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Self-realization - How to go your own way

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Self-realization - How to go your own way

Self-realization - a dream of many young people! After all, it is a real luxury to be able to take your life into your own hands and shape your everyday life yourself. But self-realization is not always just desirable, but demands responsibility and courage. What digital nomads, influencers and survival artists have to do with self-actualization and how you can also realize yourself in normality - far away from your Instagram feed - you will find out in this magazine article!

Self-realization is the trend

"The goal of life is self-realization. To bring one's own being to full fruition, that is our destiny." 

Oscar Wilde

Let's start at the beginning. What does self-realization mean anyway, what does the term stand for? What is certain is that it is a very elastic term. Because somehow everyone seems to understand something different by self-actualization. And that's no wonder! Duden online defines self-realization as "the development of one's own personality through the realization of possibilities that are inherent in oneself. And these possibilities look very different.

The fact that self-fulfillment is very much in vogue is due in part to the digital nomads who work independently of time and place. Due to their high degree of flexibility, they can shape their lives more freely than permanent employees who are present in the office. Also successful influencersThe people who report on beautiful things day in, day out - be it fashion, travel or technology - and show this off to the whole world on social networks, increase the individual's desire for self-fulfilment.

Quickly, your regular office life seems quite boring compared to the varied Influencer life. And suddenly you feel the need to focus on self-actualization as well. That's great! However, you should keep in mind that self-actualization is only possible one hundred percent for the least of us.

Keep it real!

"To the best of mankind no one can contribute who does not make of himself what he can and should become."

John Gottfried von Herder

Of course, self-realization is not a privilege reserved only for the rich and beautiful. But a little more reality would perhaps not hurt one or the other. It doesn't always have to be higher, faster, further! Nor does it necessarily have to mean living life in the fast lane, touring the world and preferring artistic activities to secure components such as a permanent job and a rental contract.

Sayings like "Live your dreams" contain a lot of truth, but also the danger of losing sight of what is really important. For example, let's keep the Maslow's pyramid of needs which I'm sure you've heard of. This divides human needs into different levels. While psychological needs (eating, drinking, sleeping) and security needs (living, working, protection) form the basis, self-actualization is at the top. In between are social needs (family, friendship, group membership) and individual needs (recognition, praise, status).

As you can see, self-actualization is important for a happy life, but even more relevant are basic securities. That's why it's important to find a healthy balance between necessary activities and moments of self-fulfillment - unless you want to become an influencer. Then, of course, both are possible. But now please: Irony off, reality on!

The Maslow Pyramid of Needs

"You reshape the world by reshaping yourself."

Julius Lanbehn

At this point, let's take a close look at Maslow's pyramid of needs. Because this is an important component when it comes to self-actualization. 

The model developed by the us psychologist Abraham Maslow comprises a total of 5 levels of human needs 

The 5 levels of Maslow's pyramid of needs

Psychological level

This refers to all basic needs that are necessary to sustain life. These include, for example, needs such as respiration, food, homeostasis (e.g. protection from the weather) and reproduction.

According to Maslow, these needs form the foundation and thus the first level of the pyramid. Only when this foundation is in place, the path to self-actualization can be followed. 

Security needs

As soon as existential needs are guaranteed, people begin to long for needs of security. These include, for example. Needs such as basic material security, physical and mental health, or the pursuit of an activity that can finance life. 

In this phase, according to Maslow, the main goal of man is to create stability and orderly conditions. If these are not given, the individual is not granted to go further up the pyramid. 

Social needs

If stability is guaranteed (e.g. through a secure job), the urge to develop social relationships increases. The urge for community takes place in different circles. 

Among them family, friends, partnership or but also by joining clubs. The importance of sociability is becoming more and more important. 

At the same time, the urge for social recognition increases. You want to be part of a community and climb further up within it. 

Individual needs

If the social need is satisfied, the individual needs increasingly push themselves into the center. Here Maslow distinguishes between two forms of individual needs. 

In his opinion, man strives on the one hand for mental and physical strength, independence and success. On the other hand, he increasingly seeks confirmation in the outside world. Among them from work colleagues, in the sports club, from friends or from all people with whom he interacts in any way. 

Self-realization

If the individual needs are also satisfied, nothing stands in the way of self-realization, according to Maslow. This basically happens quite automatically. 

For the satisfaction of the previously mentioned points will lead to restlessness and Dissatisfaction awakens in the human being. Suddenly, the respective person wants to give his life a deeper meaning, a deeper significance. 

Here, each person defines for themselves how exactly this works. Some want to start their own business. Others want to express themselves creatively and, for example, write a book that changes the world. Others see their role in politics and want to influence the world in this way. 

What need do you have? What does self-realization mean to you? Can you already answer this question clearly for yourself?

How to integrate self-realization into your everyday life

As we now know, the goal of most people is not to wrap their entire lives in self-actualization. This sounds desirable, but in practice it is difficult. After all, we have obligations: The rent wants to be paid and the child needs to be fed. And then there'd still be a few payments left on your student loans. Sound familiar? In such a case, there's not much room for self-realization. Or is there?

You bet! Because even if you work 40 hours a week in a job that may not always be exciting or challenging, but offers you financial security, you still have enough time to realize yourself after work. Self-actualization doesn't always have to take place on a professional level. You can also develop yourself in your private life.

This works, for example, by spending a lot of time with friends and family or a beloved hobby. You can play a sport that fulfills you, meditate, draw, paint, learn new languages or invent something. If you have the opportunity to travel to distant countries, to Financially independent or to keep your ecological footprint on this world as small as possible, that's great. We just want to show you that even small opportunities in everyday life can be used for self-actualization. In other words, just because you're not completely turning your life around doesn't mean you're not self-actualizing. As I said, self-actualization is an elastic term and looks different for everyone.

How to make your own way

"We model our bodies according to expectations, insisting that this is our freedom. Because we don't realize that we're bending to a pressure to conform, we believe we're especially individual."

Giovanni Mail

Moreover, self-realization is a constant process. Unlike a project, it rarely has a specific date, a beginning or an end - instead, at best, it accompanies you throughout your life. But let's assume that your life has been rather strangely controlled and you have never really listened to your heart. You've done what everyone else does, had little free time, and now - in your free time or professionally - you finally want to realize yourself. The following three steps will show you how to get started. We wish you a lot of fun!

What do you really want?

Find out what you really want and what drives you! What motivates you? What makes your heart beat and your eyes sparkle? By thinking about your desires, goals and Potential you find out how and with what you can realize yourself.

Strengthen your self-confidence

Self-realization also includes a fair amount of Self-confidence. Because only when you believe in yourself and your Self-esteem strengthened, you can muster sufficient strength to walk the path of self-realization. A strong self-awareness also gives you enough strength to overcome challenges on your way to your goal. 

Take responsibility

One thing is fact: You are the designer of your life. And you alone. For that you have to Assume responsibility. For example, if you always blame others, then it will lead you to give responsibility to those people as well. 

At the risk of sounding harsh: At the end of the day, you are responsible for yourself. The circumstances in which you live are merely guardrails. However, it is you who decides in which direction your life can go. 

And for that reason, it's up to you whether you take the responsibility to live your life on your own terms or just bury your head in the sand when the going gets tough. 

Do not postpone your goals

"Tomorrow I'm quitting smoking." "Starting next week, I'm going back to the gym." "And I'm definitely going to finish my taxes tomorrow."

Do statements like this sound familiar? We humans often tend to put off our goals. The problem is that every day we put off our goals, we take a step away from self-actualization. 

For this reason, it is immensely important to always keep your goals in focus and move towards them. Otherwise, you run the risk of spinning your wheels, which in turn leads to a lot of frustration and Disappointment

Expect criticism

Expect criticism! There will always be someone who has other plans for you or would like to tell you what to do - for example, your parents who would rather see you in law school than in a philosophy seminar. Or your friends who would rather go on tour with you instead of knowing that you're doing your 

You spend weekends playing guitar. Let them know why you prefer certain things to others, and don't let criticism stop you.

Face your fears

On the path to self-realization, you will encounter many challenges that scare you. This is normal. After all, self-realization means to Comfort zone to leave. 

And outside the comfort zone lies the Fear. However, once the fear is overcome, the change occurs. And every time you conquer fear, you get one step closer to your goal of self-realization. 

Don't give up

Don't give up! Self-realization doesn't happen overnight. Setbacks are just as much a part of it as success. Always remember why you have chosen to do certain things: because they make you happy, enrich you and give you a sense of freedom. Stay true to yourself - that's the best way to realize yourself!

Conclusion: Self-realization is the key to a free and happy life

"Know thyself."

 Inscription on the temple of Apollo in Delphi

In this article, you learned what self-actualization is, how to achieve it, and the importance of Maslow's pyramid of needs in this context. 

Now it's up to you! You decide whether you take your life into your own hands and take responsibility for becoming the person you always wanted to be. 

We hope you enjoy this exciting journey that lies ahead of you. Finally, we can promise you one thing for sure: It's worth it to take the path of self-realization.

Once you have walked this path, a life full of freedom, happiness and profound Satisfaction. And once you've walked that path, you'll be able to look back in the past and say to yourself: Yes, I have done it. I have walked my path of self-realization. 

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