4 minute read
Career Development & Wellness
Actualization for Well-Being— A Framework for Achieving a Higher Level of Actualization
Contributing Author: Mary E. Vandenack, Vandenack Weaver LLC, 17007 Marcy Street, #3, Omaha, NE 68118.
Seeking the Actualized Side of Self
To understand the concept of actualization, it is helpful to consider Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is a model that establishes levels of needs that a person focuses on and must meet before moving to the next need in the hierarchy. The hierarchy of needs can be considered both on individual and business levels.
The most basic level in the hierarchy of needs is physiological needs. At this level are basic survival needs, including employment and income sufficient for basic needs. The second level of needs is security. Security can be about physical safety, emotional safety, fair work practices, and benefits. Although it might be easy to ignore these two basic levels in the workplace, there may be employees whose needs at these levels need to be met.
The third level of needs is social needs. For social needs to result in actualization, it is vital to surround oneself, whether at work or outside of work, with those who accept us for who we are to achieve a sense of safety. This acceptance isn’t always possible at work. The fourth level is esteem needs. At this level, the focus is on self-respect, achievement, recognition, and appreciation.
At the top of the hierarchy is self-actualization. A self-actualized person has achieved such status through internal growth and development. Self-actualization is becoming or actualizing one’s highest self and potential. Self-actualized people connect deeply to a sense of purpose beyond the normal day-to-day. They are grateful, humble, and fulfilled. A self-actualized person is more resilient and operates from abundance and strength rather than scarcity and sphere.
An actualized person will function as a good friend, co-worker, leader, or boss. Things go wrong when a person functions from that person’s shadow side. When the shadow side prevails, a worker may be unproductive, and relationships may be negatively affected.
Seek and Train for Intense SelfActualization
A person who is self-actualizing is living to her highest potential. The self-actualized person commits to confronting and managing the shadow side of the self. Selfactualized persons train themselves to be objective and address challenges proactively with a problem-solving mindset.
Tips for Training Greater Self Actualization
Your daily self-actualization workout could incorporate any or all of these five tips to establish and reinforce the self-actualized muscle memory.
Know your shadow’s triggers. Identify the situations—including people—that seem to trigger you and develop a plan to avoid being triggered.
Be objective and accepting, not defensive, about your struggles. We all struggle with something. Accepting the existence of the struggle allows you to focus your energy on devising a strategy for success.
Boost your solution-focused mindset. When things go wrong, the temptation to blame colleagues, yourself, or circumstances can sometimes be irresistible. Try looking at things as a challenge or a process problem rather than seeking to blame a particular issue on another person.
Prioritize self-care. Never compromise self-care. Block it in your calendar with the highest priority, and never reschedule.
Schedule strategically for resilience. Self-awareness, mindfulness, self-care, positive relationships, and intentionality build resilience. If you need time to yourself in the morning to read, do yoga, or run, take it. The point is to identify what is and isn’t working for you and fix the latter. The same goes for people.
How to Get Out of Your Shadow, Now
Even though you have built your selfactualization muscle and stamina, there will be the proverbial “bad day.” Practice strategies to develop your selfactualization muscle but also as your emergency self-actualization.
Create a time-out. If you are in a tense situation, find a way to take a break. It may be as simple as saying, “I’d like some time to reflect so I can give you my best thinking.”
Breathe deeply. As you breathe, shift your focus entirely to the breath, the present moment. Think about how your body feels as the tension dissipates and the fight or flight instinct dissolves.
Choose cordial over shadow. Grace matters the most in challenging moments. Learn to practice cordiality when you don’t want to, even when you know you are right or the other person is triggering you.
Focus on what you can do. Eliminate distractions, practice mindfulness, and take a break. Train your brain regularly.
Reduce reactivity with curiosity. Step back and assess your belief about the person or situation. Assume you are missing facts and that others have the best of intentions.
