Miss Independent- A Message For The Independent Woman

Girl, your independence is your super power! You know when you see the words “independent” and “woman” you automatically hear Kelly Clarkson playing in your head (or maybe that’s just me)?

I am laying in bed at 11:21 unable to unplug my brain because my creativity is at its height around midnight(ish). This works out REALLY well with a full-time job.

I have been pondering and reflecting on my life and thinking about myself as a toddler. As a toddler, my independence dominated my personality. I find this trait so interesting about myself. My best quote as a child was, “I’ll do it by ‘mine’ self” (ask anyone who tried to help me). I always had it handled and I always wanted to do everything on my own.

My parents always told me that I tried to run before I could even walk (and there is video coverage to prove it). I believe that some people are just born to be more independent than others and would rather see their actions get them to the finish line. If this is you, there’s nothing wrong with this!

Asking for help when I need it has always been so hard for me. I wish it were easier for me to ask for help, but it takes everything out of me to reach out for help.

One day when I was in grad school, I had a professor who I was very close to come into my office where I was working as a graduate assistant. I think she saw that I was having a hard time and that I was struggling. It isn’t easy for me to hide my emotions, so I think she wanted to give me some advice, not realizing how desperately I needed to her what she had to say.

She said these words to me, “Jessica, you don’t ask for help. You remind me of me and you take on more than you can handle. You can’t do it on your own. I know you think you can, but your downfall will be that you don’t ask for help.”

I took a moment to process before bursting into tears and realized that she was in fact right! It wasn’t until then that I realized that asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness. It is actually a strength! She changed my life that day and I know she doesn’t know this, but those words have stuck with me nearly 4 years later.

So, miss independent, it is perfectly okay for you to wear that crown on your head and straighten it yourself when it get crooked, but if you are unable to do it yourself, it is okay to ask for help.

I declared my independence the moment I was born. I think independence is a heavy part of who I am. It helps me think and act for myself. It helps me to have an opinion of my own without influence. I think that independent women are on the rise and are coming out of the woodworks to own our truth of who we are.

All of us independent women are a small community who are pioneering this change of being in charge. We are able to think for ourselves and have our own opinions. We can have influence on both men and women. We can run meetings and be the boss. In case you didn’t know it, independent women are on the rise and I am so happy to be just one of hundreds of thousands of women who own this title and wear it as a badge of honor!

Now go and blast Miss Independent on your airpods because I know you want to!