Being autonomous means that you are a self-governing, independent human being, who decides for yourself what is best for your life, and  who takes responsibility for your own life and actions.

You can learn to be autonomous over time by first identifying your needs and wants, and then meeting your needs. People in codependent relationships are great at meeting others’ needs but usually ignore their own. Everyone has a range of needs, such as emotional, social, physical and spiritual needs. Identify your needs and discover ways to meet them. If you notice you’re feeling lonely, respond to that need by reaching out and planning dinner with a close friend.

In order to be autonomous you have to know who you are and accept yourself.  Once you have reached Self Acceptance, keep exploring yourself. Reflect on what happened during your day. See what you like about yourself that you did. Notice the gap between what you’re feeling inside and your words and behavior, which you show to the world. Ask yourself why you feelk that way and what you can do to correct it. Accept both positive and negative feedback graciously, humbly,
and positively. If you don't agree with criticism that you receive then you need to be prepared to say so, but without getting defensive or angry. Take out your list  of strengths. See if you can add to it.

Challenge your beliefs and assumptions. Observe your beliefs, and be willing to question them. Often our opinions are so habitual that we don’t even stop to see if they reflect what we really feel. Our beleifs are kneejerk responses simply reaffirming the past. Often these knee jerk responses also are shaped by our external environments and the people around us. Re-evaluate your perceptions of yourself and the world is the key for self development.

Become assertive. Assertiveness is the ability to honestly express your opinions, feelings, attitudes, and rights, without undue anxiety, in a way that doesn't infringe on the rights of others. Becoming assertive is a powerful way to improve your life and boost your self-esteem, which in turn helps you become autonomous. Assertiveness is a skill you can practice. It means setting healthy boundaries, learning to say no and being clear about your needs and feelings.It means respecting yourself and respecting others.

Use assertive body language. Face the other person, stand or sit straight, don't use dismissive gestures, be sure you have a pleasant, but serious facial expression, keep your voice calm and soft, not whiney or abrasive.

Use "I" statements. Keep the focus on the problem you're having, not on accusing or blaming the other person. Always try to recognize and understand how the other person views the situation. Then, after taking their point of view into consideration, express what you need from them. Tell the other person exactly how you see the situation or problem. Describe how you feel about the situation and express your emotions clearly. Tell the other person exactly what you need from them so that they don't have to guess. Describe the positive impact that your request will have for the other person or the company if your needs are met successfully.

Use facts, not judgments. "Your need to work on your punctuation" instead of "This is sloppy work." or "Your shirt looks crumpled" instead of "Why are you so sloppy?"

Express ownership of your thoughts, feeling, and opinions. "I get angry when you break your promises." instead of "Why are  you doing this to me?."

Make clear, direct, requests. Don't invite the person to say no. "Please stay back and make the corrections ?" instead of "Can you stay back and make the corrections?"

Broken record -- Keep repeating your point, using a low level, pleasant voice. Don't get pulled into arguing or trying to explain yourself. This lets you ignore manipulation, baiting, and irrelevant logic.

Learn to say "no" when you need to.

Start making your own decisions: One way to ease into making your own decisions is by determining how you’d like to spend your day. Ask yourself: “What do I want to do?” Consider your personal passions and hobbies. Give yourself permission to acknowledge and feel your feelings. Take time to figure out what calms and supports you and makes you happy.

Again, becoming more autonomous means living "for yourself" and not "for others, and using “your own internal guidance system,” rather than external systems.

It won't happen overnight but, by practising these techniques regularly, you will slowly build up the confidence and self-belief that you need to become autonomous. You'll also likely find that you become more productive, efficient and respected, too.