Maslow

Abraham Maslow is one of my favorite, if not my favorite, psycologist. If you aren’t familiar with him, he is well known for Maslow’s Hierachy of needs. This is a pyramid that is used to explain human needs from basic needs to the desire to be the best version of yourself possible. Maslow says there are five levels: Physiological needs, safety needs, love and belonging, Esteem, and self-actualization.

Physiological needs are our basic needs. This would include the things we have to have in order to survive. Air, water, food, shelter, clothing, sleep, and reproduction. Safety needs are exactly that. This includes personal security, employment, rescources, health, and property. Love and belonging falls mid-way through the pyramid, and this is where a lot of people stop “climbing.” This includes friendships, family, intimacy, and a sense of connection. Esteem falls in line next. This is hard for all individuals in my opinion. This is respect, self-esteem, recognition, strength and freedom. Finally, we reach the top. This is the place that everyone wants to get to and has to reach all the other levels to achieve. Self-actualization which is the desire to be the best that one can be.

I first heard of this in college, and it instantly clicked. You start at the bottom level, achieve that level and move up until you’re at the top. Unknowing then how quickly you can fall down a level or even two sometimes, and sometimes that can happen and you have no control over it. For example: you lose your job, your safety needs are hit. If that isn’t replaced soon, your basic physiological needs can also be hurt. Then through no fault of your own, you start at the beginning, climbing the ladder alone and hoping to reach the top.

Most people get to level three/four pretty easily. It becomes a little harder then because then you add in other people. It’s true that the people in your circle can make you or break you. I am lucky to make it to level four most days. Truth be told is I don’t always respect myself and have a hard time feeling like I have a true sense of accomplishment. I am very much a “what if” person. A true coulda, shoulda, woulda soul. That’s at my core, and I tend to fight with that everyday. On the days I win that fight, I climb the ladder and hit self-actualization.

I felt that it was important to share this as it is a visual way for you to see why you may not be feeling safe or accepted, etc. Maybe you need to go down a level and make sure you check all the boxes before you try and climb the ladder again. And that’s okay. Remember, we all started at the bottom and that ladder is meant to be an ongoing traveling one.

-Peace and love