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Stage 1 of Erikson's theory begins from infancy to 18 months. During this stage, an infant is unsure of its environment and is entirely dependent on the people around it. Trust in infants develops due to whether their needs are being met and being cared for adequately. If a person treats the infant negligently, that can create implications that cause the infant to mistrust that individual. It can affect infants' perspectives and whether they perceive the world negatively or positively. Inadequate care can cause difficulties in building relationships and create a sense of insecurity when older. Stage 1 of Erikson's theory is critical to an infant's development because babies need to balance trust. Doing so lets them form intimate relationships. While mistrust enables them to protect themselves. (Martorell, 2022) As an Infant, I developed a trusting relationship with my mother due to my fulfilled needs, such as feeding me when I was hungry and comforting me when I was upset.

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Stage 2 of Erikson's theory begins from 18 months to 3 years old. During this stage, A toddler becomes more independent and is constantly wanting to assert control of their choices, bodily functions, and environment. One of the pivotal strengths that emerges during this stage is will. This stage is fundamental to a child's future development because as children are better able to make their wishes understood, they become more powerful and independent. (Martorell, 2022) It can prevent feelings of temptation, aid in self-control, and help their abilities to build healthy relationships. An example of this stage coming into effect is, as a child, I began discovering the types of clothing and colors I enjoyed and disliked. My parents began to let me choose what I wanted to wear—giving me the freedom to make my own choices. My parents supported me and didn't force me to wear anything I didn't want to wear. Doing so made me feel confident and like I had control of my personal actions and emotions. This aided my sense of independence and self-expression. If my parents forced me to wear clothes, I didn't pick, even after expressing my dislike. It could cause a lack of confidence in my decisions and abilities, causing shame and doubt.

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Stage 3 of Erikson's theory begins from 3 to 6 years old. During this stage, A child starts learning to assert themselves as they explore their environment. They begin developing the desire to try new things, such as using new skills, initiating activities, engaging in imaginative play with other children, and taking on new roles. One key aspect of this stage that children start developing is the virtue of purpose. (Martorell, 2022) As a child, I always played new games with all the kids during parties. I would create the game's rules and assign roles to everyone. I was never discouraged when doing so and felt confident to take on new challenges and to interact in new social interactions. If children feel constantly criticized during this stage, they become discouraged and may develop feelings of guilt. This can lead to a lack of self-confidence and a fear of trying new things.

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Stage 4 of Erikson's theory begins between the ages of 6 to 12 years old. During this stage, children start mastering new skills and acquiring knowledge. They focus more on their schoolwork, extracurricular activities, and social interactions. Children start developing a sense of industry, which involves learning to work hard to achieve goals. (Martorell, 2022) Parents, caregivers, and educators must provide support and encouragement during this stage. Acknowledging and praising children's efforts and accomplishments can help develop a sense of industry and boost self-confidence. If a child struggles academically, they may feel incapable due to their difficulty fulfilling personal goals or their culture's expectations. Suppose children cannot acquire the praise of others. In that case, they can begin comparing themselves to others, leading to a lack of motivation, low self-esteem, and fear of failure, thus creating a sense of inferiority. As a child, my parents were not involved with my education, so the only encouragement I received about my school work was from my teachers. Although this was the case, I still worked diligently on my schoolwork and held myself accountable, which gave me a sense of accomplishment and pride.

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Stage 5 of Erikson's theory begins from 12 to 18 years old. During this stage, adolescents begin exploring their independence and forming their sense of self and societal role. They begin to question their identity and purpose. They experiment with different values and beliefs, such as relationships, personal interests, and careers. An adolescent experiencing role confusion, may feel uncertain about their goals and aspirations, struggle with making important life decisions, and have complications in establishing meaningful relationships. They can begin to struggle with anxiety and insecurity, making them feel as if they lack direction in life. It is normal to experience spans of confusion as they experiment through different roles and identities. This is an important part of an adolescent's developmental process and helps personal growth and self-discovery. Cliquishness and intolerance of differences, both hallmarks of adolescence, are defenses against identity confusion. (Martorell, 2022) As a teenager, I struggled with role confusion and often felt like I didn't know my identity and my sense of self. I had very strict parents and didn't get to experience friendships or environments outside of school. I felt like I was constantly hiding my emotions and interests and my personality wasn't true and authentic. I still struggle to identify my interests and shape my values and beliefs.

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Stage 6 of Erikson's theory occurs from 18 to 40 years old. During this stage, Individuals face conflict with forming intimate relationships. They begin to strive and explore relationships that lead to deeper commitments with others. Intimacy and deep connections allow individuals to communicate their thoughts, emotions, and experiences with others. The feeling of intimacy cultivates a sense of belongingness and vulnerability while, at the same time, promoting open communication with one another. If individuals struggle with building close relationships, they may develop a fear of rejection and have difficulties trusting others. An important aspect of individuation is carving out boundaries of control between self and parents (Martorell, 2022) This was something I struggled with due to the strictness that I endured, and Growing up, I didn't have any friendships or family members I had a consistent deep connection with aside from my parents. Due to this, it has become difficult for me to build meaningful friendships and be vulnerable with anyone. I was not very close with my siblings due to the negative impact that our parent's divorce had on them and our age gaps. Even now that I'm older, I don't feel as if I can be vulnerable with them even when I know they are reaching out to deepen our connection further. I can be distant and cut off relationships quickly and easily. Developing intimacy has become a constant conflict in my life that I struggle with, and I am still working to explore new friendships while, at the same time, being vulnerable.

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Stage 7 of Erikson's theory occurs from 40 to 65 years old. During this stage, individuals face conflict with finding ways to contribute meaningfully to society, family, or work. They begin to feel the need to perform "generative acts" such as mentoring others, Parenting, and contributing to society. Raising and nurturing children lets a person introduce their values and provide emotional and physical guidance and support. When mentoring, you share expertise and guide those less skilled in a specific field. This allows people to pass on their knowledge and skills to help others grow and develop. Nurturing people's gifts and curiosity gives them a degree of independence and exposes them to new experiences. (Martorell, 2022) Individuals who struggle with stagnation may feel unfulfilled and need a sense of purpose. This can lead to negative emotions of emptiness and self-doubt. In the future, I can see myself becoming more involved with my grandkids or my children when they are older to pass down certain values and to offer emotional support to help them grow or develop. I want to contribute to my family in a positive aspect and give them the guidance I wish I received from my parents.

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The 8th and final stage of Erikson's theory occurs between 65 to 75 years old. During this stage, One reflects on their life and legacy. They look back at their accomplishments and evaluate the relationships and deep connections they have made throughout their life. One may feel fulfilled or unfulfilled depending on their evaluation of their goals and experiences. Despair is felt when an individual feels they have many regrets, missed opportunities, unresolved conflicts, or broken relationships. Integrity is when an individual feels satisfaction and content with their choices, relationships, and accomplishments. In the future, when I experience the reflection stage of my life, I hope to have many strong and vulnerable relationships with my family members despite the influence of my culture. Certain cultures are more likely to encourage minimizing strong emotional expressions, especially if those emotions are negative. (Martorell, 2022) I want there to be a lot of open communication, and I hope to feel little regret and hold wisdom that I can continue to pass down to others in my family. I want to be content with my accomplishments and share many love-filled stories.