Power in Independence

The Power of Doing It Yourself: How Independence Became My Superpower

I’ve always carried a fierce streak of independence, but it wasn’t until this past year that I truly realised what a superpower it could be. There’s something unbelievably grounding about rolling up your sleeves, getting stuck in and figuring something out with your own two hands. The more I learnt to do for myself, the more I realised how little I actually need from others - and that realisation became my liberation

There was a time I outsourced everything: hairdresser appointments, gardeners, handymen, mechanics. I’d hand money over and wait for someone else to fix, adjust or perfect something in my own life. Yes, it was easier - but it never felt fully mine. One day I asked myself a simple question:
“Why am I paying people to do things I’m perfectly capable of learning?”
And that question changed everything.

The Woman Who Does It Herself

Now? I’m the woman who tackles almost anything head-on:

🔧 Home Repairs

I’ve stood on a stool with a drill buzzing in my hands, installing shelves that weren’t perfectly straight the first time, but I fixed them. I’ve fought with Allen keys, re-tightened wobbling table legs and replaced broken handles after YouTubing the exact mechanism.

I resealed my own bathtub, scraping out all the old silicone, taping the edges neatly and doing the entire job myself at 11pm, because I didn’t want to wait another day for someone else to show up.

I’ve painted rooms in my house, patching little imperfections as I go, making sure the colour looks even and clean from every angle. I’ve also repaired cornices using Alcolin Contractors Acrylic, carefully filling gaps and cracks, sanding down rough edges and blending it so seamlessly that it almost looks like it was never damaged.

🌱 Outdoor & Garden Work

I’ve crawled through flowerbeds, tracing faulty wires and rewiring garden lights I once would’ve paid someone to replace. I’ve dug holes, planted perennials, hauled bags of soil bigger than me and learnt to prune plants without turning them into bald stumps.

I’ve also created a stone pathway around the tree where the ground is too hard for anything to grow, shaping a space where life can thrive despite the challenges.

🚗 Car Maintenance

When a headlight went out, I YouTubed my car model, popped the bonnet and replaced the bulb myself - standing barefoot on the driveway, grease on my hands, incredibly proud of something that cost me very little instead of a mechanic’s invoice.

I’ve inflated tyres, checked brake lights and even replaced my windscreen wipers in the middle of a carpark, because I refused to “wait for someone more qualified.”

🎸 Learning New Skills

Nearly every week, I teach myself a new song on the guitar. I sit cross-legged on the floor, listening for chords, figuring out riffs by ear - not because I have to, but because I can. Independence, to me, is also creative freedom.

🧩 Everyday Mental Load

I plan my own travels, handle my own finances, research my own health concerns, fix my own tech issues and navigate breakdowns - emotional or mechanical - with the same mindset:
“Okay. I’ll figure it out.”

These aren’t just tasks.
They’re declarations.
Proof that I can handle my life.

🎨 Hair & Creativity

More recently, I’ve shaved my undercut just by feel, with a mirror awkwardly propped behind me and I colour my hair without permission or an appointment. I’ve learnt how to do my own brows, shape my nails and give myself a massage with a foam roller when my shoulders lock up.

The Deeper Layer No One Talks About

Every DIY project has taught me far more than the skill itself:

• Patience when things don’t go right the first time

• Problem-solving when instructions make no sense

• Creativity when the “correct” way doesn’t work

• Resilience when I have to start over

• Confidence every time I succeed

Crooked shelves, failed plant experiments, wonky hair sections and guitar riffs that sound almost right - it’s all part of the process. And the best part? The victories feel ten times sweeter because they’re entirely self-made.

The more I do for myself, the less I need others. That doesn’t mean I push people away or refuse support - it simply means I don’t rely on others for my own sense of capability.

I trust me, and that’s the foundation of my independence.

How This Shapes My Work as a Life Coach

My lived experience is the backbone of how I coach.

I help clients:

• build confidence through action

• stop waiting for permission

• try things they’ve convinced themselves they “can’t do”

• take ownership of their growth

• discover the strength that’s been hiding inside them the whole time

Independence isn’t about perfection. It’s about courage, curiosity and the willingness to get your hands dirty - even if you mess up the first three times.

I teach people how to take one tiny step, then another and then another, because that’s how self-trust is built: through repetition, resilience and trying again.

A Mindset, Not a Skillset

Hyper-independence touches every part of my life - home projects, personal goals, creative work, self-care and the more I lean into it, the more unstoppable I feel. The world becomes less intimidating when you know you can rely on yourself.

Doing things yourself isn’t just about saving money or time.
It’s about:

• reclaiming control

• building confidence

• choosing freedom

• proving your own capability

• rewriting the story of what you think you’re capable of

And honestly?
It’s fun!
There’s a secret thrill in solving a problem no one else could fix for you.

You Don’t Need to Wait for Anyone

I’m not advocating isolation. We all need connection, but knowing you can do things yourself?
That’s a strength nothing and no one can take from you.

So, whether it’s fixing a garden light, hanging a shelf, colouring your hair, learning a chord progression or tackling something you’ve been putting off - I encourage you to try it.

The first attempt might be awkward. It might be messy. You might swear under your breath, but every time you succeed on your own, you take back another piece of your power.

Independence is my superpower and as a life coach, I want every woman - and every person - to feel that same spark.
You don’t need permission.
You don’t need someone else’s approval.
You just need a little courage, a little curiosity and a willingness to begin.

Every step you take on your own is an act of empowerment.

With you on the journey,
– Storm Reagan
Life Coach | Lived Experience Guide