5 Things Emotionally Independent People Do

Do you seek approval and validation from others when you are upset or low? Is your happiness based on a new luxury bag or a trip to some exotic place?

Inner happiness is much more than this. One of the downsides to this emotional dependence is that when things don't go our way, it affects our mood and feelings, negatively.

Emotional independence is inner resilience that lets you know you can face or solve any circumstance that comes your way. It means having a sense of self-worth, without depending on others. Emotional independence is the ability to regulate your emotions. Those who are emotionally independent don’t have to look outside of themselves to be happy. Of course, it is normal to seek validation from your loved ones but with emotional dependence and intelligence, one can draw a line because of their sense of self-esteem which remains intact due to their inherent belief in themselves.

So, let’s cultivate a sense of happiness and peace by learning to be emotionally independent. Here are 5 things emotionally independent people do:

1. Practice Self-compassion 

Self-compassion is the practice of showing yourself kindness and compassion, especially when faced with a situation of turmoil or strife. A distinguishing factor for all emotionally intelligent people is that they show themselves the same respect and kindness that they show to people in their surroundings. So, if you feel that your emotional independence requires work, try being kind to yourself and then infect your surroundings with the same compassion.

1. Keep a Journal 

Journals don’t just help one navigate their progress in the work scenario, but also help with keeping track of one's emotional well-being. Journals make it easy to reflect and associate with your emotions. Writing down your thoughts and beliefs that keep you emotionally dependent on others helps you to work on them more efficiently.

1. Practice Rational Reasoning 

In the crudest sense, rational reasoning can be defined as looking at a situation in a rational way and doing what is best and mindful now. One effective way of practicing rational reasoning is to realize and accept your feelings. This will bring perspective and ensure that the situation does not slip away from you because of the overwhelmed feelings caused due to the flux of emotions.

1. Practice Mindfulness 

Mindfulness entails awareness and acceptance. To practice mindfulness, one needn’t be a saint or a guru, but simply be aware of your situation and accept your emotional reaction to that. For emotional intelligence, acceptance of emotions and awareness of the situation must be done so that the situation can be dealt with ‘mindfully’. Happiness cannot be experienced to its fullest without other emotions like sadness and anger. One needs the full spectrum of human emotions to be able to live life to the fullest. So, accept your emotions and this would lead you toward the emotional epiphany you might be missing.

1. Don’t blame others for your happiness

Emotional independence begins with personal responsibility which means making your own decisions without seeking reassurance. In general, whenever something bad happens, humans tend to blame someone else for their misfortune. “It was not me; it was him!” i.e. victimizing themselves. But you’ll never see a person with an emotionally independent person doing it because they just know how to own up to their mistakes.

Emotional Intelligence is like practicing yoga in the morning, the more consistent you are with it, the more you would be able to incorporate it into your life. So, try to build yourself and add to your life by trying the above practices to be more emotionally aware and independent.