Being Happy and Attaining Self Actualization
When we wake up every day, there is always something we desire to accomplish before the sun sets. While some people go to their offices to carry out their normal work activities, others go to the saloon, malls, hospital, or one of several other places. This routine is repeated on a daily basis. We always have the desire to accomplish one thing or the other, but little do we know that there’s a major driver behind everything we do and every decision we make — the desire to be happy.
Happiness means different things to different people. Some might have the urge to save lives and believe that the only way to be happy is to be medical doctors, while others love being around animals and nothing could make them happier.
The rate at which people die in from health conditions, being drunk, accident, old age or even for no medical or physical reason is put into consideration, you will safely come to the conclusion that happiness is the only logical conclusion.
Life’s short and there’s no guarantee how long you will be around. During the stone age and the generation of earlier men, the major purpose of man was to survive and procreate. They accomplish these goals by hunting for food and searching for clothing and shelter.
Thousands of years later, the purpose and objectives of humans have not changed, but man himself has evolved as a result of the constant advancement of technology. Interestingly, these changes are predicted to continue forever. It’s true that the only thing which is constant in the life of man is changing, but even with this belief, it can be safely argued that there’s something else that does not change and has not changed in the life of men in Millennials and that is the desire to be happy. However, there are misconceptions associated with this notion and many individuals hold the opinion that the desire to be happy is only possible among humans.
Humans are at the top of the food chain and as primates, we have the ability to think and reason better than other animals that are regarded as lesser beings. Meanwhile, if you think about the notion carefully, you will come to realize that if animals have the ability to sense danger, feel pain, procreate, nurture their young ones, fall ill, and even die, then it’s possible that they also have the desire to be happy.
Everything animals do is tilted towards these desires and how it can be achieved. For these reasons, when you find something that makes you happy, it’s recommended that you go for it as your happiness is a more effective medication compared to the capsules you take for depression.
Maslow’s Hierarchy Of Needs
The theory propounded by Abraham Maslow was welcomed with mixed feeling. While some people believe that the pyramid explained the needs of man as well as their hierarchy the way it should, others argued otherwise. This is partly due to the study of the mentally impaired, psychological ill, depressed, and neurotic individuals, Maslow opt to use those he referred to as exemplary people (1 percent healthiest individuals among other college students) including Jane Addams, Albert Einstein, Frederick Douglass and Eleanor Roosevelt.
He believed that the study of individuals that are immature, unhealthy and stunted, can lead to an inconclusive and crippled philosophical. Maslow propounded that the first and the most important pleasures people go after are the physiological ones that ensure the survival of men such as air, food, sleep, health and many others.
The philosopher believes that nothing else matters to an individual if any of these things are lacking. Meanwhile, when they are all acquired in the desired quantity then man naturally moves on to search for other needs which he believes is necessary for his enjoyment of the life of this world. The next set of needs listed in the pyramid are safety, security and other things that relieve the mind of worries. All generations of men have taken active steps to ensure their safety and that of their loved ones. Maslow believes that man moves on to seek the next level of needs on the pyramid such as intimacy, family, and friendship if he is satisfied that his basic security needs have been catered for.
When you attain a state where you believe that you have the perfect relationship with your friends and family, there will be an insatiable urge to go in search of the next set of needs on the Maslow pyramid which include esteemed, respecting and earning the respect of others, as well as confidence.
The philosopher believes that individuals who are able to satisfy and acquire the set of needs on this level are deemed to be in a state of self-actualization, which is the need at the tops of the pyramid and the level every individual is struggling to attain whether we realize this or not. You can also invest quality time and resources into creativity, personal growth, moral building, and much more. If you understand this theory well, you may be a step away from your own happiness and self-actualization.
Not everyone agrees with Maslow’s theory, and this set of people argues that man can achieve self-actualization with or without satisfying the set of needs listed by the philosopher. This group of people believes that the most important need of man is the ability to differentiate between ideas, expectations, and reality. For instance, not everybody needs billions or friends to attain the state of self-actualization.
Everybody is different and so are their needs. A decision or goal that will lead a person to the top of Maslow’s pyramid may not necessarily lead another to the same destination. The moment you realize your uniqueness, flaws, and personal goals is the moment you attain self-actualization. These groups of individual bases their argument on the fact that there are people out there who are genuinely happy and comfortable with their lives even without all the needs listed in Abraham Maslow’s pyramid.
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