did one's own thing
Went solo, personally
Did one's own thing means acted according to personal preferences or individual style rather than following convention or others' expectations.
The phrase captures the countercultural spirit of the 1960s and 70s, when doing your own thing meant rejecting conformity: She quit her corporate job and did her own thing as a potter.
Now often used more casually for any independent choice.
- resistanceCapacity to withstand force
- choiceAct of selecting
- independenceFreedom from external control
- originalityNovel creative quality
- countercultureRejection of mainstream values
self-reliance · maverick · defiance · bucking the trend · iconoclasm · unconventionality · authenticity · true to oneself · autonomy · freethinking · off the beaten path · improvisation · individuality · innovation · dissent · artistry · freedom · initiative
did one's own thingfollowed the crowd
Acted like everyone else
conformed · toed the line · fell in line · went with the flow · fit in
does, doing, done, doers, undone, undoing, redone, redoing, ones