Infants go through this stage as they have caregivers who are giving them food when they are crying or when they have an absent/ neglectful parent they will experience mistrust.

As I developed mistrust from not having a stable environment, I developed anxiety later in life.

“If mistrust is predominant children will view the world as unfriendly and unpredictable”

Children at this age want to become more independent and gain control of their thoughts and actions, when a child is discouraged they experience shame and doubt.

I did not know if my mother loved me because she was always gone. I experienced Shame and Doubt.

“shame and doubt have a necessary place”

Initiative in this stage leads to a sense of purpose and guilt leads to a feeling of failure.

I experienced guilt as I thought it was my fault my mom did not want me to live with her.

“Children who don’t regulate the two opposing drives develop guilt and fear of punishment”

This stage is when the child develops self-confidence, when they can do things that they succeed in they are being industrious and develop greater self-esteem when they fail they become inferior, creating low self-esteem.

I experienced inferiority as I thought my mother did not want me live with her, causing me to believe she did not want me at all.

“When children are unable to obtain praise or lack motivation and self esteem they develop a feeling of low self-worth”

This stage is when you should be learning who you are as a person your belief system and your roles in society, when you do not experience that you experience confusion about yourself and your role in society.

In this stage, I was confused about who I was, and I know that I experienced a lot of confusion. I spent a lot of time not knowing where I belonged in society.

“actively grappling with what to believe and who to be”

This is where you make a family and find true friendships or push others away to be alone.

I know that I am experiencing intimacy in this stage because I married my high school boyfriend and we have a wonderful family together. He helped me regain my confidence to go back to school.

This stage is when you either creating life that extends past you through mentoring or having children or stay to yourself and not make an impact on the world.

I believe in this stage I will be experiencing generativity as I already have children and I am going to school to be a teacher to hopefully mentor other younger teachers in the future.

The stage where one experiences satisfaction from life events, being integrity, or regrets, being despair.

I hope that I will integrity in this stage of life and be thankful for the life that I have lived.