Foundations - Week 3

Welcome to Week 3

If you like to know what’s ahead, here’s a quick preview of the concepts we’ll explore this week. Prefer a little mystery? Feel free to jump straight into the first card: Practice.

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What is it?

Week 3 focuses on social needs, specifically - love and belonging. No one succeeds in this world without others and it can be a pretty lonely place without those connections.

An overview of this week's concepts.

Each concept is tied to a foundational level of Maslow’s model and includes a daily challenge to help you reflect and grow:

• Practice – This is key to improving any skill that you wish to acquire. It is the basis of forming good habits as well.

  
  

  • Building meaningful relationships takes effort and repetition. Practicing empathy, communication, and vulnerability strengthens bonds.

    
    

• Humour – is one of the most effective communication mediums that connects people and improves emotional wellness.

• Shared laughter creates emotional closeness and breaks down social barriers. It’s a powerful tool for bonding and easing tension.

  
  

• Love – This is what connects us to each other, everything we care about and our spiritual beliefs. It is the antidote for hate and evil.

• Love is the core of belonging. Whether romantic, familial, or platonic, it affirms that we matter to someone. This of course extends to our pets too!

  
  

• Helping Others – When Darwin presented the idea of "Survival of the Fittest" many people missed the key idea that social groups like family, friends, and community is a required part of that formula.

  
  

  • Acts of service foster mutual respect and connection. Helping builds community and signals care.

    
    

• Trust – This is the foundation of human interaction and establishing relationships. It is fluid in that it can be earned, lost and even regained.

  
  

  • Trust is the foundation of safe relationships. Without it, love and belonging can’t flourish.

    
    

• Race/Ethnicity – Every race and ethnic group offers value and important information to learn about the human condition. Learn about genealogy and embrace diversity.

  
  

  • Cultural identity shapes how we experience belonging. Shared heritage can create strong community bonds, but discrimination can threaten inclusion.

 Key myths to break this week:

• The myth of the lone wolf or the "self-made person". Makes for cool fantasy heroes but that's exactly what it is - fantasy.

• Accepting help makes a person weak. Nope, it makes them intelligent. It also forges relationships because accepting help makes others feel good.

• I am only one person, I have no power. Wrong. This is what those who wish to control and manipulate you would try to convince you that this is a truth. The truth is, they are the minority and there is great strength in numbers. One voice can be the catalyst for positive change.

• Attacks on diversity. Reasearch shows that people with different backgrounds, education and viewpoints coming together create a more just and innovative world.

  
  

Understanding, practicing these concepts and decluttering your brain of garbage myths sets the stage for growth, leadership, and resilience.

Challenge yourself, share your insights, and enjoy the journey. You never know when a card with a single idea or challenge might spark something powerful and open a whole new set of possibilities and opportunities.

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Checkpoint: Something to consider today...

Challenge gossip, information lacking evidence and social media with a critical

mind.