.
- Strack, S. (2005). Handbook of Personology and Psychopathology. Wiley.