There are things from my education I could not recall or redo if my life depended on it. Then, there are those items that keep coming back and being relevant. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is one of those lessons. I saw it pop up on a Facebook post recently, and it did get me thinking. Not just about me, but about all of us.
Where are you sitting on this hierarchy? I find myself climbing to the top, slipping down a rung or two, and then climbing back up again. The journey is not always linear. Just think of that Snickers commercial with Betty White – you are not you when you are hungry. Sometimes you need to go back and take care of those basic needs so you can climb back to the top.
During COVID-19 have your basic needs been shaken? For me, it starts with the uncertainty of security. While I know our business will survive, what will it look like in 3 months? 6 months? It won’t be the same as it was looking 3 months ago. How long will it take to be back to that level? There is my uncertainty. Are you feeling the same? What are you doing to keep moving forward? It is important to not stop. One step at a time – consistent persistence will get us there.
What are you doing to take care of your Psychological Needs? Are Zoom meetings (maybe even happy hours) scattered throughout your calendar? Have you learned a new skill? Cleaned out those closets? Tackled an item you had been putting off? I went and visited with my grandparents recently – 93 and 94 years of age. We were on opposite sides of a window and talked on the phone, but it was great to see them and great to be seen. Business related, I have been reaching out to my elected officials and doing what I can to advocate for the motorcoach industry. I’m tackling projects I had left on a to-do list, and getting things done. It is a great sense of accomplishment every time I can mark a task “DONE”. (And, to be perfectly honest, one of those tasks is making my bed everyday.) How many tasks are you marking DONE each day?
All of this will lead to Self Actualization – the pinnacle of the hierarchy. It is the pinnacle because this is where we become our best selves. It is the growth phase. Are you able to grow? It may not seem like it now, but I do hope when you reflect back you are able to see how you did become your best self. There is always something new to learn, something new to create and implement. May you not be complacent with where you are and strive to be a better you. I am always trying.
While so much information is changing on a daily basis, I hope you found some comfort in knowing that some things remain constant. Maslow first wrote about this hierarchy in 1943. I hope you can find comfort in this knowledge. What we are experiencing has a place. Which need do you need to take care of right now? Go do it. Take care of you, and you will be able to grow.
