As you look at this graphic of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, Where are you? Working on your higher purpose may seem distant and something you do in the future, however, this can create huge problems for your happiness now. What Maslow said was, “what a man can be, he must be.” This means now, not later in life. Taking the perspective of living a life of self-actualization of realization of achieving your highest needs in your life. If you believe you will be happy when…………..you make so much money, raise your children, get a promotion, marry, divorce or achieve some magical sum of savings in your bank account, you are probably on the wrong track. Postponing fun, travel, and really living creates regrets. Pursue what makes you feel free, happy and creative as possible. When you are stress, worried, anxious or fearful, this is the time to explore how to transcend those blocks. Try considering these 8 ways to self-actualize. Let’s talk about how to make your life one of purpose.
1. Experience things fully, vividly, and selflessly. Throw yourself into the experiencing of something: concentrate on it fully, let it totally absorb you.
2. Life is an ongoing process of choosing between safety (out of fear and need for defense) and risk (for the sake of progress and growth): Make the growth choice a dozen times a day.
3. Let the self emerge. Try to shut out the external clues as to what you should think, feel, say, and so on, and let your experience enable you to say what you truly feel.
4. When in doubt, be honest. If you look into yourself and are honest, you will also take responsibility. Taking responsibility is self-actualizing.
5. Listen to your own tastes. Be prepared to be unpopular.
6. Use your intelligence, work to do well the things you want to do, no matter how insignificant they seem to be.
7. Make peak experiencing more likely: get rid of illusions and false notions. Learn what you are good at and what your potentialities are not.
8. Find out who you are, what you are, what you like and don’t like, what is good and what is bad for you, where you are going, what your mission is. Opening yourself up to yourself in this way means identifying defenses–and then finding the courage to give them up.
