Leveling Up Life

Leveling Up Life: Understanding the Three Tiers of Existence

In the vast expanse of life, we often find ourselves on a relentless quest for betterment and progress. Just as video games reward players with upgraded skills and new challenges, life too offers us opportunities to “level up” and navigate through distinct stages. In this post, we'll explore the three basic levels of life: survive, strive, and thrive, understanding how each stage tends to our mind, body, and spirit.

1. The Survive Level

Key elements: Community, Food, Stability

At the foundational stage of survival, the primary focus lies in catering to the most basic human needs. This level resonates with Maslow's base tier of his hierarchy of needs, which emphasizes physiological needs and security. Here, individuals work towards:

- Community: Building connections and a sense of belonging.

- Food: Ensuring sustenance and nourishment.

- Stability: Finding a safe environment free from imminent threats.

Tending to these needs often takes precedence over everything else, especially when they're at risk.

2. The Strive Level

Key elements: Career, Relationships, Comfort

Progressing from mere survival, the strive level is characterized by a longing for comfort, contentment, and deeper connections. It's not just about getting by but about establishing a life that is enriched and fulfilling. This includes:

- Career: Finding purpose and identity in one's professional life.

- Relationships: Building loving, supportive, and long-lasting bonds.

- Comfort: Achieving a standard of living that offers peace and satisfaction, be it owning a home or having a stable income.

3. The Thrive Level

Key elements: Ambitious Goals, Worldly Experiences, Spiritual Growth

The thrive level transcends the material and delves into the realm of aspirations, experiences, and self-actualization. Here, individuals are driven by:

- Ambitious Goals: Whether it’s launching a business or writing a book, these goals often push boundaries.

- Worldly Experiences: Like traveling, which broadens perspectives and enriches the soul.

- Spiritual Growth: Venturing on paths that lead to higher consciousness, enlightenment, or deep introspection.

While all three levels cater to the mind, body, and spirit, the proportion in which we tend to each varies. The strive level might lean more towards the mind with career goals, while the thrive level could lean more towards the spirit with a quest for higher consciousness.

The Journey of Leveling Up

Transitioning through these stages isn't merely a linear progression. It requires profound self-awareness, mindfulness, and proactive action. Most crucially, it demands unwavering commitment. While it's true that some can find contentment purely in spiritual growth, forsaking the mental and physical might lead to an unbalanced existence. We, as multifaceted beings, are destined not only for a metaphysical journey but also for tangible, real-world experiences.

In conclusion, life’s beauty lies in its vastness and variability. It offers each one of us the canvas to paint our unique journey, moving from survival to striving and eventually thriving. As we navigate these levels, it's essential to remember that each stage is vital, shaping us, teaching us, and preparing us for what's next. Embrace each level, and cherish the myriad experiences that come with it.

Continue to join me on this journey!

Peace and Abundance Always, Peter Abundant, Ph.D