What Does Abraham Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs Have to do With Our Health? Part II

Isn't it great to feel young?

Let's examine Maslow's hierarchy of needs with regard to our health. The physiological needs are taken care of for the great majority of people in the United States. Layer 1 (from a health standpoint) is not a motivator for most.

One of my goals is to live life feeling outstanding, and I'm sure many of you feel the same. This is a level five need. This is self-actualization, being all we can be.

When we feed the need to be in excellent health, this higher level need will become stronger. It will involve a desire to fulfill our potential, to live life feeling outstanding, which is a part of self-actualization. When we start eating right (or improve our eating habits) and get on an exercise program, these good habits become easier and we want to do more.

Maslow also went on to study people who were considered to be self-actualized by society and himself. He developed a list of qualities that these people displayed that were different from the general population. There is a characteristic that these self-actualized people demonstrated that is especially significant with regard to health. These people resisted enculturation. They were not susceptible to social pressure to be well-adjusted or to fit in with the crowd. In order to really live life feeling outstanding we have to resist enculturation.

The social pressures on a person to fit-in with the crowd are huge. It is extremely easy to compromise what we know is right during social occasions, at a sporting event with friends or just eating lunch at work. Or to offer we allow our kids to eat far too much junk food to obtain their temporary adoration. Let's be people who seek the higher level need to live life feeling outstanding. Let's be autonomous people who resist enculturation. Let's practice the good health habits that will benefit us both now and in the future.

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Tom Thorne
www.FeelingOutstanding.com