I have worked with CBT for two years. I have written various articles since I joined CBT. However, this is the first time for me to write the Reporter’s View, which expresses a reporter’s thoughts, and I decided to write about my life. Since I was twenty years old, I have pursued a goal. The goal is to be a mature person by becoming mentally independent.
  The following is an anecdote from when I first decided to pursue this goal. I once took a writing class that asked students how they will live in the future as adults. I was the first to present my script to more than 50 students. “I want mental independence!” This sentence burst out of my trembling mind. The speech turned better as I began to relax. It’s still a vivid memory. The following paragraph is part of my presentation.
  “I have two older sisters who have a big age gap with me because I was born much later than them. My sisters were as interested in me as my parents were. This made me feel that I had two more parents. I appreciated my family’s interest in me, but they just ignored my decisions because I was too young. Of course, I think it is always wise to reflect on the family’s opinions in important matters. However, they even intervened in my daily life. There were moments when I felt uncomfortable with their focus on me. However, I believed that their focus was also beneficial for me, and I was   satisfied with the results, so I thought for a long time that following the family’s decisions was right. After becoming an adult, my family gradually respected and supported my decisions. However, sometimes I felt anxious whenever I faced a hard choice because I had relied on my family for 19 years. As such, I didn’t have confidence in myself, so I wondered how I should live my life from then on. I wanted to be a person who wasn’t anxious about my choices, so I announced that I wanted to be mentally independent.” That was my presentation.
  At that time, I wanted to be mentally independent because I wasn’t confident in my decisions. However, now, the direction that I am pursuing has become concrete. In short, it’s about getting rid of the inconveniences in my heart and making me feel lighter and living more enjoyably while living the way I want. In other words, I want to be a mature person who is happy and carefree. I think only mature people live their lives spontaneously. Also, such people can boldly throw away unnecessary things because they know what they want. Moreover, they can live without spending energy or emotion on unnecessary things and can keep their composure. The most important quality to achieve maturity is to stand on one’s own feet. Being mentally and physically self-reliant and not relying on others means I can live without waiting for others. Whatever I need in life, I can provide for myself, and I can improve   my own life at will. Thus, I can now live without being controlled or being influenced by others, and I can live my own life while also having healthy relationships with others.
  Developing one’s own powers of thinking is also important to becoming a mature person. Therefore, I often read many books, listen to music, and go on trips. I meet various people and experience various situations through those experiences. When I undergo trials and errors, I solve the situations in my own way through my previous experiences. Though I am not sure whether the lack of anxiety is because of my experiences or not, I can remember the saying, ‘Time heals all wounds.’ Also, now I can afford to advise other people about their troubles. My friends tell me that I seem more relaxed than before, and I do feel more comfortable and relaxed than before.
  Compared to my previous life, I feel like I’ve made tremendous growth. I will continue to develop my ability to think through various books and movies. Henceforth, I want to live as a mature person by achieving mental independence and material independence from my family. I hope many people will strive for the same goal as me after reading my article and have similar results.