Here’s a question for you to ponder: which of these characteristics do you notice more in your life?
Dependency is when I believe that I cannot live without something or someone (it can range from dependencies on substances like cigarettes and social media to attachments to individuals, even your loved ones).
Codependency: In this scenario, both you and another person believe you cannot live without each other.
Independence is when you feel you don’t need others, and you believe all your needs can be met without relying on a specific person or people in general (I wonder if anyone experiences this?).
Interdependence is the recognition that you need others to fulfill your needs, and others need you for their needs. Yet, we are complete and rely on ourselves, knowing that our needs can be met by life itself, not solely through a specific person.
For instance, I was once asked if I could live without my children. While this is a provocative and theoretical question, my immediate internal response was a resounding “no.” This made me reflect on whether this unequivocal answer was driven by fear and what impact my fear, expressed through overprotectiveness, might have on my children.
What about you? Is there something or someone in your life that you feel you cannot live without, or do you believe you cannot? It’s worth noting that freeing yourself from dependency or codependency can bring an abundance of energy, a sense of expansion, and an additional wellspring of inner strength.