A Journey to Personal Independence
Freedom comes in different forms and meaning for every individual. For our forefathers, the Philippine flag waving unchallenged in June 12, 1898 at the patio of Emilio Aguinaldo's house in Imus, Cavite, meant independence from our Spanish oppressors. For the Avon Representatives whom I’ve met in my various functions working in Avon Philippines, freedom for them means being empowered to earn for their families, to be free from debt, to be free from worrying about the future.
Each Avon Representative has her own version of HERstory (HIStory for our few good Avon Men). Each journey is unique but every path leads to an inspiring narrative of success, to a woman’s own financial and personal independence. Having heard their stories encouraged me to reflect on my own passage to personal independence and I would like to share them with you in this article, hoping that you, too, can find your path to your own independence.
For my then 19-year-old self, graduating means freedom from homework, freedom from strict teachers, and freedom from the daily routine of a typical college student. Little did I know that like everything else, freedom comes with a price. Yes, I have the time to do I as I please but it also means I have to fend for my own – using what’s left of my allowance to go out with friends and purchase the things I want, all these while job hunting.
It didn’t take long before my allowance was exhausted and I had to ask my parents for support – lunch money, car rides to job interviews, and the occasional-turned-weekly asking for wardrobe allowance. My short-lived, sought-after independence was gone after a few weeks because I was reckless.
I got my first job as researcher soon after. It felt great to be finally free of my parents’ stipend. I felt infinite – I bought an entirely new work wardrobe and exhausted my month’s salary in a day of shopping. Come Monday, I was back to stretching my weekly budget of bringing packed lunch to work, again care of my mother’s good heart. Again, I became a prisoner of my own doing and money is my tyrant. Eventually, I learned to manage my finances better (saving at least 10% of your salary is the key) and I saved enough to travel on my own, to go on casual shopping trips, and to eventually move out of my parent’s house.
Living on your own is an experience every young woman should aspire for to get a sense of independence. But like every bright-eyed lad’s dream comes the realization of monthly association dues, groceries, laundry, and housekeeping, exactly the things I felt chained to when I moved in the city on my own. There are times I wished I was back in my parent’s house where everything is free but at what cost? Yes, I’ll live a more comfortable life, but I will have missed out on exploring the city on my own, missed out on learning the value of back-breaking household labor, and missed out on the opportunity to make it in life on my own.
Independence means differently to each person. Through the years of seeking independence, I have learned that freedom is not absolute. You have to constantly fight for it, make sacrifices to attain it, and make your own definition of it to truly treasure your journey to independence.
