Independence is doing what you want to do, knowing that you're

The singer and poet Jorja Smith, with a voice that carries both tenderness and strength, once spoke a truth both ancient and intimate: “Independence is doing what you want to do, knowing that you're happy with the decisions you're making and that it's the best for you.” In these words, she reveals that independence is not rebellion for its own sake, nor a cold separation from others, but a sacred harmony between freedom and self-awareness. It is the art of living with one’s choices — not out of pride, but out of peace. For true independence is not found in breaking every chain, but in mastering the self so that one’s will and one’s wisdom move as one.

At its heart, this quote speaks of authenticity — the courage to live in accordance with one’s own truth. To “do what you want to do” is not a call to recklessness, but to alignment: to act from the center of your being, rather than from fear or the expectations of others. The ancients understood this well. The Stoic philosophers, such as Epictetus and Marcus Aurelius, taught that freedom is not the absence of constraint, but the mastery of the soul over its desires and fears. The one who acts from inner conviction, rather than external approval, is the only one truly free. Jorja Smith’s words echo that same timeless wisdom — that independence begins within, as the quiet confidence that your path, though different from others, is right for you.

The origin of this insight lies in the eternal struggle between conformity and individuality. Every generation must wrestle with the tension between the voice of society and the voice of the heart. To follow one’s own way is rarely easy; it demands courage to stand apart, to risk misunderstanding, and to bear responsibility for one’s own happiness. Yet in doing so, one becomes whole. Smith, an artist in a world that constantly seeks to mold and measure, knows the price of independence — but also its joy. Her words remind us that true fulfillment comes not from pleasing the world, but from pleasing the soul.

History, too, has shown the power of this kind of independence. Consider Rosa Parks, a seamstress whose quiet decision to keep her seat on a Montgomery bus changed the course of history. In that moment, she was not thinking of fame or glory — she was acting in harmony with her conscience. She did what she believed was right for her, and in doing so, she ignited a movement that reshaped the world. Her independence was not isolation; it was strength rooted in conviction. Like Jorja Smith’s vision, it was the independence of one who knows herself — and therefore, cannot be swayed.

This is the essence of what it means to be truly independent: to make choices not from rebellion, but from clarity. The person who knows why they act, who finds peace in their decisions even amid uncertainty, is no longer tossed by the winds of opinion. They have discovered an anchor within — a quiet place of contentment that no power can take away. To live this way is to be both free and whole. It is to walk through the world with grace, unafraid of judgment, and untouched by the need to prove oneself.

Yet, this independence is not selfishness. Smith’s wisdom reminds us that choosing what is best for oneself does not mean neglecting others, but recognizing that joy cannot be shared if it is not first owned. A person who lives truthfully becomes a light to others — a living example that happiness, when grounded in integrity, uplifts all around it. This is the balance the ancients sought: to be free without being indifferent, to love others without losing oneself. True independence, therefore, is an act of self-respect that blossoms into compassion.

Let this then be the lesson passed down: to be independent is to live consciously. It is to ask, before each choice, “Does this bring me peace? Does it align with who I am?” And if the answer is yes, to walk that path without hesitation. Do not seek approval from those who have not walked your road. Do not measure your happiness by the applause of others. The only true measure is the calm of your own heart, the quiet knowing that you are at peace with what you have chosen.

So remember the teaching of Jorja Smith: independence is joy in your own choices. It is not found in defiance, but in self-trust; not in separation, but in understanding. Nurture that wisdom. Cultivate it through reflection, courage, and honesty. For when your actions and your heart move as one, when your decisions spring from the truth of your being, you will have found what all souls seek — not the freedom to do whatever you wish, but the freedom to be who you truly are.