Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. “What’s that got to do with Rose Quartz or Crystal Hampers?”…I hear you say! (Stick with me). Anyone that has studied any form of Management/Marketing or Psychology course or degree, this diagram is sure to be pulled out from the academic teachings of Psychologist Abraham Maslow (Maslow). I studied a Degree in Economics/Commerce in the 90s. It came out every year! Later I studied a Masters in Entrepreneurship and Innovation in the naughties and much to my surprise (and delight) it popped up again. Nothing had changed! It’s one of the few things that resonated with me then and through the decades since. I still talk about it’s importance today. If you read the “About us” section, you’ll see we changed our company name to contain the words “Simple Pleasures”. It is because of Maslow!
Maslow based his theories on a simple 5 tiered pyramid in the 1940`s to explain the priorities and psychology behind the way we all feel, behave or make decisions. More specifically what motivates us to make decisions. His theories were subsequently expanded with more tiers, but his original principles still apply today. Please see Maslow`s Hierarchy of Needs diagram below.
At the bottom of his pyramid sits the large section referring to very basic needs of food/water/air. The next section above is safety/shelter. Essentially if these are met, then our emotional needs become greater as we strive for a greater fulfilment. But if these are not met, you are technically (I should say physiologically) in crisis/survival mode. Given the modern society we live in today, (with political uncertainly, economic factors and world issues – to name a few) if you are in survival mode, life is probably less than ideal. Breathing the air, putting food on the table, a hot shower, ensuring a roof over your head, feeling warmth from the sun – these become life’s simple pleasures, albeit very basic survival needs that most take for granted. To our horror, in the blink of an eye, we found ourselves in survival mode for 5+ years. So simple pleasures became our mainstay to survive. Enough of that despair there. I’m getting to the rose quartz and Crystal Hampers bit! So, when the survival basics are met, our needs naturally become greater. We need to feel like we belong in some way or that we mean something to someone. This is represented in the middle section of Maslow’s pyramid, and is the next important element for us to be motivated to be able to move on with our lives, towards fulfilment.
(This is where the gorgeous Rose Quartz comes in – the crystal that epitomises love and relationships).
We have included Rose Quartz in every single one of our hampers (and always will) because this is the one little thing that we can give someone, especially when life is at it`s lowest or less than ideal. Essentially, the gift of Rose Quartz signifies you mean something to someone (including yourself). So, by having Rose Quartz in your life (whether you feel it`s energy or not), if it has given you the impetus to get out of the house and see your family and friends more, meet people, enjoy new business relationships, make a new friend, be kinder to yourself, join a community group, or dare I say… ask someone to Marry you, then our period of being a family in crisis, and the subsequent birth of Crystal Hampers has not been in vane.
Furthermore, if you have received a Crystal Hamper, you would’ve been given a complimentary piece of Rose Quartz to give to someone else that you think should have it, as we like to call it ‘paying it forward’. But if you haven’t received a Crystal Hamper, consider gifting Rose Quartz to bring a little love and friendship into your life, and someone else’s.
I`m glad I learnt something at University! Thanks Maslow.