Autonomy and Sexual Mindfulness

Sit with the discomfort of being in charge of your life and notice the benefits.

• No matter your age, you may need to work on being more autonomous.

• We increase our capacity for intimacy when we can sit with the discomfort of other's disapproval.

• Sexual mindfulness empowers us to maintain healthier boundaries, make positive self-evaluations, and be intentional in our sexual relationships.

I recently gave a lecture on autonomy; afterward, several students wanted to talk about how they struggle to be autonomous. That’s not surprising, as emerging adults are working to develop autonomy.ⁱ It’s important to recognize that just because we’re 20 or 35, or 50 doesn’t mean we’ve developed autonomy.
Autonomy is the capacity of a rational individual to make an informed, un-coerced decision. Seems simple. But many struggle to eliminate the pressure, control, or manipulation exerted by society or others close to us.
Autonomy and Sexual Mindfulness