This chart made so much sense to me, years ago, as a pathway to self actualization, which is where I wanted to be. Taking care of those foundational levels first allows me to be me!

While I'm currently taking a break from the sexual intimacy portion of the "love and belonging" level, I feel that has given me more energy toward the few good friends. I've got my memories of the intimacy and know I could have it again if I wish, but it's my choice to give that area of my life a nice quiet break, and I'm happy about that choice.

Only thing it was missing for me, that I didn't see coming, was people who come into my life just to suck all the energy out of me, trying to guilt me into using every waking moment to care for their ego. Now that I've pruned that particular person out of my life and created boundaries to stick to with others, I'm again able to be me. And that's the reason I'm happy to go without the intimacy portion of my life for the time being.

I remember studying Maslow almost 60 years ago in grad school.

The older I get the more malleable I see the variables as. When we were hard up, when I was young, my mother was very creative. A lack of money and resources at times between work never led me to compromise my morals.
But it’s a great theory, a really good starting place for ideas and discussion and may totally fit for some people.

He was definitely on to something.