Journal Entry

March 12, 2021

I am going to use Maslows Hierarchy of needs since it is how I have gotten this far in life, with nothing. Back in 2016, I had been sent to a boot camp program, instead of going to prison for some bad decisions I made while drinking too much. This changed the course of my life forever in so many ways. Getting out in 2018, I literally had a bag of clothes to my name, and one old worn out pair of sneakers. That is where is started my journey of making it up the hierarchy of needs. I got a job within the first five days of getting out, which got me started on my 90 day plan that I had set forth for myself. Being in a different city from where I grew up, I had only one friend that I was able to stay with for a little while. Within 30 days, I had secured transportation, more clothes, food and drinks, and all my necessities in life. I quickly moved up the ladder to the psychological needs with belongingness and love needs. I found the woman of my dreams that I have been with since, in which I am always finding new ways to love her, and our beautiful daughter. My esteem needs began to climb as well through being able to make the right acquaintances to start doing what I love again, combat sports. I started winning my mixed martial arts and boxing competitions, which gave me a sense of accomplishment. And then in 2019, literally one year after getting released from bootcamp, I started a business with one of my best friends doing non-destructive testing. This accomplishment put me above myself, just trying to comprehend the amount of success I had achieved within one year of being clean and sober, versus all the 23 years before that. I now am a personal trainer, going on my fourth year in college, business owner, delinquent children coach, a governor appointed counsel man, and a person with a great testimony. I strive to help one person every day, and if I am able to, potentially write a book about how it is possible to get out of that same revolving cycle of insanity that drugs and alcohol bring with it. I would like to believe that I have reached to precipice of Maslows Hierarchy of needs (2016), but I don’t feel as though I have obtained my full potential yet. I want to continue to push myself to get further in life, and though I have already come this far, I don’t want to put that objective on the shelf and forget why I work so hard. I know I am destined for so much more, that is why I’m getting the education, and the possibilities of changing this city, this state, and even potentially this country.

-Cyral I Callender III

References:

D’Souza, J., & Gurin, M. (2016). The universal significance of Maslow’s concept of self-actualization. The Humanistic Psychologist, 44(2), 210-214. doi:10.1037/hum0000027 Retrieved from: http://search.ebscohost.com.libauth.purdueglobal.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=pdh&AN=2016-28070-007&site=eds-live