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Stage one develops at birth and lasts until 12-18 months. At this time, the baby is developing the sense about if the world is a good and safe place or if it is bad. They are focused on learning about the world.
An experience that comes to mind about Trust vs Mistrust is when I would meet people as a child. I could remember that there are some people from my childhood that could carry me and I would not cry compared to the people who I would cry with when they would hold me.
I believe this had a lot to do with me sensing people and my intuition of being a good or bad person. This helped me sense how good I viewed the world, as there were few to no people I would cry around. In the book Child, the author states, "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 14). I think crying could be a form of showing mistrust because it is a reaction of the emotion you are feeling; sad, anxious, scared. Being introduced to adults or other children when you are born allows you t get the chance at an early age to develop these senses and to try to view the world as a good place.

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Stage two begins at 12-18 months and lasts until 3 years. During this time, the child is learning how to be independent and having self-efficacy.
An experience I can think of when I was first learning independence was learning to ride a bike. Obviously, I had began with three wheels until I became more confident. When I felt ready and wanted to ride a bike on my own, without the help of a third wheel or either of my parents, I would try. At times, I would get frustrated because it was something I struggled with and I continued to keep falling.
Although I was not successful to do this on my own majority of the time, I at least was successful at being independent and trying stuff out on my own, even if I was scared. In the book, the author says, "Theorists within the learning perspectives argued that development was the result of learning" (Martorell 14). When I take this into consideration and think about development, I do believe that development is a result of learning. Developing does teach you a lot and gives you options to think how to go about things.

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Stage three begins to develop at 3 years old and lasts until 6 years old. The children begin to take initiative and try new activities without feel guilty. They are focusing on being independent and trying these new activities on their own.
When I think of an experience that I had during this stage, I focus on the times where I was learning easy cooking steps/helping my mom out. Around 4 or 5, I was able to independently make myself a sandwich or get myself snacks on my own without my parents help. By doing this, it also interested me a lot more with cooking, which I could then use the stove, with parental vision, to make grilled cheese, soups, and a lot more small stuff that does not require much.
This was helping me become more independent and I was able to try new things while being excited. In the book, Child, the author states, "Preschool children can do-and want to do- more and more" (Martorell 72). This quote from the book is extremely true because this is the age where children are the most curious and excited to try new things. I definitely felt this way and was always excited to be in the kitchen.

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Stage four begins at age 6 and lasts until puberty. This is when the child is focusing on learning skills of culture and facing the feeling of not being able to do something due to lack of skills. They understand the difference of feeling competent vs incompetent.
In this stage, it brings me back to a memory of when I first began playing sports, which is where I struggled the most. I was not too good at sports, but I was determined to continue to try to build a skill here. I did, but it was not the actual skill of playing the sport, but instead I was able to find skills elsewhere. I found skills in multitasking, hand-eye coordination, communication, team-work, balance, along with many more.
Playing sports allowed me to still be competent in many other areas, which I feel like helped me more in the long run as a person. In the book, Child, the author says, "If children are able to obtain the praise of others or lack of motivation and self-esteem, they may develop a feeling of low self-worth and thus develop a sense of inferiority" (Martorell 93). This quote is great because it gives you an idea of how children can feel from the lack of praise or motivation. Having a lack of both of these can effect you negatively as a person and how you grow up viewing yourself.

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Stage five: Identity vs Identity Confusion

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Stage five: Identity vs Identity Confusion

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Stage five begins at puberty and lasts until young childhood. This stage allows children to get a better look into themselves. Children begin to question who they are and they develop identity confusion.
When I think about this stage, it brings me back to a memory of when I would think about what I wanted to be when I was older. At the time, I did not have many interests, hobbies, or many friends to talk about this with. As I took time to figure out who I am and what skills I excel in compared to where I struggle, this helped me very much get a vision of my purpose and who I am supposed to be, basically the reasoning behind my life.
I was able to understand and solve all places where I had confusion about myself. In the book, Child, the author states, "Identity forms as young people resolve three major issues: the choice of occupation, the adoption of values to live by, and the development of a satisfied sexual identity" (Martorell 109). Reading this made me realize that those are the three main things I focused on when I was trying to figure out who I am, so I am glad these are the most important, because this is what helped me figure myself out.

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Stage six begins at young adulthood. During this stage you are focusing on making commitment to others and if not, you may suffer from isolation. People are focusing on forming relationships and are going to get intimate.
This is the stage I find myself in right now, and when I think about the experience of me coming to Indiana University not having any friends or knowing anyone here. This was a very tough thing for my to do but I was still excited because it because it gave me the opportunity to grow and form new relationships out of random.
As I began school here, I was a little isolated due to not knowing anyone, it being the first school year after COVID-19, and I am a bit shy. My roommate helped me get out of my comfort zone and meet new people. I continued to keep doing this until I got to the point where I was finally excited to meet more and more people. I began to form some of the best relationships with people from all over, and finding my best friends here. In the book, Child, the author says, "...women develop identity through intimacy; not before it" (Martorell 109). I would agree a lot with this quote because forming relationships has helped a lot to learn about myself. I have a lot of things in common with the people I form relationships with, and them being very similar to me keeps me in comfort.

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Stage seven begins at middle adulthood. This begins when adults are establishing knowledge and want to help the next generation. You begin to care and feel responsible so you want to use the knowledge you have learned to teach and inform others.
I have not reached this stage yet as I am still in my early adulthood. By the time I am here, I do hope I have gained enough knowledge that I could share with younger generations and with the people that are interested in hearing. I would like to have a positive influence on people and help younger people who are confused about themselves or their future. Being a positive role model and helping others is something I hope I can use my knowledge to do.
If I get to this point and I can not fulfill this dream, I would be stuck in stagnation and not have an advantage in the world. In the book, Child, the author states, "Mature adulthood is concerned with establishing and guiding the next generation..." (Martorell 14). As I stated like this quote, being able to guide the next generation or younger people in general would make me feel like I succeeded in my life. The thought of being able to help other people in the future means I did a lot in my younger ages to prepare myself successfully for this.

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Stage eight begins at late adulthood. This is when the adult is in acceptance. They are finally accepting their life and death. The main goal is to become satisfied with how you have lived your life. If you can't accept this, you may feel hopeless and focus on the regrets in life.
I have not reached this stage of life yet either because I am still in my early adulthood stage. When I consider this stage from late adulthood, I do hope I have been successful with everything in the past. I do think I will live/die with integrity because I do believe everything happens for a reason and you do not have control of everything as a person.
Every person born is here for a reason: you are born, you live your life, you die. I have accepted that which allows me to keep living my life with purpose and not to think too deeply into things because again, you can not control everything. In the book, Child, the author states, "Elderly person achieves acceptance of own life, allowing acceptance of death, or else despairs over inability to relive life" (Martorell 14). This quote helps me understand the importance of accepting life and death and the result of what happens when you don't. I do think I will accept both because I know I am here to live my life and do things I want to, but I also understand my time will eventually come to an end.