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This post is not supposed to be about being antisocial, distrusting others, losing faith in humanity, or anything like that. It’s not meant to be negative. I believe that we can and should rely on others for a lot of things. Hopefully, everyone you consider a real friend in your life is someone you can rely on for many things. And hopefully you have a family that you can turn to for help with just about anything. There is strength in asking for help. There is strength in numbers. There is humility in admitting that you can’t do some things alone. But, when all is said and done, there are just some things that you need to be able to rely on yourself for, because a lot of times, others won’t be able to give it to you. In fact, there may be many times when others try to directly stand in the way of you getting what you need.
Remember that people have their own agendas. They have their own insecurities. They have their own blind spots. Even those who love you and want the best for you are flawed, and looking to them for guidance could send you down the wrong path. Why? Because they’re on the wrong paths themselves. People are busy, too. While a friend may offer to be there any time you need her, she just wrote a check she can’t cash. Nobody can actually be there for you any time, unless you literally pay a life coach to be on call for you. People have their own stuff to do. They need to be there for themselves, and that will take priority over being there for you. But if you can learn to rely on yourself for some of these core things, you’re set for life.
Exercise self-discipline
If you want a gym buddy, that’s fine, and can be helpful on some days. But if your pact is, “I go to the gym when you do,” then you may quickly find yourself taking a lot of days off. You need to tell yourself that you are sticking to your exercise routine, regardless of what anyone else is doing.
