Aren’t we all striving to live our best life, especially as Midlifers? Don’t we want to thrive and be enriched in this chapter of our lives? While considering this thought, do you know the hierarchy of our basic needs?
Lots of questions to ponder.
Life is a short and precious gift. Our health and well-being are essential.
Perhaps you may recall Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Named after psychologist Abraham Maslow.
I remember learning about this theory in college during my social psychology class.
I read in Simple Psychology magazine that Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is a motivational theory in psychology comprising a five-tier model of human needs.
Physiological
Unsurprisingly, the widest part of the pyramid is the essential physiological must for survival. These needs include air, food, water, sex, sleep, and health.
Safety
The need to be free of any possible threat- natural or imagined—freedom from fear.
Social
To affiliate, belong, love, and love from family and friends.
Ego
Satisfaction comes when we belong. The individual strives for self-esteem and develops a sense of self-worth.
Self-Actualization
At the top of the pyramid is the need for self-actualization. This means to attain the entire development of one’s potential. How do people who reach or achieve this need reach Or achieve this need? Are self-aware, socially responsible, creative, spontaneous, and open to new changes.
It’s worth noting that not many people achieve self-actualization. According to Maslow, examples of famous self-actualized individuals are Mother Teresa, Albert Einstein, and Abraham Lincoln.
It’s not too late to reach your full potential. What say you?
As always, thank you for reading.
