Journal #23

Being self sufficient means that you can function by yourself. You can provide for yourself and do necessary things in order to survive. For example, as a child you depend on your parents for everything. They make you food, get you dressed, buy your things, and even when you are younger, bathe you. This is not being self sufficient. As you get to an age where you can start to do these things by yourself. Although teenagers may think they are self sufficient, they probably are not. When you are in high school, your parents still make your meals and pay for most of your expenses. Even in college, where you feel like such an independent person, you still are not self sufficient. Parents pay for at least some of your college tuition, and when you go home, it is their home, not your own. In my opinion, if you are being self sufficient is when you are completely dependent on you and only you. You have your own house and car that you bought with your own money that you earned. You also pay for your bills, including home, car, and life insurance. These things add up, which is why being self sufficient comes at an older age. Some people may start this earlier than others, but usually it is around the same age for most people. Along with just financial and personal independence, there is also being self sufficient mentally. If you look at yourself to solve problems, and want to handle things yourselves, without consulting people such as your mother and father. This means that you no longer depend on them for important decision making, and always wanting them to solve a problem for you. When you are self sufficient, you may go to others for guidance, but overall you make the decision yourself and no one else can decide for you. Being self sufficient takes time to reach, and does not come easily.