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"People need to trust the world and the people in it but they also need to learn some mistrust to protect themselves from danger" (Martorell).

In this stage of life, you are learning to trust your parents or adult caregiver. They feed you, console you when you cry, change your diaper and give all basic care that is needed. Baby's have mistrust when those needs are not met. It is ok for babies to learn this because they need to learn that there is good and to be aware of the bad.

As a baby I learned to trust my parents. I was a breastfed baby and I learned to rely on my mother to be fed. I learned to self soothe as my parents wanted me to be able to fall asleep on my own and develop good sleep habits which may have led me to mistrust at times that I would have someone there to console me.

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"In toddlerhood, the critical theme is autonomy, or a sense of agency and independence. A child who first successfully developed a sense of trust would be in a particularly good position to develop this strength" (Martorell).

These are the years where children learn to explore and are curious. Children start to get into everything and want to be mobile. If they have a sense of trust, I believe children seem to be confident that adults will stop them if they are in harm and they have that responsible, caring adult who they can continue to lean on.

I had learned to trust my parent and was not afraid to try new things because I knew my parents would be there to guide me. I loved being about side and playing with my older siblings during my first few years. I loved being in the water in the summer and riding my tricycle.

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"Preschool children can do- and want to do- more and more. At the same time, they are learning that some of the things they want to do meet social approval, whereas others do not" (Martorell).

The preschool years you are now over the exploring phase of life and now are on to the doing stage. You build things, make believe and learn. Children start to make friends in preschool and start to build relationships with people their age.

I loved preschool! I can still remember making butter with my class and playing in the gymnastics room. I was eager to try each and every different gymnastics activity even if I was not good at something, I would always keep trying. My favorite was the uneven bars.

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"Developing a sense of industry involves learning how to work hard to achieve goals. If children are unable to obtain the praise of others or lack motivation and self-esteem, they may develop a feeling of low self-worth and thus develop a sense of inferiority" (Martorell).

Children are now working in class and starting to make grades. This stage is not just about learning by play but learning major educational skills such as reading, writing sentences, adding, subtracting, multiplication and division. Friends are a big part of your life. It is essential that parents stay involved and interested in children's grades and educational goals. If parents are absent and do not care children can become less motivated to do well in school.

In grade school I did very well. I excelled in math and loved writing. My parents praised me for doing well which made me want to succeed and make them proud.

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"The effort to make sense of the self is part of a healthy process that builds on the achievements of earlier stages- on trust, autonomy, initiative, and industry- and lays the groundwork for coping with the challenges of adult life" (Martorell).

This is the time when you are starting to really figure out who you are. People start to figure out what they want to be in life and major goals. All of these earlier stages have made you who you are today and shaped you as a person.

During these years my friend group changed as I grew older. I went from playing with friends from middle school who took different paths. I found friends who fit who I was becoming and changing to be. I started to work at a local restaurant and that shaped what I would do in my adult years.

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"Person seeks to make commitments to others or may suffer from isolation and self-absorption" (Martorell).

People start to date and get married in these years. Some go on to have children. Not making connections with people during this stage can make you feel isolated from the rest of your peers and make you feel bad. People during this stage start their career and some will go on to have children.

During these years I began to date. I was in a few different relationships before I met my now husband. We have been married for 8 years. I think it is good to date around and find what you want in a partner.

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"Mature adult is concerned with establishing and guiding the next generation or else feels personal impoverishment" (Martorell).

Parents are concerned with raising good children and hoping that their offspring will turn out to be a successful part of the community. During this time people will also become grandparents and worry that people are making a difference in the world.

I feel as though I have started to do this through my own children. I want them to be good people and make the world a better place. I am sure I will continue to work at this after becoming a teacher and then with my children's children.

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"Elderly person achieves acceptance of own life, allowing acceptance of death, or else despairs over inability to relive life" (Martorell).

During this stage people start to realize that they will eventually die and look back on their life. Some will continue to look forward to life and live a good life. Some people make be scared to die and look back at past regrets.

I have not made it to this stage in life but I fear this will be the hardest stage for me. I have a fear of death that sends me into panic attacks. I have even had to go to the hospital for these before. I hope that I can eventually grow out of these. I need to accept that one day I will die but I just fear the unknown. I am sure I will look over my earlier years and reminisce and also think of my regrets or what I could have done better. I hope that I can enjoy my family and friends and live life to the fullest.