I have never been the type of person to depend on others. Of course, I ask for my friends’ and family’s opinions and advice if I need a little help with a problem, but for the most part, I am very self-reliant. While this sometimes leads me to put high levels of pressure and stress on myself, it has ultimately helped me become the strong-willed, independent person I am today. Here’s why I think self-reliance is so important:

It helps build resilience.

Life is full of ups and downs. A cliché statement, yes, but true nonetheless. If you are able to face the “downs” of life head-on and independently, you are more likely to build the resilience necessary to overcome anything that life throws at you. I’m not saying it’s bad to rely on others, but in reality, there will come a time that you must be able to take on life yourself, and take care of your own needs and responsibilities.

By being self-reliant in hard times, I feel confident that there is nothing I cannot bounce back from. This is really important, especially when it comes to being denied by the employer you so desperately wanted to work for, getting a C on the paper you thought you aced, and even something as simple as taking responsibility for a wrongdoing and apologizing in a mature manner.

It bolsters confidence.

Like I said above, being able to rely on yourself in various situations helps immensely with your sense of self-worth. Confidence is arguably one of the most important characteristics to possess, as it helps you in both personal and professional aspects of your life. The more you succeed and thrive independently, the more you realize you are capable of achieving. Exuding confidence (not to be confused with cockiness) draws the attention of others, helps you to make new friends and connections, and is an important trait of the best leaders in history.

It helps you to be more self-aware.

Part of self-reliance is being comfortable with being alone. Spending time completely alone is not an easy task to achieve in this day and age, when we are all connected 24/7, if not by face-to-face interaction, through our many forms of technology. However, doing things on your own, even just eating lunch or going for a 30-minute run alone, helps immensely in your self-awareness. When you are away from others for a period of time, you are able to reflect and think, and just get to know yourself. It helps you become aware of your strengths and weaknesses, focus on what you need to improve, and evaluate your decisions. One of my goals in life is to constantly improve and to never settle for less than what I am capable of, and having self-awareness is a huge step toward achieving that goal.

It makes you appreciate others more.

When you rely on your own judgment and strengths to navigate life, you come to realize when too much is too much. Let me explain. Being the stubborn, independent person I am, I definitely overextend myself sometimes. Taking on one too many responsibilities or trying to overcome a difficulty completely alone can be overwhelming. This has helped me to recognize when I am putting too much pressure on myself, and has led me to seek the assistance and advice of others when I truly need it. Doing things on my own and spending time alone has taught me to appreciate those that I’m close to and their support more so than ever before.