Self-sufficient People: What Are They Like?

Self-reliant people combine good self-esteem and a particular taste for independence. They like to decide for themselves without having to depend on others, they do not fear loneliness and are usually those figures who are sometimes difficult to understand, since they do not follow any conventionalism. Because beyond these characteristics, their freedom of thought defines them.

It is curious how when visualizing the word “self-sufficiency” the first thing that comes to mind is the image of someone who does not usually need anyone and who uses his own means to survive. However, this term actually contains valuable nutrients from a psychological point of view. It is worth delving into this concept to develop it, put aside stereotypes and integrate it into the repertoire of our personal growth.

At the end of the day, this concept is not synonymous with detachment, it is not being the classic outsider who does not need anything or anyone. Self-reliance is the art of trusting yourself. 

Self-sufficient people: the five pillars that define them

When talking about self-sufficiency, it is common to refer to what is considered its true guru: the ecologist John Seymour. It was he who started a movement that led thousands of people to change their lifestyles during the 1960s and 1970s. With books like The Self – Sufficient Life and How to Live It, he  encouraged people to make revolutionary changes.

A good part of those transformations happened to leave the life of the office or the factories to live in the field. This made, for example, in the United Kingdom alternative communities of groups of people who led an environmental movement appeared. Thus, the first thing these hundreds of men and women (mostly young) discovered is that self-reliance requires a lot of effort.

It was not easy to stay out of the system and survive only on the field and what the land offered. However, something more important happened. Many realized that while financial self-sufficiency was not viable through this lifestyle, they did develop psychological self-sufficiency. That is, they learned to think and decide for themselves and adopt a more critical view of things. 

Let’s see below what other traits define self-reliant people .

Personal safety and satisfaction define them

We are born as creatures completely dependent on our parents. The truth is that it is very difficult for us to acquire that independence and self-sufficiency by which to fend for ourselves in any aspect: emotional, social, economic …

It is common for a good part of our lives to feel attached to many of our close figures. Acquiring full independence in all aspects implies developing good self-confidence.

Later, and as we discover what we are capable of, comes satisfaction for who we are, for our potential and worth. All this is threaded with the thread of self-esteem and that of self-love, essential in self-sufficient people.

They feel solely responsible for their own life

Self-sufficient people are defined by an indisputable pillar: they enjoy feeling responsible for their own life. What does this mean? It implies that they do not leave their decisions on the shoulders of others. They do not depend on what others do, say or expect of them to act.

They are reluctant to meet other people’s expectations, they limit themselves to following only their wishes, personal goals and aspirations at each stage of their lives. They also assume their own mistakes and failures. Only in this way do they acquire valuable lessons to keep moving forward.

They are skilled in emotional intelligence

There is a very special and characteristic trait of self-sufficient people. They usually spend a lot of time with themselves and that contact with their own loneliness has allowed them to learn to regulate their emotions.

The self-knowledge that traces its essence is combined with the ability to manage feelings, rationalize thoughts and regulate one’s own behavior at all times. Skill in emotional intelligence drives that existential self-satisfaction so common in self-reliant men and women.

They focus on what is in their control and accept what is outside of it.

Self-sufficiency is above all having your life under control and feeling free when deciding your own path. Now, there is an aspect that defines this type of personality. They know that there are many things that escape their will, that ability to control what surrounds them.

Disappointments, losses, crises, twists of fate … There are countless aspects that one cannot foresee. However, self-sufficient people accept them, know how to face adversity and always try to survive any circumstance.

They are not cold or detached, they value authenticity at all times

Sometimes, this independence in the character of this personality can make us think that they are cold and that they are always marking distances. However, none of this is completely true. Self-sufficient people do appreciate closeness, but they are selective when it comes to bonding.

They value authenticity, sincere affection, true friendship, alliances that enrich and that do not limit or veto their own freedom. They are figures in our society who do not need to prove anything to anyone, but who delight in the bonds that they nurture and who know how to respect, above all, their way of being.