Hey First name / friend, As humans, we always seem to leap into action to attain comfort or are forced into action to avoid discomfort. Comfort is our safety zone. The problem is, growth and comfort don’t always hang out in the same zones. |
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So, this raises the question: how do we bridge the distance between safety and growth? A person by the name of Abraham Maslow proposed a series of needs to be met—let’s view them as steps—along the path to personal growth and achievement. Here is a representation of these steps in a colorful little pyramid. Cute! |
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Maslow’s hierarchy of needs depicts: - Step 1 – Physical Needs for Survival – Air, water, food, shelter, warmth, clothing, and reproduction. These needs must be met, or there is potential disruption to the regulation of the body.
- Step 2 – Safety – Physical, psychological, and economic. These needs are the cornerstone of building up to higher levels of survival. Consistency is key to safely meeting these needs. When our basic survival and safety needs are met, our body is able to achieve homeostasis—that’s the activation of our parasympathetic ‘rest and digest’ recovery and restoration state.
- Step 3 – Belonging – Family, social, work, interests—interaction with others that leads to acceptance, respect, trust, and love. When we establish a sense of belonging, our human need to love and be loved is met, allowing us to take the next step.
- Step 4 – Esteem – The stable respect of ourselves based on proven capacity and achievement through day-to-day experiences that provide opportunities to discover our strengths, competence, self-confidence, independence, and freedom. When we see ourselves as respectable, capable individuals, we can level up.
*Some research suggests there should also be a category for cognitive and aesthetic needs. Cognitive refers to our ability to acquire knowledge and make meaning of the world through education. Aesthetic relates to appreciating beauty, nature, our environment, and even our own presentation. These aspects can play a vital role in our overall sense of growth and fulfillment. - Step 5 – Self-Actualization – The desire to accomplish and grow into our full potential. Elements of this need include developing and using talents and abilities, intentionally creating and cultivating your own family unit, and pursuing meaningful goals.
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Of course, life doesn’t always unfold in progressive steps, and there are no hard and fast rules for growth. |
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Hopefully, you get the idea—that in order to progress in life, we have stepped needs that must be met for transitional growth into the next phase of our development. There are always exceptions to the rule, and kudos to those who instinctively thrive outside their comfort zones! |
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For the rest of us, it can be helpful to understand our resistance—or even our inability—to step outside of our comfort zones when basic needs are not met or when elements that support growth are missing. |
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So, I present to you an opportunity this week: take a moment to consider your progress through each of these steps and note any gaps that become obvious to you—perhaps in a journal or voice note. |
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Wishing you an informative week ahead. |
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Nambour
Sunshine Coast, Queensland 4560, Australia |
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