Self-sufficient people can maintain their lives and care for themselves. They are independent and hard-working. You may know someone self-sufficient, or perhaps you are a self-sufficient person and didn’t know it.
Perhaps the most remarkable thing about someone who lives a self sufficient lifestyle is that they rarely notice it about themselves.
Eighteen Things That Self-sufficient People Do Without Realizing It.
Do you also hope to become self-sufficient? Try adopting these eighteen behaviors to become self-sustainable.
1 – Self-sufficient people provide for their own needs
Perhaps the first behavior you’ll notice about someone self-sufficient is their ability to provide for themselves. They’re hard workers and innovative in providing for themselves and their families. They may have a regular job and a side hustle to make extra money. They are your friend who has several degrees in different fields and talks about getting certified to do something else.
2 – Take responsibility
Self-sufficient individuals take responsibility for their lives. They don’t depend upon others to tell them how to do something. They’ll figure out how to pay their bills or get their car repaired. These folks also take responsibility by admitting when they’re wrong. They know they’re not perfect, and they’re quick to say, “I was wrong.” To them, mistakes are learning opportunities, not reasons to get defensive. Be ready for your self-sufficient friend to ignore your suggestions for them. It’s not in their DNA to depend on anyone else.
3 – To be self-sufficient means giving up control
Your sufficient friend knows how to take charge of their life, but they aren’t a control freak. This friend understands that some things in life are out of their control. They accept this yet stay strong. Your friend may rely upon faith or something else to anchor them when things get complicated. Self-sufficient people know when to let go or fight for something, which helps them stay peaceful in tough times. That’s why they make such great friends.
4 – Confident
Self-sufficient people have a healthy mix of confidence and independence. They make decisions well without leaning on others to tell them what to do. They can ask for others’ opinions, but they may not choose to follow the suggestions. Freedom of thought is an apparent habit of someone self-sufficient.
5 – Can ask for help
Even though someone is self-sufficient, it doesn’t mean they are afraid to ask for help. The very nature of this characteristic is that they know how to get help when they need it. Your friend is a learner and understands they don’t know everything. Your friend wants to learn from your experiences, so they can get help where they need it.
6 – Adaptable
Another indicator of self-sufficiency in a person is adaptability. They’re mentally strong enough to be flexible in all types of situations. When things go wrong, they don’t get upset or lose their confidence. They find a solution without worrying or obsessing over it. They will deal with what happens in a calm, self-controlled way. Self-sufficient are great friends to have since they can roll with whatever is going on without losing it.
7 – Compassionate
Self-sufficient individuals think about others. It’s thought that self-sufficiency equals selfishness, but this isn’t the case. Self-sufficient people are compassionate to others who can’t take care of themselves. Because these individuals are autonomous, they can help others, whether through financial giving, serving, or encouragement. They’re caring, kind-hearted, and generous who make good friends. So hang on to that self-sufficient friend you have.
8 – Healthy relationships
They have healthy relationships with their family and friends. They don’t rely upon these relationships for their self-esteem but can enjoy the people in their lives for who they are, not what they can do for them. Self-sufficient individuals give and receive without feeling guilty or needing to compete with others. Boundaries are essential to them, and they understand how to maintain boundaries with the people at work or school.
9 – Being Self Sufficient means someone can say no
Self-reliant people know how to say no when needed. They don’t worry about what you or others say or think about them. Because they’re comfortable in their skin, they aren’t reliant on being involved with people all the time. They’re comfortable standing up for themselves if someone is pressuring them. If you try to persuade your friend to do something, be ready for some pushback if they don’t want to do it.
10 – Not afraid to be alone
Whether married or single, these folks aren’t afraid to be alone. They can do life without having people around them all the time. They enjoy downtime at home, reading, or relaxing. Living with a sense of freedom to be alone or with people is a habit of the self-sufficient person. It may be frustrating for you as a friend, but you won’t take it personally once you realize this habit.
11 – Set high standards for themselves
Self-sufficient individuals have high standards, and they apply these standards most of all to themselves. With other people, they’re more forgiving, but for themselves, they highly value these standards. These high standards could be about having healthy eating habits and exercising, or a standard for how they work in their job. They will be the hardest workers and the most patient learners because of their high standards for what their lives should look like.
12 – Happy with who they are
These people are happy with their life and who they are becoming. Life is fun for them because they are doing the things they love. Researchers found that most satisfied people are those who have certain character traits, including the following:
- Highly self-confident
- Resourceful
- Purposeful
- Responsible or self-directedness
The happiest people were also helpful, tolerant, and forgiving. The individuals who were selfish or self-centered were the most unhappy. If you hang out with a self-sufficient person, be ready to be challenged by their happiness. No doubt, they’ll inspire you to be more like them.
13 – Trust their instincts
self-sufficient people know their minds and trust their instincts in a matter. They’re prepared to go it alone if necessary, even if it means going against what others think. They don’t have big egos. Meaning they don’t need to be correct. But they trust their mind enough to choose for themselves in a non-competitive way. Don’t try to talk them into something they feel bad about. You won’t win.
14 – They are team players
Interestingly enough, self-sufficient people are not loners. They make great team players. They will help the team, working the hardest of any member on that team. Indeed, they want to see others succeed but aren’t afraid of taking the lead if no one else does. Because they’re such hard workers and so committed to finishing, they make great co-workers and friends.
15 – Express their emotions
One of the habits of a self-sufficient person is the awareness and the ability to express their emotions. They’re not afraid of expressing feelings and are aware of how they feel about a matter. Self-sufficient people know that how they feel may be different from reality. Because of this, they don’t make decisions based on their changing feelings. This self-knowledge they possess serves them when they’re talking to other people. They don’t need others to validate these feelings but can share without manipulation honestly.
16 – Authenticity is a trademark of a self-sufficient person
Autonomous people are authentic. Playing games is foreign to them. If you ask them a question, be prepared for an honest answer. They’ll tell the truth with respect. Impressing people isn’t necessary to them because they’re honestly authentic people.
17 – Hard to insult
Self-sufficient people are hard to insult. It isn’t that they don’t get the point of the jab. It’s just that they don’t react. They’re comfortable in their skin, so they don’t worry about others’ opinions. When they get praised for something they’ve done, they don’t let it affect them too much because they aren’t caught up in self-importance.
They value their friends’ opinions and what they think, so you can talk to them about things they did wrong and know they listened to you.
18 – Self-sufficiency leads to security and confidence
Self-sufficiency means feeling secure. It’s an ability to be rooted, not easily swayed. This individual can’t be moved by peer pressure or manipulation. They have a humble but confident sense of who they are. They may attribute their security to a strong faith in God or family values. What they have is more profound than self-esteem. It’s the ability to be firm in life.
Final Thoughts on the Habits of Self Sufficient People
You may know someone self-sufficient. After reading these 18 habits, perhaps you understand them better. If you’ve tried to talk your autonomous friend into doing something, and they balked at it. Or if you’ve asked their opinion and they gave you such an honest answer you wished you hadn’t requested, now you know why. If your friend is genuinely self-sufficient, then you probably have a great friend.
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