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A Simple Plan for Our Journey toward Self-Reliance
“Self-reliance is a doctrine of the gospel of Jesus Christ, not a program.”1
When was the last time you prayerfully sought how to build your self-reliance?
Self-reliance is “the ability, commitment, and effort to provide the spiritual and temporal necessities of life for self and family.”2 It’s important in Heavenly Father’s plan for us because it has large effects on our lives. As President Dallin H. Oaks, First Counselor in the First Presidency, said, “Whatever causes us to be dependent on someone else for decisions or resources we could provide for ourselves weakens us spiritually and retards our growth toward what the gospel plan intends us to be.”3 That doesn’t mean we will never need help, because becoming self-reliant often includes turning to others as we grow. But it does include making continual progress toward providing for ourselves those things we can.
Becoming self-reliant happens line upon line (see 2 Nephi 28:30). Here are a few simple ideas to help strengthen our self-reliance.
Begin the Journey
We’ve all got to start (or press forward!) from somewhere, and now is the best time. President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, then the Second Counselor in the First Presidency, taught:
“An old proverb says, ‘The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The second-best time is now.’
“There is something wonderful and hopeful about the word now. There is something empowering about the fact that if we choose to decide now, we can move forward at this very moment.
“Now is the best time to start becoming the person we eventually want to be—not only 20 years from now but also for all eternity.”4
We should involve God and others who can guide us in our journey. We can prayerfully seek to find out what we need to work on to build our self-reliance. For example, we could do things like:
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“Take charge of [our] own testimony of Jesus Christ and His gospel,”5 as President Russell M. Nelson taught.
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Learn to sew a button on a shirt.
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Create a budget and follow it.
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Learn a skill for a job.
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Cook a nice meal.
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Learn to change a tire on a bike or car.
We can take time to research and understand what it is we want to do and seek what Heavenly Father wants us to do in His wisdom of knowing what is best for each of us. Setting wise goals will help us throughout this process.
Continue with Patience, and Endure
Destinations do not come right after the starting line. Journeys take time. Do not be discouraged if the path of self-reliance becomes long or tiring.
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said: “It is the plain and very sobering truth that before great moments, certainly before great spiritual moments, there can come adversity, opposition, and darkness. Life has some of those moments for us, and occasionally they come just as we are approaching an important decision or a significant step in our life.”6
If we are struggling with discouragement, we can take a step back. Instead of trying to accomplish a big goal, what if we tackled one thing at a time? Maybe a stepping-stone to our ultimate goal is building emotional resilience; learning how to manage stress or developing a good relationship with ourselves will only further our self-reliance journeys. Or maybe our goal will be to learn to communicate better with others who can help us.
President Russell M. Nelson said: “We need not be dismayed if our earnest efforts toward perfection now seem so arduous and endless. Perfection is pending. It can come in full only after the Resurrection and only though the Lord.”7 So keep going. Growth is possible!
Celebrate Success
Whether we complete a long-term goal or have a small victory, it is a reason to be joyful. We can be proud of our progress and accomplishments. It is time to celebrate!
We should remember to thank Heavenly Father (see 1 Thessalonians 5:18; Mosiah 26:39) and others who helped us to become more self-reliant.
Continually Improve
After finding success, what’s next?
Elder Hugo E. Martinez of the Seventy said:
“Self-reliance is a doctrine of the gospel of Jesus Christ, not a program. It is a process that lasts a lifetime, not an event.
“We become self-reliant throughout our lives by growing in spiritual strength, improving our physical and emotional health, pursuing our education and employment, and being temporally prepared [see General Handbook, 22.1]. Is this task ever finished during our lives? No, it is a lifelong process of learning, growth, and work. It never ends; it is a continuous, daily process.”8
As we continue to grow, we and our family members will be blessed with greater faith, strength, and self-respect. Then, with our surplus of self-reliance, we can go help others do the same.