PREVIOUS: Work / Biz

♦ PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (USDHHS) recommendations for young people:  at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day.
1. Base: MODERATE
2. Vigorous aerobics = daily, min 30-60 min (brisk walking…)
3. Vigorous sports / rec. = 3+ days pr wk, min 20 min (reach target heart rate)
4. Muscle fitness exercises = 2-3 days pr wk, 8-12 reps, 2-4 sets major muscles, muscle overload
5. Flexibility exercises – 3+ days pr wk, 10-20 sec., 2-4 reps, major muscles, stretch overload (More….

♦ SPORTS PSYCHOLOGY

What’s the motivation?
⬅️ Pyramid indicates – from weakest to best personal values.

😾 Some negative (selfish) reasons for playing are:
▪︎ contempt in our society – easier to scoff, to put others down – than to function from enthusiasm or passion
▪︎ power shift from the team to the individual. –  big name companies no longer back teams, they back specific players
▪︎ parents made their kids ‘god’ – depending for their entire happiness, hope & purpose on the child’s accomplishments
▪︎ a generation who think they’re better than they really are. There’s a difference between honest goal setting & positive thinking vs. reality – what’s physically & psychologically possible (More….)

➡️ The Sport Pyramid shows the key contributors to individual & team sports performance – 5 psychological factors most directly impacting it, which either enhance or interfere with the outcome. To be one’s best sports Self, the goal is to understand ones relationship to each factor, developing strategies & actions to minimize or alleviate psychological weaknesses, & building psychological strengths. (MORE….)

♦ BASKETBALL SKILLS
Most players & teams rush to the top (competition), without a proper foundation. REQUIREMENTS:
1. Motivation–an intrinsic desire to play and improve
2. Footwork–creating space and separation
3. Ball Handling–control and protection of the ball
4. Vision–the single most important skill.
5. Communication–talking and listening effectively
6. Awareness–on Offense and Defense, move with a purpose
7.  Shooting—consistent form, soft touch
8. Mental Strength–resilience, confidence, coach-ability
9. Conditioning–physical preparation and fitness
10. Competition–winning or having a chance to win

♦ CYCLING
1. Distance. Realized everything is close by, easily accessible by bike or some combination with public transport
2. Directness. It becomes clear everything is more direct by bike – such as the city’s designated route for bicycles & pedestrians

3. Safety. It is absolutely safe to go anywhere by bike, including social & traffic. Over time, trust in the city’s safely comes with experience
4. Comfort. Most bike routes are reasonably comfortable – which routes have the least traffic lights, smoothest asphalt, lowest traffic noise, flatness….
5. Pleasurability. Consider which routes are most pleasurable. Some routes wind through a park, others have the smell of fresh coffee, on others one can hear children laughing on their way home from school….

♦ EFFECTS of TRAINING
Levels 1 – 3 : Volume of training, High Intensity & Intensity Distribution = Effects are well established
4. General periodization details (annual)  = Unclear, but likely over-rated
5. Sports-specific & micro-periodization schemes = Not established, but likely modest
6. Training stimuli enhancement (heat, attitude, energy….) = Potentially important effects, but individual & condition specific
7. Pacing training = Potentially decisive if everything else is done right
8. Training taper = Potentially decisive in an isolated competition, if everything else is done right (More….

♦ EMOTIONAL FITNESS
Basic psychological principles: It starts with what we focus on – which determines how we feel. 2 other major factors which determine our emotional state are the state of our physical bodies & the language we use to label the circumstances & events in our lives. (More….)

 “I’m already there”
This mental exercise for developing a positive attitude / belief about any action is called the: “I Already Have It, I Already Am It”.

Technique: Celebrate your victories in advance! Cultivate the sense in your body of knowing you already have the outcome or goal you want.
Practice visualizing the physical & emotional feelings you will have about the events or personal qualities you wish for already.  FEEL the happiness, gratitude, elation & celebration of success! (More….)

NEXT: Belief

PREVIOUS:Awareness

🔺 WORK PLACE NEEDS
5. Fair wage, meals & rest facilities, breaks
4. Job security, safe working conditions, order, direction
3. Team work, social facilities (sports, clubs….)
2. How one is seen at work – status symbols (cars, corner office, qualify for promotions)
1. Achieve full potential at work, have a challenging job & perks, be promoted (More….)

🔺 TEAM FUNCTIONING
⬇️DYSFUNCTION of team members
1. Fear of being vulnerable, don’t to say what they mean
2. Trying to keep artificial harmony, they only say things to please
3. Lack of clarity or actual agreement re. goals causes passive compliance
4. Avoiding discomfort within the group prevents holding each other accountable. “It’s not my fault”
5. Pursuing status or individual goals erodes collective success.

⬆️ FUNCTIONAL Leader/Team PLAYER
1. Be open & accessible
2. Engage in debate re. issues/ problems. Verbalize appreciation & understanding
3. Do what’s needed to accomplish goals
4. Hold members accountable, striving to do more & better
5. Focus on collectively reaching goals. Share accomplishments with everyone
(More….)

🔺 EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT (Human resources management)
5. DISENGAGED = Not interested in the job itself, only working for a paycheck
4. NOT ENGAGED = Don’t like boss, poor working conditions, wants overtime, looking at want ads
3. ALMOST ENGAGED = Feel OK about work, feel a part of something bigger, but no career advancement
2. ENGAGED = Feel important & a vital part of the work, very busy, maybe stressed
1. HIGHLY ENGAGED = High flyer, love work, inspire others to do their best,

🔺 EMPLOYEES
DEEPAK’s INVERTED humor: The stages an employee may go through if they don’t have enough work to do – for too long (top down):
Bored: Frequent visits to vending machine, break room / canteen or bathroom
De-motivated: Read online news, stock market….

Indifferent: Chat on IM using proxy / browser
Nervous breakdown: Blog, or read blogs of unknown people
Core sump, System error: read viewer’s comments on Reddit, Facebook, Twitter….

🔺 VIRTUOUS LEADERSHIP (IDEAL MANAGER)
Leadership is a way of being, which can be lived by anyone no matter their place in society or in any given organization.
Virtue is a dynamic strength that allows the leader to do what is required in service to those they lead. The virtues of practical wisdom, courage, self-control & justice form the foundation, while the virtues of magnanimity & humility form its essence. (More….

🔺 DNA BUSINESS NEEDS
The Business DNA Pyramid features the 3 game-changing Qs used to build & explain leading successful startups, from an idea.
A = Aspiration – Vision: what’s the winning goal? The WHY – Impacts, metrics
N = Needs – Strategy: where will biz be & how to win in chosen market
The WHAT – Environment, Problems…
D = Design – Product: what capabilities & management systems are needed to win. The HOW – enterprise, solution

🔺 MARKETING
Basic/Awareness: Samples, freebies, and promotional items are typically offered in order to initially attract prospects.
Safety/Membership: To keep potential customer’s attention, they need to feel they’ve found a reliable place where they can find what they’re looking for, & won’t be taken advantage of

Social/Engagement: When a prospect feels they’re part of the right tribe to get value re. their own goals & wants, they’re likely to stay tuned in – “know, like, trust.”
Esteem/Invested: If customers feel respected, they’ll be confident enough to initially invest in your products or services, or invest more

Self-Actualized/Loyal Repeat Customer: This is the prized goal – where customers are convinced of your unique offering, so they only want to buy from you over & over

🔺 SUPPLY CHAIN Psychology
Hearn Industrial Services (Canada) – provider of Transportation, Supply Chain & Quality Services to the automotive industry.
Supply Chain systems are designed to achieve high service levels.
BASE: Measurement & Action, includes
▪︎ End Customer Service = providing customers with all physical needs
▪︎ Internal Integration = a supply chain professional that is focused on your bottom line, through proper planning and resource allocation

MIDDLE: Value & Authority
▪︎ External Integration = building relationships with customers, & strategic partnerships with select companies to help address customers’ requirements
▪︎ Win-win scenario = with dynamic thinking, build trust by sharing risks & rewards with customers

TOP Level: Sustainability
Being socially, economically& environmentally responsible

NEXT: Sports

PREVIOUS: Maslow UPDATED #2

SITE:  Designer vs Non-designer’s needs – w/ CHART

♦ ARTISTS: Simpson points out that not everyone follows Maslow’s original order. This especially applies to all types of artistic / creative people who obsessively focus on producing something that will change the world, or at least one piece of the world that interests them – (research, ballet, composing, programming…..). Creatives will sacrifice many things in life for their specific pinnacle’s focus.

Reversed ARTIST’S stages  :
– Self-actualization is the fundamental need driving all true creatives (#5 becomes #1)
– Esteem is looked for only when creative urges are sated – even somewhat, & temporarily (#4 is now #2)
– Having reached a goal, they want others to know & appreciate their work (#3)
– And although they may long for intimate relationships (#3), many are unwilling to put energy into it – love takes too much time away from the creative process

– At the reversed top, many creatives neglect their physical & safety needs, approaching those with some disdain, as if satisfying them is so shallow & trite that it’s a form of ‘selling out’. (#1-2 are last)
The most successful creatives achieve wide recognition, but self-actualization can also be a personal experience, from a quiet satisfaction with the outcome of their efforts.

Simpson continues: ” …. but it also indicates why creative people are often more fragile & unstable. Just look at that structure: a creative’s entire existence balances on a single point. Unless needs in the levels above self-actualization are met with the utmost care, the whole pyramid tips over on its side.” (Re. Entrepreneurs….)

ALSO: Ed Hose’s comments on his drawing ↗️ of the reversed ∇ echo Simpson. Some people’s needs follow the standard pyramid – with its solid base, whereas others are like spinning tops, living the upside down life, where the fulfillment of ideas trumps the pursuit of practical necessities.
He says: “I have drawn the conclusion that both ways of being have phenomenal pluses and minuses.

You can not begrudge the shape of your own hierarchy of needs. One shape is not better than another, whether unstable or deeply rooted.  Do not worry what yours looks like – unless….. ⬅️ If it look like this, then you should worry!”
….. “It is easy to begrudge being a spinning top when you long for the stability of a solid bottom pyramid, & it is easy to aspire to the swirling beauty of a spinning top when you are stuck in the routine of being responsible.”

👠 👠 👠

At 3 = you love to sing or play at all kinds of social functions – for fun

NEXT: Reverse pyramids

PREVIOUS: Parenting

♦ SELF-LOVE
DEFICIT base: Childhood trauma dissociation. Repressed memories of abandonment.
CORE SHAME: :”I’m only as good as what I do or not do for others”
LONELINESS: Excruciating feeling of worthlessness – the existential void
ADDICTIONS: Isolation, chemicals & narcissistic lovers mask intense pain
PEOPLE-PLEASING / RESCUING: Compulsive caretaking, manipulate others for acceptance & love

ABUNDANCE Base: Self-respect & self-care
CORE Beliefs: “I love myself & I can be loved by others – just for who I am”
INNER PEACE: Freedom to be happy without a ‘relationship’ – no void to fill
MUTUALITY in Relationships: Interdependent, expecting respect & love from others
SELF-LOVE: Acceptance & appreciation of one’s place in the world

♦ LETTING GO….
REVERSE PYRAMID of Transcendence (re. Maslow Level 6):
It foes not mean we top doing whatever it is we do in everyday life – but rather letting go of attachment to perfection, outcomes & neediness – which we base our actions on. “Before enlightenment, chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood carry water.”

Progress of enlightenment (small e) by LETTING GO :
Base: of perfection, moving toward appropriate vulnerability
✱ Low attachment to outcomes
2. of need for other’s opinions. Not judgemental, moralizing or shaming
✱ See self as part of larger whole
3. of need to hang on to others. Loosen grip on self-preservation instincts, thoughts & emotions
✱ Able to ship internally to solve problems

4. of need for security & certainty, learning to give up control over everything
✱ Being in the present – to take actions

5. of need for physical safety, to be able to sacrifice self for a greater cause
6. of the grip of fear of death. Go for one’s dreams, no matter what the cost.

♦ Addiction RECOVERY process
Just as individuals’ substance use disorder recovery needs might be different depending on their life course stage, those needs may also be different depending on their recovery stage. What one needs to sustain substance use disorder recovery will be different depending on if they have 3 weeks versus 3 months versus 3 years, and so on in recovery

A prominent model of behavioral change that cuts across theories – The Trans-theoretical Stages of Change Model – serves as a useful way to understand this change process. The different stages of change necessitate different recovery strategies.

From the least aware to life-long sobriety: Pre-contemplative, Contemplative, Preparation & Action, Maintenance. (More….)

♦ SOUND RELATIONSHIPS & ADDICTION

“HOUSE” of Healthy relationships:
Base level:  Building Love Maps – how well partners know one another
2. Share Fondness & Admiration. the amount of affection and respect within a 3. 3. Turn Towards in everyday moments, which are actually the building blocks of relationship. (More….)

BUT – If Substance Abuse intrudes, it will erode an intimate relationship, like an unwanted guest. If the couple is willing to enter recovery (AA, Al-Anon….), the ‘house’ levels can be used for healing, with special attention to building solid walls against the return of the uninvited-invited guest, & open up windows to each other, to communicate growth needs & challenges. (More….)

♦ BUILDINGS
In his classic book Why Buildings Stand Up, architect Mario Salvadori agreed with Maslow’s final addition of spiritual ‘Transcendence’. Salvadori pointed out that spiritual needs have always preoccupied people, even when they are lacking basic physiological comforts.

Once humans abandoned their nomadic lifestyles to live in fixed communities, the larger architectural dwellings were usually places of worship & communion.

Monuments also expressed a culture’s conception of spiritual needs, & of life and death. The Pyramids of ancient Egypt and the mausoleum of the First Emperor, Qin Shi Huangdi, complete with terracotta army…… illustrate obsessions with death & immortality.

Cultures & the way we do architecture may have changed, because of advances in science & technology, but our needs – from physiological to spiritual – have not. We live, eat, sleep & procreate in the same way. However, today our largest buildings are shopping malls, as fewer people are motivated by organized religion.
We worship the material, so these large structures express our concept of our greatest need: to consume as much as we can. (re. buildings) //  (re. Fashion needs)

NEXT:

  PREVIOUS : Trauma

SITE: Toddler’s Food pyramid

♦ MOTHER & CHILD’S NEEDS

ANNIE (mother of 2) at “PhD in Parenting” points out that “No (wo)man is an island”. For mothers, this means they can’t thrive if they’re isolated, & that they can’t selfishly pursue their own needs all the time. 

Women are often in a position to have to help others meet their needs, whether directly (feeding an infant) or providing someone with the space to do so (a quiet space to study, a car ride to the doctor….).

But if women feel pressured to meet all their responsibilities by themselves (to spouse, elders, children, work), they’ll end up neglect their own needs and/or those of their child(ren).
Mothers need help too, like being freed up to have a quiet bath, or get away for a few hours. That takes ‘a village’ & ideally, women have to develop support systems before they’re needed, before they’re desperate.

Annie notes that it’s more important for a parent to meet their child’s physiological, safety & security needs (levels 1-3), than to meet their own esteem & self actualization needs (4-5).
It’s also more important for the parent to meet their own physiological, safety & security needs (1-3) than to provide esteem or self-actualization needs of their children (4-5)

After all – she’s unlikely to provide the support & energy required to fulfill the child’s esteem & self-actualization needs if she is hungry, exhausted & insecure.

♦ GOOD PARENTING
1. Feeling Supported & Connected
Brain systems have two settings: Responsive and Reactive.
😨 When support in Times of Need is not available or utilized, we React with worry, frustration, anxiety & anger. Then we turn INWARD – isolating.
😄 When each level of needs is met, the system tends to be Responsive. This is provided during Tough Times by turning OUTWARD, to get whatever help is required.

3. CONNECTION: Everyone benefits when parents spend more time developing a strong, loving relationship with their children. After all, teaching & disciplining (levels 4-5) won’t work if the child doesn’t like the parent!

KEYS to healthy parenting:
a. Loving = affection, compassion, involvement, positivity, understanding, warmth…..
b. Guiding = discipline, setting limits, structure, supervision, teaching….

4. TEACHING: Too much focus is on what to do when things go wrong – on discipline strategies & consequences. However, if the goal is to be  effective, parents need to lovingly, patiently teach children what is expected, how to behave, & what the consequences are of disobedience – rather than seeing them as ungrateful, disobedient burdens!

So, effective correction will depend on the quality of the parent’s teaching, & the quality of teaching will depend on the quality of the relationship with their children. (More….)  CONNECTION first, correction last.

♦ PARENTING SkILLS & STRATEGIES
In order of importance & effort:
1. Base activities lay the foundations for a positive parent-child relationship, making all parts of parenting, even discipline & consequences, easier & more effective.
PARENTS give attention, empathy,  involvement, listening, play, problem-solving, taking
BENEFITS to child: better attachment, co-operation, self-esteem, problem-solving

2. PARENTS: celebrate, coach, encourage, praise, reward
BENEFITS: Improved motivation, thinking & social skills

3. PARENTS: Clear limits, consistent follow-thru & household rules
BENEFITS : Increased obedience, predictability & responsibility

4. PARENTS: Distract, ignore, redirect – child’s demands, noise, tantrums….
BENEFITS : Reduces annoying behavior (don’t get a rise out of parent)

5. PARENTS: Provide consequences (time out, loss of privileges….)
BENEFITS : Less aggression  (From “The Incredible Years” Series)

IF parents overuse consequences & forget to make time for play & positive time, children will become discouraged, & will stop trying to behave properly – because they feel unable to get any attention other than when they’re ‘bad’.

♦ DIGITAL USE (for Children)

♦ TODDLER’S FOOD GROUPS 😉

NEXT:  MBTI Preference stacks #1

PREVIOUS: Misc. uses

SITE: Trauma & Social Locations

◆ CHILDHOOD TRAUMA

Childhood experiences have a tremendous impact on future violence, victimization & perpetration, as well as lifelong health & opportunities.
But there’s more to a person’s stressors than just experiences. We come “into this world in structures & conditions already established,” which are often punitive & embedded in racial bias. They limit opportunities & come with built-in economic & social inequities. (More…)

The original ACE Study (scroll to Quiz) was conducted at Kaiser Permanente (1995 – 97) in two waves of data collection. Over 17,000 Health Maintenance Org. members from Southern California who receive physical exams, also completed confidential surveys about their childhood experiences, as well as current health status & activities. (More….)
❖ Almost 2/3 of study participants reported at least one ACE, & more than 1 in 5 reported three or more. (Traumatized brain…. slides #21, 22)

◆ VERBAL ABUSE
This pyramid show how barrages of cruel words cause an avalanche of destructive behaviors – at school, cyber bullying, at work & as domestic violence, sometimes leading to suicide or murder.
Domestic violence usually starts with words, & then escalates.  In at least 3 cases a day in America, this pattern of violence ends in a death!
Many ACoAs experience the base level of verbal abuse all thru childhood, causing a life-time of slow self-destructiveness via self hate, in thoughts & actions.

As Rogers and Hammerstein said in South Pacific, “You have to be carefully taught” – to hate.  Cruel messages remain powerful because they were spoken by people who were supposedly safe, trustworthy & loving. So the words & their meaning were never challenged, simply accepted as core truths. Like the teenage boy who eventually killed himself because he believed his girlfriend who he trusted, when she kept saying : “You’ll be better off / You just have to do it / No more pushing it off /  No more waiting…..”   (More…)

♦ HATE
The Pyramid shows biased behaviors, growing in complexity from the bottom up. Behaviors at each level negatively impact individuals & groups, with increasingly more life-threatening consequences, each level supported by the ones below.
When actions at the lower levels are treated as acceptable then those at the next level seem “normal” & therefore acceptable, possibly leading to genocide. (“Human Rights“)

“Nonviolence means avoiding not only external physical violence but also internal violence of spirit. You not only refuse to shoot a man, but you refuse to hate him.” Martin Luther King Jr.

♦ VIOLENCE
To understand the violence pyramid, we must first understand rape culture, where people experience a continuum of threatened violence, from sexual remarks to sexual touching, to rape itself. In any such culture both men and women assume that sexual violence is a fact of life, inevitable as death or taxes. Rape Culture

However, much of what many people accept as inevitable – especially women – is actually the outward expression of values & attitudes that  spiral down into progressively more abusive behavior, as seen in both pyramids.
As with all these tragic events, when anyone gets away with the attitudes & actions on the bottom tiers their ‘right’ to do so is reinforce, & so excuse those above. For this to change, the culture must change.  (More…..)

 ◆ SURVIVING & THRIVING
PHYSICAL: Look for safety when under threat. Pay attention to – and trust – your bodily sensations of stress. Find natural / nature environments that can soothe as well as expand your horizons.

SOCIAL: Get away from hateful & destructive relationships (avoid / hide), & only re-connect if the abuser gets help to change, or via an intermediary. Look for like-minded allies for support. Communicate your emotions without self-judgement, with safe people.

PERSONAL: Make use of trauma experiences as a way to learn about yourself – what your strengths are & where to make changes. Continue to express thoughts & emotions. Find or regain personal freedom from stressful people & situations. Learn when to bend as well as when to stand firm.

SPIRITUAL: Take time to mourn. Integrate your experiences into a broad & healthy world-view. Improve & strengthen beliefs, meaning, purpose & values. Stick to what’s real & true, & go beyond (transcend) by letting go of pain & resentment. (More…) (See all posts on RESILIENCE).

NEXT: Relationships

PREVIOUS: Reversed, #2

♦ TRUST
NOTE: this pyramid is constructed in relation to websites (Amazon, Facebook….) & its users – how safe is it, how much of our personal info to give….However, we can apply the same criteria to our personal relationships, whether family, friends, lovers, work mates…..

People must (should) have basic trust needs met before moving into deeper interactions (PMES intimacy).
HOWEVER, ACoAs have not been allowed to trust their gut & still small voice, & so often ignore red flag signals from others or situations which are available from the very beginning – continuing to form a connection with inappropriate PPT which, over time, is disappointing or causes us harm.

Establishing trust, in any category, should be gradual. As the relationship progresses, skepticism need to be overcome by proof that the ‘other’ is trustworthy, dependable, consistent…. .

Then comfort level can increase, & new demands / expectations can be made. The relationship should progress through the stages, built on progressive experience. Higher levels of commitment cannot be gained before the lower ones are proven.  (More…re. websites & users

♦ What’s BEST for RELATIONSHIPS : Passion or Dedication?
Robert Sternberg’s Triangular Theory of Love identifies 3 elements that combine in different ways for different types of relationships:
▪︎ Passion is associated with physical attraction & intense emotional arousal.
▪︎ Intimacy refers to a sense of emotional closeness, comfort, and support between two people
▪︎ Commitment is the choice to be dedicated to a relationship and make an effort to preserve it for the long-term

a. All 3 combined is called “Consummate Love”, but doesn’t last – for most couple – because over time Passion often diminishes or fizzles as the novelty wears out
b. A high level of Intimacy + Commitment, but lower level of Passion is “Companionate Love”, based on common interests, sharing & deep friendship

Research shows that (b) tends to be the stuff happy marriages are made of, AND – people who are very dedicated to their relationship can take a proactive approach to keeping passion alive, such as doing exciting things together, since increased adrenaline can heighten attraction. (More….)

♦ DATING
Healthy – Base needs: Physical attraction / chemistry, common interests, able to have fun, good communication, friendship
Middle: Respect, honesty, loyalty, reliance, physical affection, similar values, deepening friendship & communication, trust
Highest: Commitment, love, marriage, sex

♦ ORDER of FORMING Relationships
1. Rubin’s theory of love:
▪︎ Caring – valuing the other person needs as much as your own – but not more
▪︎ Attachment – the need to receive care, approval & physical contact
▪︎ Intimacy – sharing thoughts & emotions, desires, hopes, dreams

2. Hattfield’s version:
▪︎ Compassionate love – based on respect, attachment, trust, and its reciprocation
▪︎ Passionate love – based on intense emotions, sexual attraction & affection.

3. The relationship pyramid: It’s crucial to work from the bottom up, because if we consistently try to form relationships starting from the top, we could damage our heath…. :
…. Physically (STDs, unwanted pregnancy)
…. Emotionally (being used, ashamed/guilty, in fantasy)
…. Social (effect reputation, trouble at work, bad role model for siblings…)
So, following the healthier process helps prevent problems.

♦ LONG-TERM vs. SHORT-TERM RELATIONSHIPS  (More….)

 ♦ SEXUAL activity
This is from a Christian perspective, looking only at the top 3 categories:
🔆 Everything but – intercourse, before marriage. These are people who aren’t deeply connected to a religious community (an island) & since they’re much looser in their sexual options, can easily get often run into value conflicts with someone they date.

🌺 Kissing only, & holding hands, but no form of sexual activity. These people are driven & deeply spiritual, able to keep a balance between personal goals and keeping up a pleasant romantic relationship, without feeling feel too frustrated. They can maintain their innocence, which helps them to not cross the line.

😘 No dating til marriage. The belief is that God has somebody perfect in mind for you, & you’ll recognize them…. so in the mean time you’re just going to live for yourself & God until you meet the person you recognize as your soul mate. (More….)

NEXT: Parenting

PREVIOUS: REVERSED Pyramids #1

♦ RAISON d’ÉTRE
♦ FREEDOM

♦ 5 NEEDS for HAPPINESS
G. Filotto (the “SJW Hunter”) says that self-actualization comes first rather than last – underpinning & supporting all other possibilities for a successful life.

1. Know yourself (Oracle of Delphi, ancient Greece). It both means : Know who you are inside, AND Find the truth of things & how they relate to you  – on your own, in your own way, that suits your purpose, ideas & abilities – to deepen self-understanding

2. Someone to share yourself with. We all have a powerful built-in need to be loved & to love, to share our minds & hearts with someone else who we know can appreciate it, & who we can do the same for

3. A Mutual stimulus group, whether friend (supporters) or foe (challengers) = people who push us to be react, respond, improve, create, grow…. & where we can reciprocate – anything but stagnate

4. Freedom of action, to do what we personally want – when, how & with whom. This includes Having Money, but to truly achieve we need to have a handle on point #1 – a clear, realistic & healthy mind.

5. Give back to the world . If we achieve the first 4, we may still feel something’s missing. This void can be filled by using our specific talents to give back to the world – in whatever way – inspiration, help, guidance, pleasure, happiness, safety or comfort to others.

♦ REVERSES EDUCATION
The 6 components of Bloom’s Taxonomy  pyramid can also be put in other words: (previously learned) knowledge, then comprehension,  application, analysis & finally synthesis – to identify the differences between knowing, understanding, & applying information.
However, this version suggests there’s a scarcity of talent & imagination in students – only those who can plow thru the lower levels & reach the top – can be creative. This is not true.

FLIPPED LEARNING reverses the traditional instructional goals for what happens in & out of class, so that students becomes increasingly pro-active. This makes it easier for them to master the process of thinking & thus now to learn.

The FLIPPED classroom starts with creating, & eventually it gives us the info needed. Students watch short instructional videos at home, then use in-class time for discussions, exercises & projects (More…):
▪︎ Based on the class topic, students are given real-world problem to solve
▪︎ They create something that shows their understanding (video, podcast, website, wiki….)
▪︎ They participate in a discussion or debate (More….)

NOTE: Both reverse pyramids are suggested by Lorin Anderson – using creativity as the base  / or using ‘understanding’ as the base

♦ WRITING ARTICLES
Journalists know that 80% of web readers don’t go thru a whole story, only scanning headlines. Web readers dislike long-winded, flowery, promotional writing with boastful claims. They prefer facts – realistic, useful information.

So the key to getting a reader’s attention is simplicity, addressing ‘What? When? Where? Who? Why? How? ‘
The writer must place the most important elements of the story at the beginning, starting with the conclusion / outcome of the story, followed by the most important supporting information, & end with the background.  (More….)

♦ AA STRUCTURE
The AA 12-Step service structure is described as “the upside down triangle of AA“. Everything in AA begins at the group level. Every group is autonomous & is governed by it’s own group conscience. If there’s an issue outside the group that they would like to address, their General Service Representative or GSR will bring their concern to the District Committee.⬇️ (More…..)

NOTE: This arrangement applies to all 12-Step programs, such as Al-Anon, D.A., O.A., G.A……

♦ PETS
“No one goes into Animal welfare for the money. They do it for love. But when passion comes before self-care, the weight of the world takes it toll.”
Laura Young is the founder of NoSafeDistance.com (pyramid). She knows there’s a difference between being tired, even to the point of exhaustion, vs. the world-weary state of compassion fatigue….

Striking the balance between compassionate caring & trying to address the tidal wave of need that greets everyone who joins a cause, be it animal welfare, child welfare, addressing  race or gender related violence,or global climate change is quite another. (More ...)

NEXT: Relationships Pyramids

PREVIOUS: Maslow’s pyramid & Music

♦ RAISON d’ÉTRE

In  “Geopolicraticus”, N.J. Nelson objects to Maslow & Erickson’s stages of personality development as too simplistic, even misleading, They can contribute to the insidious assumption that if you’re not following their stages, there’s obviously something wrong with you for not developing naturally or normally.

Instead Nelson states that:
“…I don’t believe that a person can get out of bed in the morning without implicitly having formulated a philosophical judgment that life is worth living and therefore there is a reason to get out of bed, and not merely to lie there and do nothing.”

His inverted pyramid puts raison d’être at the foundation, so that the fulfillment of emotional & psychological drives can eventually build up to the final satisfaction of physical drives & needs. This doesn’t deny the crucial need for food, water, air….. but they don’t automatically provide a motivation for successfully getting going every day, especially in the face of life’s many stressors. (ALSO…..)

Similarly, Arjun Paul (Flipkart Stories, India) suggests in this reverse pyramid – a person’s entire existence balances on a single point. “Esteem is something that can be sought only after a person has satisfied himself.”

It seems obvious to him that in order to provide all our human & personality needs, first we must have a reason to get out of bed every morning.  “Why should we have to move through a hierarchy to achieve what is already in us? In our mind? Also, nothing in nature is linear, so why would our development as human beings be linear? ”

He places Maslow’s levels 1 & 2 as supports to the fundamental one, & continues: “It is safe to assume that reason & the will to live, coupled with forming connections, are what make us humans, & differentiate us from AIs – so far. So unless the higher needs are met with the utmost care & balance, the whole pyramid tips over on its side.“

♦ FREEDOM
Maslow’s original hierarchy only works if a person is free. This reverse pyramid is Ravi Agrawal’s theoretical model : Moving from the bottom up ⬆️, more & more people are involved in our life at each stage, while the restrictions to our freedom decrease ⬇️. This means we have more choices with more opportunity to decide what we want to do.

At the same time, what kind of impact a particular negative event will have in our life depends on which level it occurs in…. the broader the category (the bigger our life is), the more disruptive it can be.

1. Base NEEDS – Upbringing: Only a few people contribute at this level, & their actions have a profound impact on a person’s psyche & thought process

2. Subconscious – Whatever your needs are for functioning, must be met. If they’re not, the whole structure is thrown off balance

3. Personal – where your ethics & values come into play. … if the previous levels aren’t met, you might be willing to sacrifice them just to ensure you can fulfill them
Agrawal suggests Ethics & Values are formed by repeated sets of experiences. At this level, everything is transactional (interaction with others, especially influenced by the role as parent, child, or peer), & is judged by the face value of events. Doing things in a certain way (positively?) leads to improvement in one’s mental attitude

4. Association – This need is stronger than anything else, more than physical ones. Even with restricted access (limited connectivity), people still want to be a part of the group. Religion, nationality, professional organizations, gangs (in jail as well)…. are all associative groups we gravitate to, without questioning the drive

5. Forced (final level before freedom) – life situations causing real-world pressures, force us to act in ways that often sacrifice basic needs like food & sleep (get a degree, don’t get fired, feed your family….) in order to achieve a goal or passion
EXP: a business person rushing to a morning appointment without enough sleep or breakfast.

IMPLIED – FREEDOM to choose: Able to function optimally with less interference from the demands of others. (See Iceberg model of Competencies)

NEXT: Reversed #2

PREVIOUS: Transcendence & the brain

SITE: “What is Self-transcendence?” 6 EXP

MODERN
In “Renovating the Pyramid of Needs: Contemporary Extensions Built Upon Ancient Foundations” Kenrick, Griskevicious, Neuberg, & Schaller, (2010) modified Maslow’s pyramid to reflect a controversial, more ‘up-to-date’ approach, based on findings from neuroscience, developmental & evolutionary psychology —> which assumes that everything in human nature is in our genes, & can only be there if it helped our Paleolithic hunter-gatherer ancestors to survive & reproduce.

😴 These sciences claim that Maslow’s Pyramid is old-fashioned & needs revamping because it missed some very basic facts about human nature not well understood in his time, but have since been emphasized by ongoing research & theory. (Arizona State U.)

In the new pyramid, reproduction of our genes is considered one of humankind’s most fundamental drives. Self-actualization may be an important concept, but is no longer considered an evolutionary requirement, & so has been eliminated. Replacing it are 3 motives researchers believe Maslow did not account for: mate acquisition, mate retention, & parenting. Kenrick et al. pointed to universal human efforts to create & maintain family bonds, & the parental investment in raising young. (Explanation of each TREE ⬇️).

In addition to this dramatic change at the top, researchers add need- overlapping. This replaces Maslow’s initial idea that once a need is met it disappears & the individual moves on to the next level.
Kenrick et al. explained that this is not accurate. The reality is that even if a person had fulfilled a level & then gone on to the next – they may have to revert to earlier ones.

This is because there’s an ongoing interplay between our internal motivations & environmental situations, either by opportunities or threats, determining which needs capture our attention at any point in life. “Cognitive systems (the human mind) are biologically prepared to learn or have evolved a vigilance for stimuli relevant to fundamental goals. Neither the stimuli nor goals exist in isolation – the psychological system has co-evolved with features of the ecology.”

HOWEVER, other researchers – such as those in the emerging field of Existential psychology, & the subjective well-beingness of Positive Psychology – have called for retaining the emphasis on personal meaning & self-actualization.

▶︎ Lonnie Aarssen (Ontario, Ca) suggests that Kenrick’s version is also missing something important.
He offers a revision, where: ” …. the exalted pyramid cap represents gene transmission success – not a motivation as such, but the overarching functional (adaptive) consequence of all of the underlying needs / drives.”

He combines Kenrick’s levels 1-3 into the Survival Drive, 4-7 into the Sexual/ Familial Drives. Between them he proposes a “…. greater emphasis on a ‘narrative of the Self’, involving motivational elements that include & expand on the idea of self-actualization…. important requirements because they help people deal with – & mask – the human reality of impermanence (we all die.)

Different ‘sub-selves’, defined by pyramid goals, are activated by environmental cues. So we might expect activation of the ‘Legacy-Drive’ subself vs. the ‘Leisure-Drive subself to be based on local ecology and culture.
One recent study of responses to mortality salience provided an intriguing example of this: European Americans tended to focus on achieving symbolic immortality (legacy), while East Asians generally wanted to engage in & enjoy life (leisure).

There can also be a blurring or blending of the various drives. For example, Legacy functions (2) also feel good, which satisfy the Leisure Drive (3), and can gather resources or earn favor in one’s social group, reaping advantage for the Survival Drive (1).

OR combining all 4 levels: Accumulation of wealth ensures survival, but also earns status (legacy), allowing for conspicuous consumption (leisure), & can attract romance (sex). (More….)

Aarssen notes that the evolutionary roots of Survival & Sexual/Familial Drives (1 & 4) are supported by a large body of literature. However, Legacy & Leisure Drives (2 & 3) are mostly hypotheses yet to be tested with more research. The assumption is that they served our ancestors well by masking consciousness of our limited life-span, (a potentially incapacitating ‘curse’) – at least until we reach reproductive maturity, so we can pass on our genes.
He believes such research can lay the groundwork for a new view of the evolutionary roots of human nature & social life.

NEXT: Modern Pyramids #2