paddle one's own canoe

Verb

paddle one's own canoe (third-person singular simple present paddles one's own canoe, present participle paddling one's own canoe, simple past and past participle paddled one's own canoe)

1. (idiomatic) To independently make the decisions or perform the duties, tasks, etc. which are one's own responsibility and which affect oneself.
   • "Oh dear, life is pretty tough sometimes, isn't it?" And Nat took his head in both hands. . . .
     "Very tough, but it is that very struggle with obstacles which does us good. Things have been made easy for you in many ways, but no one can do everything. You must paddle your own canoe now."1886, Louisa M[ay] Alcott, chapter 6, in Jo’s Boys, and How They Turned Out. A Sequel to “Little Men.”, Boston, Mass.: Roberts Brothers, →OCLC
   • "I am too sorry for words," said Kate. "If I had known your plan, I would have followed it. . . . I thought I had to paddle my own canoe, so I made my own plans."1918, Gene Stratton-Porter, chapter 4, in A Daughter Of The Land