With Independence Day just around the corner, it’s important to recognize that independence doesn’t just mean being free from outside forces, but is also something deeply personal. A powerful, but less discussed, form of freedom is the one that comes from within, in terms of making the right choices and being strong enough to stick to them. Not only does this make you a more confident person, but it also allows for better mental health, less anxiety, healthier relationships, and most of all, overall sexual well-being and a positive attitude towards sex.
Here are some ways you can exercise this choice, as shared by Pragya Arora, a psychologist at Coto:
Understand your own emotions:
In my practice as a mental health expert, I place a lot of emphasis on the importance of self-awareness, especially when it comes to making decisions. Understanding your own emotions, needs, desires, and values is fundamental to this self-awareness and helps you make this choice effectively.
This also requires mindfulness – you can’t make decisions if you don’t take the time to reflect on the implications of your actions and how they will affect you. This also helps you understand whether you are making a decision simply because of social pressure or because it is something your heart truly desires.
Knowing if you are making the right decisions in life:
It can be complicated, but from a professional perspective, one of the simplest and surest ways to know if you’re making the right choices in life is to see if they indicate long-term well-being. When I speak to my clients (via live or offline consultations), I encourage them to consider whether their choices and their inherent core values are aligned – this will translate into a healthier outlook on life and a more positive mindset, contributing to overall well-being. It’s also important to understand your emotional responses to the choices you’ve made – this can help you improve your decision-making skills and become more confident overall.
Understanding how independent choice positively impacts mental health, sexual well-being, and relationships:
Our choices affect almost every aspect of our lives, including our relationships with others and ourselves. Through my work at coto, I have witnessed how people have transformed their mental health and gained an overall positive outlook on life simply because of the choices they have learned to make. As a psychologist, I understand and emphasize the role of therapy in helping to reach this stage, where people surround themselves with supportive people and prioritize self-care.
When it comes to sexual well-being, I believe that consent creates a foundation of trust and mutual respect, which leads to healthier relationships. What also helps relationships is the understanding that develops between partners, which manifests itself in small things like choosing to listen to your partner, contributing to household chores without being asked, making time for each other, etc.
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