Most of us have had times in life when we feel at our lowest point and become desperate as we search for the right answers.
As much as we try to think straight, our feelings overwhelm us until we may become incapable of utilizing our rational intelligent mind.
Under those circumstances, it is easy to succumb to the present affliction which prevents us from finding the clarity needed to overcome the problem.
In these trying times, we lose belief in ourselves.
We feel needy.
We yearn for something or somebody to come along and save us, to give us a helping hand and take us out of the darkness.
When all else fails, we are held by one last effort to preserve our sanity, an entity we cannot see, touch or hear.
We call it Faith - the "Invisible Life Coach".
We are dependent on a variety of things and events to live a peaceful and harmonious life.
According to Abraham Maslow, an American Psychologist of Jewish-Russian descent, explained that human beings have needs and some of those needs take precedence over others.
Furthermore, he talked about the levels of motivation which drive a man to be productive and positive.
According to Maslow, human beings start living when the basic physiological needs like food and shelter are met.
But even amongst these physiological needs some are more prominent than others.
For instance, thirst takes priority over hunger because we can live longer without food than without water.
Other physiological needs are proper nourishment (like vitamins, minerals and proteins), rest and sleep, and even sex amongst others.
Once our physiological needs are met, the next layer of needs arises: safety and security.
It is here were we develop a need for shelter, stability and protection.
We can conclude that in today's turbulent times, this second layer of needs is frequently compromised, as people are losing their homes, their jobs and their savings.
The third layer of needs is based on love and a sense of "belonging.
" Socialization plays a major role as it further develops in our need to have a partner, a family, be a part of a community, a fraternity group, a movement, a gang, etc.
The fourth layer of needs is centered on esteem.
Maslow classified this layer into two sub-groups: the lower and the higher.
The lower is related to how others see us; i.
e.
the need for respect, fame, attention, appreciation, and dignity amongst others.
The higher relates to inner processes, such as self-respect, self-confidence, self-esteem, self-mastery, belief in oneself, achievement and freedom.
A healthy human being is able to integrate these areas of needs into the self, living a fulfilled and stable life.
The fifth and last layer of needs is a bit different.
Maslow used a variety of terms to refer to this layer, but the most common ones are "growth-motivation" and "self-actualization".
It is through these particular set of needs that we can achieve the seemingly impossible goals.
When our first four layers of needs are in balance, we find ourselves living in a continuous desire to fulfill our potential.
And the more we fulfill these needs, the more we achieve in life.
The fifth layer of needs help us become the "most complete" individual with respect to our unique capabilities and talents.
To achieve this level of bliss in life, all of our layers of needs must be satisfied in the order Maslow described them.
And it makes sense, as if we feel hungry or don't have shelter, we can't fully devote ourselves to fulfill our true potential.
And when several needs are unfulfilled at once it can lead to a breakdown of the whole hierarchy of layers which can set us back in the shadows of gloom.
Maslow drew a pyramid to represent these five layers, with the physiological needs on the base, and the self-actualization needs on the pyramid's pinnacle.
Thus for a person to live as a well adjusted individual, all five layers of needs must be in balance and fulfilled in that precise order.
When one or more layers are compromised, the pinnacle cannot be held in place.
To say it differently, whenever the hierarchical needs crumble, we will feel unstable and incomplete, making self-actualization a last priority.
However, we can still hold on to a thin but durable "layer" to work our way back up.
We will hold on to this invisible layer until all needs are met again and until we reach self-actualization.
This thin invisible layer is called Faith; a sturdy belief in the unseen; a belief that helps us keep our sanity in place; something to hang on to when the material world is failing us.
Faith is the cause behind many seemingly impossible accomplishments.
It is the faith in one self and in a Higher Power what makes the difference between failure and success, depression and recovery, sadness and exhilaration.
It goes beyond normal human thinking and tangible comprehension.
It is a vital part that makes us "human".
As members of the human race, most of us have learned to rise above the ashes time and time again.
As long as we are breathing and we hold on to faith, we'll have the capacity to turn things around and hurl ourselves back into wellness.
Yet sometimes is not easy...
and it is then when a Life Coach can become our best ally.
A Life Coach is a professional that can help us recover the balance in our five layers of needs.
He does this with a series of tools that identify our values, talents and experiences.
She then takes this information and helps us determine our passion and vision in life.
He helps us organize our thoughts, realign our priorities and plan our actions.
She supports us on our path.
He guides and motivates us, until we finally discover our true potential and achieve our most cherished desires.
And when this happens, we finally conquer the pinnacle of self-actualization.