paddle (one's) own canoe
To act independently. Now that you're 30, people expect you to paddle your own canoe—you can't just live with your parents forever.
paddle your own canoe
If you paddle your own canoe, you control what you want to do without anyone's help or interference. With no one managing him, he was basically left to paddle his own canoe. As far as the rest of Europe is concerned we've just got to paddle our own canoe.
paddle your own canoe
be independent and self-sufficient. informal This expression has been in figurative use from the early 19th century: it was the title of a popular song by Sarah T. Bolton in 1854 .