Creating A Self-Reliant Mentality

This post first appeared on the skirt! Charleston blog.  Head over to see guest posts from members of the Charleston Blog Society contributors each Tuesday!

As women, our lives are complicated: pay gaps, lingering gender stereotypes, unreasonable image expectations, and the constant juggle of home and work life balance.  Each and every one of us needs the confidence to create a self-reliant mentality to stay true to ourselves and our beliefs.  Becoming strong, independent women begins here:

Set goals - For tomorrow or five years from now, goals help us know where we're going and how to get there.  Start small, aiming to wake up every morning and do something productive, whether it's work out, eat a healthy breakfast, or just not hit the snooze button five times before work.  From there, each rung higher and higher up the ladder will appear easier to climb: applying for that promotion at work, traveling to a foreign country, or stepping out of your comfort zone to further your education.

Stay organized - This step will make the previous one so much easier.  Splurge a little and start by buying yourself that pretty planner or calendar.  I know that I'm personally far more likely to record my plans and to-do lists in something I enjoy taking out of my purse.  If you struggle with organization, try making a mental note (or writing down) the three most important things for that day.  Do that everyday, and you will be sure to stay on top of things without feeling overwhelmed.

Create time for yourself - On that to-do list, make sure that you are your own priority.  Take a bath, go for a run, listen to music, even watch a favorite show on Netflix; stop your mind from wandering about everything in your stressful life, if only for a few minutes.  If you can't find that snippet of time each day, think about your routines and reevaluate where you might be wasting time.  By appreciating yourself, your happiness will surely increase.

Be informed - What interests you?  Politics, business, religion, sports, health, technology?  Make a daily commitment to read up on and go deeper into what you enjoy.  The best traits of a self-reliant person are keeping a balanced perspective, knowing what's going on locally and across the world, and finding positive view points.

Surround yourself with positive people - Self reliance does not mean cutting yourself off from the rest of the world.  Creating healthy relationships takes time.  "People are like dirt. They can either nourish you and help you grow as a person, or they can stunt your growth and make you wilt and die.” ― Plato

Are you a self-reliant person?  Do you already live by any of these ideals in your life?

“Nothing can bring you peace but yourself.  Nothing can bring you peace but the triumph of principles.” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson, Self Reliance