How to Never Depend on Anyone But Yourself

The day you decide not to depend on anyone but yourself is the day you decide to live your life.

I grew up in a beautiful house, with loving family and had a fortunate childhood. It’s fair to say I was daddy’s little girl; I was the youngest and my brother and I had a great childhood growing up. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized something very important. It’s so important to not depend on anyone but yourself. Not even your parents. I’ve learned that parents are there to guide you through life and raise you to learn all the ins and outs of being an adult. And it ain’t easy. That’s for sure.

I know that, should I ever not have my parents around one day, I need to be prepared to make it on my own. That’s the exact path that I’m on.

I believe that’s the mindset that all twenty-something’s should have. We’re young adults and many of us think that we have our parents to fall back on should anything happen with our jobs or finances. For many of us, our initial instinct is to call mom or dad when something goes wrong. It’s great to have your parents there for you, but it’s important to know where to draw the line. 

Switching gears for a sec.

It’s equally important to not ever depend on anyone for emotional support. Don’t get me wrong, it’s great to have it. But never depend on it. Know your worth; know that you are enough no matter what. 

[Tweet “Know your worth; know that you are enough no matter what. “]

I digress. 

When it comes to being independent it’s important to know the many aspects that come along with it. Whether it’s being financially independent or emotionally independent, your twenties are the perfect time to start planning and becoming ready for this. It’s not easy being completely independent but you will definitely reap some great benefits!

Why? 

Imagine this scenario that I hope never happens to you or anyone for that matter. Imagine waking up one day and being on the street, alone, with $7 to your name, and just the clothes on your back; everything you ever owned or bought… gone. No help, no parents, no home, no car. What would you do? Even worse, how would you handle the fact that you had everything and now have nothing? You would be a mess in every way.

Now imagine this same scenario but you had a backup plan. You have a pretty big savings account, with which you can put money down on an apartment if you needed to, rent a car, and still have money left over for our daily necessities. Imagine how relieved and less stressed you would be in a dire situation if you had that backup plan. You would be both emotionally and financially prepared because you had a backup plan that was devised specifically to not dependent on anyone but yourself. Bravo.

Where do you go from here?

Do yourself a favor after reading this article and plan a day to sit down and plan out your future. Figure out your backup plan should something go wrong or in case an emergency comes up. Plan ahead, be prepared for the worst. 

How?

Always have at least three months (ideally, more) of rent a savings account. Have an extra 5k as an emergency fund for the little things like food, clothing, and supplies. As for your emotional independence, learn what it means to love yourself. Know what it means to not depend on anyone when you’re feeling down. Most of us will have the emotional support but for those who don’t then follow the above advice. 

My parents have instilled this in me since I became an adult. They always told me to prepare for the day that they are gone. My parents have not been able to stress enough that they don’t want to have to worry about their kids should something never happen to them. I get it.

It took me a while to really grasp that that day will come one day and I will need to be prepared. If I’m not…what on earth would I do with myself? Where would I go? What would I do? This is why I’m devising my backup plan. Because I want to wake up every day knowing that I’m independent and able to take on anything life throws my way. Be independent and never depend on anyone… except for yourself. 

About the Author

---