Okay, guys. Iām gonna geek out a bit this week but stick with me - itās gonna help.
A little over a month ago [yes, before lockdown] I took my notepad down to a secluded picnic bench, hidden in a spot of greenery, beautifully positioned besideā¦ the A4.
Scene set š¬
I wanted to figure out what it was about the whole coronavirus thing that made me feel the way I was feeling.
That in itself was quite funā¦ I had no idea how I felt.
But when things get weird I like to gobble up information and then sit back and find ways to intellectualise it. It helps me gain a sense of control.
So, I sat on this bench, pen in hand, searching for answers.
And I couldnāt stop thinking about this guyā¦
The absolute legend that is Abraham Maslow came up with a Hierarchy of Needs back in 1943 - and it still blows minds.
There are five pillars, the foundation representing the very most important human need, and each one above represents what weāre striving towards.
Physiological: Do I have what I need to survive? Basic needs like food and water.
Safety: Do I feel physically and emotionally safe? This is where employment, property and health come in.Ā
Love and Belonging: Aka. The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in returnā¦ š
Esteem: To genuinely appreciate and respect yourself.
Self-Actualisation: Now known on the āgram as your #bestself.
And hereās what it looks like in the times of coronaā¦
Physiological: The papers are reporting on a killer virus - will I survive?
Yes. Iāve got this, I will be careful, I will survive.Safety: But what about money, will I lose my job?
My job is safe, I have a roof over my head, Iām not in danger.Love and Belonging: But what about my loved ones. Are they okay? I miss them already.
Zooming every hour on the hour. Pub quizzes and virtual cocktails. Weāre good.Esteem: I have everything I need but why am I being so lazy? Iām not doing this pandemic well.
Amber said thereās no right way and I trust her, Iām doing great.Self-Actualisation: Iām good, maybe great. But is it enough? Am I enough?
Yes, I am. Iāve done all the work and Iām exactly where I want and need to be.
Thanks for the psych lesson. Plz, connect the dotsā¦
OF COURSE YOU KEEP ON LOSING YOUR SHIT!
This is the first time in our lifetime that the whole world has questioned their most basic needs.
Generally, our first concerns werenāt about us getting sick from the virus, but as soon as we realised there was a threat, panic buying started.
Access to food and water is another part of Maslowās first layer.
And letās keep it real here, even if you didnāt stockpile, you picked up āan extraā of somethingā¦
Might as well grab that spaghetti, one more bottle of wine wonāt hurt, double the eggs just in case.
I did each one of those.
Thatās the foundational layer of Maslowās hierarchyā¦ Boom š§Øš„
And it messes with us. It makes every layer above harder to reach.
So what?
So once again, I implore you to give yourself a break from the psychological beating.
It would be very strange if you hadnāt had/werenāt having/didnāt have another wobble.
And then we get back up.
Because weāre survivors.
And we are safe.
And we are loved.
And we are coping.
And we are good enough.
And look. If youāre finding it impossible to see the light, just remember, we live in a world where we can do this š
Thx for humouring my homeschooling, folks. Until next week,
Amber
Every day Iām balancinā
Ps. Was the psychology lesson useful? Should I shout louder about the connection between CV19 and the great Maslow? Lemme know.
This week Iām loving
The animal reserve thatās pimping out their Llamas - for $100 you can get one on your next Zoom and the ālove winsā comic relief tee by the amazing Charlie Mackesy.
āIf I lose my mind, I lose my businessā
I spoke to Startups Magazine about owning a business in the time of COVID and shared my top tips on what companies must do to look after their employees.
I really do love sharing this with you
And if youāre enjoying my ramblings, please tell your friends, family, boss, employee, sister, nephew or neighbour about it.
I have a dream of writing a weekly column and growing this newsletter will help make that happen š
ā¦ of course, if you also happen to know someone in the world of publishing and can help make that happen, holla!
And hereās the Balpro logo, #branding.
Pps. Weāve added something to the website recently, let me know if you find it šµš¼āāļø