I don’t know why the words “independent woman” have been laden with negative connotations nowadays, when in fact this is a very positive and empowering term. The common misconception people have when we say that “she’s an independent woman” is that she is a feminist or that she is someone who doesn’t need a man in her life.
This for me is nothing but a mere misconception. I studied feminism in the past and I found out that the two are different from each other – independence doesn’t necessarily include feminism; one can be independent even without being a die-hard feminist. Being independent doesn’t mean having a vendetta to make the world free from men or to overturn the rule of men.
Let’s just face the reality that no man (or woman) is an island. It’s impossible for us to live alone in this world, since it’s in our nature to be social beings. So when I say I’m an independent woman, I’m not claiming that I can live alone in this world. I would be a hypocrite if I said that I don’t need a man in my life, because I know my limitations. I know that there are some things that I cannot do, but a man can; in the same way that there are also things that only women can do.
Being an independent woman means being able to express yourself in whatever way that you like, and having the capacity to do the things that you want to do without forcing yourself to fit into a standard female stereotype. You can act the way that you want to act in order to express your innermost feelings without trying to look submissive, shy, or forcing any other trait which women are expected to have – simply because of being a woman. 
Being independent means having the confidence to make your own decisions and choices, having the courage and strength to voice out your own thoughts and opinions, having the finances to buy whatever you want (without needing the credit card of your man). It means being strong and secure in your own person.
To be woman who is strong, determined and independent at the same time is a very powerful combination. Independence is a powerful gift that a woman can give to herself. It can lead her to reach greater heights and achieve higher goals. And at the end of the day, the happiness and contentment that a woman feels by being independent is all that matters.
“There was a time when men thought it was sexy to have a housewife waiting for him to come home from work in her slippers, but in modern society, I think an independent woman is even more sexy.” – Katerina Graham
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