Fall is here!
The autumn season brings beautiful changes, sometimes subtle, sometimes it seems to take too long for the colors to show themsevles, but it is right on schedule, even when it is not on our schedule.
The new season is a really good time to look at each of the five needs, even briefly, and to honestly consider where we are with each one and what we might want to change. Sometimes we just need to pay attention to the need and pause to think about how we are doing. This does not have to take long. We can go as deep as we want with each need in time, but to start, just consider each one briefly and see what we find.
There are times when one or two of the needs might seem to take the back burner because we need to focus on the others, that is not a problem. There are also times when all five needs are being met so naturally, we hardly even notice it. That’s one of the joys and benefits in learning to identify our needs. When we can connect our life and our behaviors with the five needs and discover how well we are doing, it can feel good, encourage us, and maybe help us relax and more fully enjoy the present. Sometimes realizing this can also spur us to do other things or follow some dreams we have put on hold.
Anything may happen. Just by becoming aware, we open our hearts and minds to life.
Learning to identify the needs gives us the power, insight, and understanding to see how well we really are doing. Sometimes it helps us to take a deep breath and “get off of our own backs” about other stuff because we realize we are meeting the most important things and everything else will fall in line. Sometimes, we are so hard on ourselves, feeling like we are not good enough, not doing enough, failing here and there, but as we use the needs as a measuring stick of sorts, we can build our self-confidence. We can free ourselves from negativity that can pull us down without us even realizing what is going on.
What a gift it is to enjoy our own growth. What a privilege it is to be able to help other people on their journey with what we have learned. Our families and other relationships can be strengthened as we learn to identify and incorporate the language of The 5 Needs into our daily routines. Going back to the question: “What is WRONG with me (or them)? changes to “What do I (or they) NEED?
This little shift in words can make a huge difference. The 5 Needs are a unique and wonderful tool to use, very flexible and can also be a compass to give us direction and show us what areas we need to focus on. This is part of why I so enjoy and cherish the five needs in life and hope you do too.
Please note:
All of our blogs are intended for educational purposes only. These not intended as “advice” or any form of therapeutic intervention. Contact your doctor, school counselor, local mental health office or hospital for help with individual problems or concerns.
Feel free to send ideas, ways you have used The 5 Needs, questions about how to use The 5 Needs in your work, consultation requests and suggestions to: wendy@the5needs.com
