Yup, that independent lady- it’s trending. Blame Beyonce or Kelly Clarkson or the state of the world- whatever. Independent girls are all the rage. Times have changed and no longer do you “need a man” in your life to make all your decisions, you can make decisions for yourself. You can own your own apartment, you can pay your own bills, you can be CEO of whatever global business you chose and ain’t nobody gonna shut you down for it. Independent ladies are the new way of the future and there’s no going back.
However, let’s not move forward to move back. If we are going to embrace our new independence, then we need to do it well. Miss Independent is smart and wise. She knows how to look after herself and what she wants from life. She can also be vulnerable and knows when to ask for help. Ladies, this is how you do independence the right way!
Don’t compare. Hey pretty girl- you got what you got. No you may not have hair like Rapunzel or no, you may not look like a cosmo cover girl. You might have to spend hours getting your frizz out or you might have more cellulite than you would want. Everyone, everyone has something going for them. Don’t weigh yourself against anyone else. You are you- work it.
Believe in yourself. You are more than just your looks. You are a beautiful package of emotions, brains and passions. Don’t narrow yourself down to just your looks. Firstly great guys aren’t more interested in Barbie dolls, and secondly if you can’t believe in yourself then you can’t expect everyone to do that work for you.
Stand up for yourself. If you want to be an independent lady then you are going to need to fight when it is time to fight. Nobody is going to have your back when people say unkind things, so you need to be assertive and let people know when they have hurt you. Your feelings matter and standing up for yourself will teach you to stand up for others and for your family.
Manage your finances. Girl, you can’t even spell the word independence if you are living off Daddy’s trust fund. If you want to be independent you are going to need to learn to spend your money wisely and make your own. This means you can’t have every designer handbag you want. You can’t get your nails, hair and body done every week and then spend the weekend drinking expensive cocktails. Independent women know when to say no and how to budget wisely.
Follow your passions. Don’t do a job because everyone is telling you to. Rather, get to know yourself and your passions. What are you good at, what do you get excited about doing everyday? Invest time and effort into your passion and it will turn into a lucrative career if you manage it well. It’s worth the work and worth the wait.
Find a role model. Who inspires you? Is it Beyonce or is it Oprah? Is it Hilary Clinton. We all have different dreams and desires and a different person will be more likely to strike our interest. Find someone who has the same values as you and who makes you feel like you can do it, because really, you can.
Get yourself a super close home girl. Your friends are your life as an independent lady. Make sure you get a supportive, fun and classy group of girl friends to go out and have a blast with. You’ll be needing a best friend to get you through the tough and the good times.
Invest in heath insurance. Time to be practical. You need health insurance and you need car insurance (if you have a car). If something happens, then you are going to need to know that the bills will be paid and you don’t have to pitch up at your friend’s house asking for a loan.
Create your own sense of style. Look at what’s out there and decide what you like and what you don’t. Investing into your style is important for an independent girl. You want to look and feel good about yourself. It doesn’t cost millions to go to the shops and get a decent outfit or a good hair cut.
Own your own beliefs on religious and political matters. Sweetheart, at the end of the day, you are going face God. Your parent’s religion and beliefs won’t be good enough to cut it. Read some books, speak to some friends and discover what you think. We don’t get into heaven on someone else’s faith- its our choice and our choice alone at the end.