Though being independent is a great thing, when people brag about it, they portray themselves in a negative light. People who brag about being independent often have these needy habits1. Constantly asking for validationBearFotos | ShutterstockAdvertisementTruly independent people are secure in themselves, so they don't tend to care about what others think. ;True independent people don't need to be perfect, and they understand that doing so means feeding into external, unachievable standards. Posting everything on social mediaRawpixel.com | ShutterstockA secretly needy person is likely the first person to take out their phone and pose for a photo.