Basic Instinct

The other day I had the opportunity to begin a 3-part mini series to participants who belong to a homeless shelter. This population is not the usual individuals that I work with on a consistent basis, but I was up to the challenge because I strongly believe that everyone have the potential to reach their career dreams. As I begun presenting the material, many of the participants had so many excuses as to why they could not work at all. It was true that many of them had legitimate challenges and in need of necessities such as a place to live. In Maslow’s theory of Motivation, before an individual can reach self- actualization, basic needs have to be obtained to motivate an individual to reach for more out of life.

Honestly, I was in for more than I had bargained for. It was a revelation for me to experience homelessness in the city from another perspective. Everyday as a commuter in NYC, I come across at least one individual who is homeless and living on the streets. As we see them peddling down the aisle on the crowed train during rush hour, instinctively judgment come upon us and we clutch our purses closer. Sometimes if we are in a good mood, we would drop a few coins in the pan, secretly thinking that it would all end up going to waste. Think about how each of us was blessed with some token of a gift from God and consider if you are letting anything-go waste? What do you need in life today to motivate you to go to the next level?

Aspire. Create. Develop.

Shemeka Peters