How do you reclaim your autonomy? Everyone understands autonomy more than they realize. From potty training to learning to walk, riding a bike, or even deciding to stay up late to finish work, we’ve all shown that independence isn’t just for a select few. However, we often forget this when we put ourselves completely under the control of our employers. But it doesn’t have to be this way.

The impact of losing autonomy on health is more significant than we often realize. When autonomy is lost, it can manifest as the stuckness of depression, where even simple tasks feel impossible. It can show up as the relentless grip of anxiety, making it feel as though worry is something you cannot turn off. Or it can appear in harmful obsessions, where, despite knowing rationally that certain behaviors are destructive, you feel powerless to resist them. In many cases, losing autonomy leads people to seek quick fixes—turning to drugs like GLP-1 inhibitors to regain control over their eating habits, avoiding exercise due to a sense of helplessness, or developing coping mechanisms that work against other parts of their lives. Over time, these choices can increase the risk of serious health conditions like cardiovascular disease, reinforcing the cycle of dependency and poor well-being.

Losing autonomy can be a temporary escape from responsibility, decision-making, and self-discipline, but the cost is high. Without it, we lose control over our lives and well-being. The key is recognizing when it’s slipping away and taking steps—through self-discipline, reflection, and value-driven choices—to reclaim it.