#83 - Climbing the Consciousness Ladder: How to Go from Survival to Service

In today's episode, we are exploring Barrett's Seven Levels of Consciousness. During this episode we will cover the origins of this concept, and dive deep into the seven levels of consciousness so by the end of the episode you will know where you stand in different areas of your life and how to expand your consciousness in love, money, contribution and spirituality.   

Self Assessment 

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Transcript

Intro:

Hello Everyone! Welcome to The Game of Life Podcast; I am Alexandria Burek and I am your host.

Thank you for picking my show; you will find this show is a blend of personal stories and life lessons covering a wide range of topics that are designed to help you live life, a little better everyday; my goal in sharing these personal stories, wins, whatever it may be is always to inspire you–my life is so radically different now even I am a bit amazed at the transformation. With that, no better time to get into it than the present. 

In today's episode, we are exploring Barrett's Seven Levels of Consciousness. During this episode we will cover the origins of this concept, and dive deep into the seven levels of consciousness so by the end of the episode you will know where you stand in different areas of your life and how to expand your consciousness in love, money, contribution and spirituality.    

Admittedly I missed a couple of episodes here, and I am happy to be back. Hopefully in the absence of new episodes the last two weeks you guys had a chance to go back and listen to some of the earlier episodes you may have missed. My goal this week, is to get caught up by producing both makeup episodes (this is the second of two makeups). I am still aiming to get my standard episode released by EOD so catch up is complete today. With that letttttttttts get into it.

A LOT has happened in the last couple of weeks and I am SO excited to share some personal updates. 

Personal Update:

My goal with the personal update is to put my money where my mouth is and lead by example. I’ll share three personal wins, weave in some gratitude, and hit you with a new original thought. 

Wins: 

First, I was able to get completely moved in and set up in less than 24 hours after arriving. I don’t know about you, but I am very particular about the way my house is set up and I do not like clutter or a lack of organization.             

Second, I am getting lean certified this week–pretty interesting and something I’ve always wanted to do. I feel like I naturally live my life in a way that is pretty lean. I try to organize things ergonomically and according to how and where they are used, I try to think about the systems I implement around my house, and as with most things in my life, be thoughtful and intentional about what I do. This just fed the monster.         

Third, there is a particular man I have been on and off with for the last two years more or less. We are like a yo yo couple or whatever you want to call it. Well. I have hope about it. I have hope for two reasons. 1–most important of all–God spoke to me about him, initially and again. And if there is anything I have learned about God’s plans, it's that the results are AMAZING, but the effort and challenge and sometimes the wait involved in getting what God has for you is far more than you can imagine when you embark on the journey; I got a signal that I am on a ride and I have no idea how long it will go. 2–I was ready to give up. I was thinking, I must have misinterpreted. And just as I was literally ready to throw in the towel, we reconnected–and I learned something significant about him–life altering, perspective altering. I think this will change the course of our relationship.    

Gratitude: I am so grateful for the way I have transformed my mindset and my life. Nothing more than that. I am so happy now. I am so resilient now. I am so agile now. I am so grateful now. LOVE LOVE LOVE Life. 

Original Thought: The environments and people you choose to be in and around will affirm your life choices, good or bad. There are likely just as many people at the gym as the bar (not really, but the point is, your surroundings matter, what you see other people doing becomes the bar for yourself–if you are accustomed to seeing people getting wasted on the weekends, that is normal to you. If you are accustomed to seeing people crush it in the board room, that is normal to you. Choose your environment and circle wisely. 

Barrett Seven Levels of Consciousness

So, Barrett Seven Levels of Consciousness. The inspiration came from something I saw randomly on IG, and I thought it fit with what we typically cover on the podcast and about now, the time feels right. 

This concept came from Richard Barrett in 1997 and was inspired by Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. Barrett adapted Maslow’s model to focus on consciousness rather than needs; one key difference is the integration of psychological development stages not considered in Maslow’s model. Barrett designed this model with one purpose in mind: provide a framework for understanding consciousness at the individual and group level. His intent is that this framework could inspire and aid personal growth, leadership, and organizational culture. 

To set the stage, I want to give a two-minute overview of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, given it will be so often referenced. This was developed in the 1940s and we can all agree that people at that time were facing different challenges than people in the 90s, which I believe is why the new Barrett Model was born. Maslow decided on 5 basic human needs from basic to advanced: Physiological – Survival, Safety – Security and Stability, Belonging – Love and Connection, Esteem – Self Respect and Recognition, Self-Actualization – Personal Growth and Fulfilling Potential. In Maslow’s model, level progression is linear, you cannot move to safety until you have satisfied Physiological needs. 

So how is Barrett’s model different? 

Barrett decided on seven levels compared to Maslow's five–we will get into those shortly. The other key difference is that Barrett acknowledges that consciousness is context-dependent. More specifically, you have a dominant level (think of this as your average), but then you have your individual levels of consciousness for the different categories and situations (work, family, personal growth, etc).

Now that have have a solid understanding of where Barrett’s system came from, what it aims to do, and how it differs from Maslow’s model, let's get into the seven levels: Survival, Relationships, Self-Esteem, Transformation, Internal Cohesion, Making a Difference, and Service. If you are curious about how you stack up, I made a little self assessment–the link is in the show notes. 

First, Survival. Survival is all about physical and financial security–think food, shelter, safety. As you might imagine, survival is driven by instincts with strong fear based decision making at play. People who are at this level of consciousness are constantly worrying about finances, health and safety. They feel trapped and tend to be very reactive and or defensive. I have spent much of my early adulthood in this phase. I am just now coming out of it. I can’t begin to articulate the weight and stress of financial insecurity–it affects every aspect of life. If you feel like you are stuck in level 1, here are two simple things you can do to improve your life–gratitude, each day make a note of three (or eight) things you are grateful for, this exercise will shift your energy from lack and scarcity to abundance. Next, learn some basic financial planning like budgeting, setup separate bank accounts for your fixed bills, your spending money, savings and investing then autodirect the appropriate amounts; even if you can only save $5 per paycheck, get in the habit of saving and build some momentum and confidence. 

Second, Relationships. Relationships’ focus is on emotional safety, love, and having a sense of belonging within our family and social groups. People in this category are seeking connection and acceptance while managing a strong fear of rejection or isolation. If you are someone who is seeking approval from others or prioritizing others needs over your own you might have some work to do in the relationship zone. People who are struggling with relationships typically fear conflict or abandonment and often stay in relationships that are unhealthy simply to avoid loneliness. If you feel like this might be you, you can try to identify a small achievable goal like going on a walk everyday, to build your own, independent confidence vs relying on approval or praise from others. You can also start practicing expressing your needs to people you trust, so you can strengthen your self-worth and reduce your fear of rejection. Personally, I have been experimenting with this–for some reason I am terrified to speak up in relationships, and have made a concerted effort to communicate what I need and want out of a relationship–now that I am getting more comfortable doing this, I find it very freeing, where before it felt like I was peaking around a corner, trying not to be seen.

Next is Self-Esteem. When we talk about self-esteem related to Barrett’s model, we are talking about personal worth, the respect we command from others. People with challenges in this department have a strong desire for achievement, status, or other forms of external validation. These people have a real fear of failure, inadequacy, and crave validation from other people. As I was preparing this, I was sinking in my chair. Thinking, is this me? It might be. In that case, how do WE heal and transform our self-esteem so we can move on to the level of transformation? One tactic is to journal about what matters most; in your journal be uncensored to find your voice. Another way we can experiment with this is to face fears head on–I cannot recommend this more, tackling things I felt “incapable” of doing has given me such an unshakable force inside, it is hard to describe–even if it is a small step or a lesser fear, the more you approach it the less scary it becomes. 

On to Transformation. Transformation is the shift from self-interest to personal growth and authenticity. In this level of consciousness, you are developing courage, you are becoming more adaptable, and developing a greater sense of self-awareness. This is where you are overcoming your limiting beliefs and fears. If you are wondering whether this could be where you are in life, you will likely experience this strong desire for change or for self-discovery. You would be questioning old beliefs and likely feeling stuck while also ready to grow. If that sounds like you and you are ready for the next level, you will need to do an actions audit. Think “Vote for the New You” experiment from earlier this year–that was all about tracking whether your actions are aligned with the future you or not. Do that. Let your values guide your life vs external pressures. Get in the habit of engaging in creative pursuits like writing, art, or problem solving. Seek meaningful work. Explore things that set your soul on fire, find something that you feel contributes to your sense of purpose. Before you know it you will be launched into Internal Cohesion.   

Fifth is Internal Cohesion. People operating at this level of consciousness will be focused on creating a positive, values-driven life. This is why I suggested that in order to move from Transformation to Internal Cohesion, it is important to understand your values and ensure they guide your actions. When you have achieved internal cohesion, you will feel aligned, your work will feel meaningful and authentic to you. If you ask me, this is a great level to be at–your life is aligned, your work is meaningful, your basic needs are met. The important thing to think about as we talk about “needs” and individual preferences, is that some people are going to be satisfied with less, while others require more, some are on the hedonic treadmill without interest in getting off. For example, the hosts of my airbnb are planning on moving to Columbia after they get the remainder of the units up and running–what I admire about them is the short runway from “start to retired” and it really made me think about what I am doing and optimizing for. If you feel like you are in this phase, where things are aligned and you feel fulfilled, but are ready to move to the next level, and leave more of a mark on the world, what you will want to do is find ways to practice empathy–actively listening and offering support to those around you. You will want to find ways that you can contribute to your community through volunteering or starting a project that will benefit others–I still come back to my desire to launch Duffle of Love, I will hold on to that vision, until it is brought to life. Find groups that you can collaborate with–who you surround yourself with matters, if you are around community leaders focused on making an impact, you will naturally be more inclined to do the same. 

Second to last, the second highest level of consciousness is Making a Difference. You have made it. In this stage you are contributing to improving others lives. You are using your unique talents to improve the world and form meaningful connections. If you are in this level of consciousness and stage in life, you are going to have a desire to mentor others, or volunteer; you will have a certain level of empathy for others, and hopefully you will be motivated and creative enough to come up with something you can do to make an impact. When I think about making a difference, I am privileged to have volunteered and been involved with a handful of nonprofit organizations over my lifetime–I have 5 causes I would like to contribute to over my lifetime, and the first most important is Children in Foster care, hence why I want to supply these children with Duffle Bags and Care Packages to give them comfort in this time of devastation. Maybe you are more passionate about the environment, or endangered species, or some other type of activism. If you are still struggling to find something, write down the things you see that just upset you. Then brainstorm with friends or an AI bot about how you could make a difference. Maybe you are here and still wondering how to level up even further. If that’s you, then you will want to start incorporating loving-kindness meditations that will deepen your connection to all people and the planet, or you may become more globally focused, concerned with more broad global issues and turn your attention to those. This will set you up to transcend into the final, most high level of consciousness. 

Service. If you are one of the few who intends or has made it to this level, you have committed yourself to a selfless existence with the goal of serving humanity and the planet. You have a great deal of compassion, and have a sense of oneness with all. People who are in service have a deep sense of interconnectedness with life on earth, they are living with compassion and purpose, dedicating themselves to global or societal well-being. 

Whether you are concerned with establishing systems to provide your own basic needs or you are tackling the planet's most concerning issues, the most single important step is a level of awareness as to where you are and what to do next. I know in preparing this episode and doing the assessment, I am so proud of how much I have progressed and I am excited to have shed light on some areas of my life I need to focus on. Perhaps there will be some personal updates on relationships and self esteem in the coming releases. 

Wherever you are, and whatever you are up against, you got this; if I can turn my life around in 2 years or less, you can too.  

Closeout

You guys, I hope you enjoyed this episode. I hope this inspired some self reflection as to where you might be on this scale of consciousness and what you want to accomplish in this precious time we have as living beings on this beautiful planet. 

As always, Thank you so much for spending this time with me—I hope it’s making your day, and maybe your life, a little better. I’d love your thoughts on what I shared today—leave a comment, shoot me a text via the fanmail link in the show notes, either way let me know what's resonating with you! If you enjoyed this episode, please please please share the show and give it 5 stars! 

Get out in the world. Do good. Be good. Byeeeee.