Generativity vs Stagnation

Lots of movement in a number of things this week. Also a reflection on why certain things are the focus at this particular time in my life. I remembered from nursing school that we talked about Erik Erickson’s Stages of Psychosocial Development. Stage 7 occurs during middle adulthood, ages 40-65. In this stage, an individual’s focus is centered on guiding the next generation life through career, family, and societal contributions. This includes activities such as parenting, mentoring, and community involvement. Successfully achieving generativity leads to feelings of usefulness and accomplishment, while failing to do so results in stagnation, characterized by feelings of unproductiveness, disconnection, and a lack of personal growth. This stage is crucial for maintaining a sense of purpose and continuity in one’s life.

Yep, that sounds about right. I have seen so many adults on social media recently share their discontent for their job search experiences for all of the reasons I’ve posted before, and more. It is taking people (most with education and experience) 6 months to a year to secure employment. According to the stage 7 definition above, it is clear how this can affect someone’s psychosocial development. In 4 days, I will have been 6 months unemployed. Praise the Lord for being Jehovah Jireh during this time by giving me provision and ensuring all of my needs are met! I still pray that he covers those in similar circumstance. It is so easy to find ourselves making decisions out of desperation or what we feel is most important in our lives.

As this journey continues, my prayer remains to secure a position where my skills shine in a way that I can only give glory to the Creator and in an environment where I do not have to compromise my identity to function and maintain my well-being. I hope that whichever stage of life you are in, and wherever you are in your journey, you do not allow the enemy space to show up and perpetuate schemes that dictate over your mindset or relationships.

“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” – James 4:7 NIV