Independence.

I've always been the independent type. From a young age, I remember always liking to do things for myself. Maybe that's why I haven't had any major issues adjusting to living across the country from my family (not to say that I don't miss them like crazy!!). My independence is something I've grown to really appreciate about my personality.

Independence, I think, is both a learned skill and natural ability. Depending on the situation and personality of a person, that is. I have always leaned towards the "natural ability" end of the scale, but there are some things that I've learned independence for. This is not to say that I've learned how to do everything myself, because that's totally not true. I'll always need my mom for some things. But I think you get my point. 

I've learned to be independent about choices. This has been a huge, continuous life lesson for me, especially in the last few years. Like everyone else, I've been sucked into making choices against my natural will by others, whether it be friends or family. Although not all of it is intentional, I often find myself making decisions based on the opinions or welfare of peers. Not saying this is always a bad thing, but there is some beauty in learning how to use my own mind to make decisions.

I've learned to be independent in my style. Once upon a time I was bullied for what I wore. Once upon a time I let it bother me, severely. Let me tell you, as soon as I learned to be independent in choosing my own closet and letting myself feel confident in those things, it was like weight was lifted off my shoulders. I believe that you can learn a lot about a person by what they wear, and I wish I would have learned this kind of independence earlier. 

I've learned to be independent about my goals. It's easy to go with the crowd when it comes to choosing goals and outlooks for the future. One of the most enlightening moments of my life was when I decided to pursue my love of politics and government by studying Political Science here at Salem. Who cares what everyone else is doing? Independence within my goals for now and the future has helped me grow so much, even in the last few months. 

I've learned to be independent with others. This sounds backwards, but I promise it's not. Basically, I mean that I've learned how to be my own person in a group setting, rather than just attaching my voice to someone else's, or trying to mesh too much. This type of independence has taught me that my individual opinions and beliefs matter, even if they're not always heard. Personally, I think this has been my favorite (and most useful) lesson in independence.

Keep not settling,

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