Are you confident that you can rely on yourself to reach goals, meet deadlines, and overcome plateaus?
Let’s be honest, there are some endeavors that we don’t take on because we don’t trust that we will be able to accomplish what we set out to do. The inability to rely on ourselves can cause major life setbacks. Don’t get me wrong – we don’t live in this world alone. We should always be striving towards being a useful team player and contributing to the betterment to the community/world around us. However, how can we contribute to a bigger picture when we can’t be disciplined in our world of 1? You can’t really be a good support for anyone if you only halfway show up for yourself.
So, what does it mean to be self-reliant?
It means that you’re able to draw from your own spiritual foundation, ideas, talents, skills, and resources to take care of your business with minimal help from others. I’m not suggesting that you conquer the world alone and learn every subject known to man in order to get anything accomplished. That’s not efficient. What I am suggesting is that there’s empowerment and fulfillment in being able to rely on yourself.
Are you self-reliant? Take the quick assessment below:
+1 – 2pts #1 - You take immediate responsibility for your mistakes, pitfalls, or role in the downfall of something. One of the key features of self-reliance is taking responsibility for your actions and words. Do you pass up the chance to blame others first and speak up for your part of the problem right when it occurs? +1pt point for taking responsibility at some point +2pts for taking responsibility immediately and openly.
+1pt #2 - You intentionally stay informed on latest news and potential issues that could affect your environment, job, health, finances, business, etc. You recognize that there are external factors that affect how you maneuver through life and stay abreast of things in order to make moves if you need to.
+1pt #3 - You vent but don’t complain. You've setbacks or misfortunes that make you want to scream. Instead of complaining where you rehash the situation repeatedly with little movement beyond it, you get it out once and decide whether your next move is to address it or move past it.
+1 – 2pts #4 - You look for opportunities to learn. You regularly seek out new skills and activities where you can take care of things by yourself instead of hiring someone or investing in a service. A few examples are: learning how to do your own hair, changing your own oil, preparing healthy meals for yourself regularly, or building something in/for your house. +1 point for honing a skill from this +2pts for doing so within the past 6 months!
+1pt #5 - You don't mind entertaining yourself. It’s not difficult for you to find activities that keep you cheerful and occupied. You’re happy to be in your own company, at times, and you don’t have to make plans with others to have fun.
+1pt #6 - You reject negative influence. You can clearly and quickly identify the triggers that cause you to feel irritable, less confident, or unmotivated. In addition, you actively take inventory of these influences and remove them before they become comfortable.
+1pt #7 - You find opportunities to network. Whether you’re running errands, attending an event, or just surfing the web, you intentionally form connections to exchange information and form partnership. Your business cards are always on you.
+1pt #8 - You don’t expect others to rescue you. When an unforeseen circumstance pops up, your first thought is to utilize your capabilities fix it. You love your friends and family but you reach out to them only after you realize (and God prompts you) that you need to lean on others’ expertise and experience.
+1 – 2pts #9 - You manage your own finances. In addition to paying your bills on time, you have a budget (that you stick to) and live savings (live meaning that you consistently contribute to). +2pts if you either have an emergency fund,
stocks/bonds, or regularly contribute to retirement account.
+1pt #10 - You clean up after yourself. You handle your own upkeep in your home without being commanded to, yes, but you also pickup after yourself in public or when visiting someone. For instance, you wash your own dishes after you’ve eaten at friend’s house or you wait until you find a trash can to avoid throwing garbage in the street or out of your car window.
+1pt #11 – You monitor your emotions. We as women are often times feelers. However, you recognize your feelings and choose appropriate responses without getting riled up or letting someone else call you out first.
+1 – 2pts #12 – You create something. Whether you've made art pieces to design your home with or you learned recipes meal prep as part of your weight loss journey, you don’t mind taking a stab at producing something that you can otherwise easily purchase elsewhere. +2pts if you've created something in the past 3 months.
How’d you do?
A score of 11-16 – You are a Self-Reliant Person
You should feel confident in your ability to rely on the decisions you make for your future and your life. Don’t forget to delegate and reach out to others for help when you are out of your element.
A score of 6-10 – There are some areas where you rely on others
Perhaps you currently rely on others a good deal. Don’t feel bad. We all have to start somewhere. Evaluate the areas of your life you have the least control over and focus some energy on growing into self-sufficiency.
A score of 0-5 – You are dependent on others
Becoming self-reliant is a process. In order for you to be all God has called you to be, you will have to step away from depending on others and walk towards standing on your own two feet. Trust me, it’s for your own benefit.
Wherever you fall on this spectrum, there is always an opportunity to get better at something. The world is becoming an increasingly hollow place. We could use your God given gifts and talents to help others and collectively rise above the obstacles that evil has set before us.