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Stage 1 is trust vs. mistrust. In this stage, an infant is learning who to trust and who not to trust. The mother is the most significant influence in this stage. If the mother looks after and cares for her child, then her child will learn trust. On the other hand, if the mother does not take care of her baby, then they will develop mistrust.
This is the stage where I personally learned how to trust. My mother was very caring and always there for me when I needed her.
"People need to trust the world and the people in it, but they also need to learn some mistrust to protect themselves from danger." Erik Erikson

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Stage 2 is autonomy vs. shame/doubt. In this stage parents are more like a security blanket, meaning children know that they are there for them, but they are not so controlling. Children should be given the freedom to explore and complete tasks on their own, if a child is allowed to have more freedom to do their own thing they develop autonomy, but if not then they develop shame and doubt about things.

During this stage I had freedom to pick out my own clothes, which I loved to do, and I was allowed to wash my hands on my own. I was also learning how to use the bathroom on my own.

“As children are better able to make their wishes understood, they become more powerful and independent. Because unlimited freedom is neither safe nor healthy, said Erikson, shame and doubt also have a necessary place.”

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Stage 3 is initiative vs. guilt. Support from parents and teachers are a big influence in this stage. Children should be able to form judgment. Children should be given freedom and encouragement to play. After this stage children will be completing activities because they want to.

In this stage, my parents gave me the freedom to do what I liked to do, which was riding my bike.

Children who learn how to regulate these opposing drives develop the virtue of purpose, the courage to envision and pursue goals without being unduly inhibited by guilt or fear of punishment.

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Stage 4 is industry vs. inferiority. Children learn new skills at this time. If they learn new skills then they will learn industry, but if they are unable to then they will feel inferior. School is a big part of this stage.

At this age I was in cheer and had been for a few years. Cheer is one thing that I always got recognized for.

“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. Developing a sense of industry, by contrast, involves learning how to work hard to achieve goals.”

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Stage 5: Identity vs. Identity Confusion

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Stage 5: Identity vs. Identity Confusion

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Stage 5 is identity vs. identity confusion. At this stage, children care about how they appear to others. If children are expected they can settle on an identity, but if they are rejected then they have to go through wondering who they are and what they can do to change so they can be accepted.

During this stage I began to notice that my self-esteem was extremely low. I didn’t know who I really was due to the fact that I was always faking a smile because I hated myself and if I hated myself the others would too. Then at 18 years old, I was raped. I had lost any and all ideas about who I was and who I was meant to be. I started asking myself questions like, why did this happen to me? Was I an easy target? Why am I like this? What is wrong with me and why did I let this happen? Then I started questioning everything and everyone.

“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.”

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Stage 6 is intimacy vs. isolation. This is the stage where people are ready to make a big change in their life. They are ready to make the commitment to spend forever with someone they love.

Currently, I am in this stage. I am in a relationship and am ready to move on to a serious commitment. Although, I still very much struggle with reciprocating love due to my past.

"A person seeks to make commitments to others or may suffer from isolation and self-absorption."

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Stage 7 is generativity vs. stagnation. This is the stage where you start looking into how to make your life count. The main task of this stage is finding ways to make a meaningful contribution to society.

During this stage, I will be a teacher. I will be doing the thing that I love and have wanted to do since I was younger. Teaching will allow me to make a huge impact on a student's life.

“We are what we love” Erik Erikson.

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Stage 8 is integrity vs. despair. This stage is when people start to look back on their lives and find the ways that they have made a difference. They do not just look at their lives, they look at how everyone is doing. If a person has accomplishments then they have integrity, but if someone lacks accomplishments then they will live with despair.

At this stage, I will be retired and living my best life. I will see how my teaching will impact the world with what my previous students do with the information I taught them. By this point, I will not fear death because I will know that I have made an impact, even if it's small.

“Healthy children will not fear life if their elders have integrity enough not to fear death” Erik Erikson.