What To Remember When You Decide To Live Independently

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As Filipinos, we are the kind of people who stay attached to our roots. Even after finishing our studies and acquiring our first job, our family will always remain as our number one priority. However, there are brave souls out there who embrace the thrill of the unknown. They’re the ones eager to dive into the pool of adulthood – a pool most people aren’t ready to fully submerge themselves into. Moreover, these kinds of people tend to jump into this pool singlehandedly.

Some of you may be graduating from college this year, or maybe you’re a 20-something who’s curious about what it’s like to live on your own and you’re deciding whether or not you’re ready for this kind of responsibility. Don’t worry! Here are some things to remember when you’re thinking about plunging into the world of independence.

1. There’s emphasis on the word INDEPENDENT.

Formally, independent is defined as not depending on another for livelihood and sustenance. If you’re going to live on your own, you really have to be on your own. That means earning your own money for basic needs and maintaining the lifestyle you’ve built for yourself. If you fall down, it’s your job to pick yourself up. If you run out of resources, it’s your job to find ways on how to get more.

The hard truth here is that you have to watch your own life because everybody else is watching theirs. That means, whether you succeed in life or you get in trouble, you reap the rewards you gain but you also face the consequences of your actions. It’s all on you.

2. The decisions you make have a huge impact on your daily life.

When you’re living independently, every choice you make creates a direct impact on your life. What does this mean? For example, you just received your first salary. You decided to spend it half of it to celebrate with your friends. When you get home, you realized you have bills to pay. However, since you’ve already spent half of what you’ve earned, what you have at the moment won’t cover the amount you have to pay for those bills.

In that situation, you were given the freedom to spend the money as you pleased. Despite having the option to save it, you chose to spend it. When you found out that you needed the money for your expenses, you realized you didn’t have enough. This is where the choices you make begin to affect your life, which is why careful consideration of the options you have is important when you live independently.

3. You will fail.

Once you start living independently, you will be prone to failure. Since you are working your way through life alone, you are bound to make mistakes. Although you have to remember that that’s okay. Taking a huge step in your life plus doing it all on your own? That takes guts. Your bravery to step into the “real world” will come a long way especially when you’re going through trials. A strong heart and firm grip on your principles will come in handy during those times.

4. Accept help when needed.

You also need to remember that despite being independent, it doesn’t mean you’re shutting your door for any kind of help. Every once in a while, you will encounter problems that will be difficult to overcome on your own. In these situations, never be afraid to ask for help. If you know there’s an easier way to solve a problem, use it to your advantage.

Oftentimes, we let fear take over our lives, especially if it’s something we’re not quite sure about, which is why we tend to step backward and avoid the things that terrify us, but if we know what we’re getting into and we allot an ample amount of time to prepare ourselves, we are capable of doing anything.