A Homeschool Blueprint For Self-Realization
Drawing on the work of Abraham Maslow and Kurt Hahn (Founder of Outward Bound)
Written by Nina Cashman | August 26, 2026 for PhD in Happiness Studies Program
“How could this be any more boring?”
I thought as I sat in my 9th-grade classroom, square fluorescent lights buzzing above my head, fighting to keep my eyes open in my plastic orange chair with that tiny desk flap. The school’s football coach handed us yet another “ditto” (aka: worksheet ; )) filled with historical dates that we were supposed to memorize for our next history quiz. With this as my first introduction to the subject, who would have guessed I’d end up taking so many history classes in college that it’d become a second major?
Abraham Maslow, one of the founding figures of humanistic psychology, wrote in his book, The Farther Reaches of Human Nature, about “Humanistic Education,”
“discovering your specieshood, at a deep enough level, merges with discovering your selfhood” (Maslow, A.H., 1971).
I suppose this is what my college history professors understood, and my high school gym coach, assigned to teach history, lacked. My college professors spun their lectures into great historical narratives of human triumph, failure, adventure, catastrophe, grace, service, compassion, and beauty.
From these stories, I couldn't help but relate to the inevitable pains and joys of our human experience, tracing back to the beginning of time. In those moments of recognition, I’d see my own connection to every human who ever lived, realizing that in “seeking for our own individual identity, the more we find the whole human species” (Maslow, A.H., 1971).
Whew, what a relief it is to not only learn, but to feel your connection to the whole of existence. The good, the bad, and the beautiful.
Fast-forward almost 35 years, and I cannot help but notice how boring and routine many adults, including myself, have allowed our lives to become. Running from one expectation to the next and allowing endless to-do lists to become our sole sense of purpose, it’s no wonder we find ourselves disconnected from our values and searching for knowledge and adventure wherever we can, and all too often within our handheld devices.
Author Satish Kumar, British environmentalist, peace activist, author, and educator, reminds us that “Education is for self-realization, for bringing the self out of the self” (Kumar, S., 2012). Yet, so many of us would describe our earliest experiences with “education” as dull. So it’s no wonder we overlook the fundamental possibilities within a good education:
“to refresh consciousness so that we are continually aware of the beauty and wonder of life” (Maslow, A.H., 1971).
THE BEAUTY AND WONDER OF LIFE. Do you feel it?
And, if so, HOW OFTEN?!?
If you’re like many middle-aged people I know, including myself, you don't feel it as much as you’d like. It’s easy to disconnect from the magic of this great adventure we call life when… well… life happens. Work consumes us, bills must get paid, people take, hearts break, relationships change, kids grow, we win and lose, days turn quickly into nights, and round and round we go in a “Circle Game,” as the old folk song goes.
So, what do we do to quench our intrinsic human ache to self-actualize? I’m pretty sure it ain’t gonna’ happen through TikTok or Instagram. Yet, as Kurt Hahn, the founder of Outward Bound, once said,
“self-indulgence is in many cases due to the lack of vision” (James, T., 1995).
No wonder our handhelds can have such a hold over us.
Too many adults lose their sense of wonder, vision, and purpose with every passing year, which is a crying shame because life experiences provide a solid foundation and a guiding reference! When it comes to self-realization, the second half of our lives could stand to be the very best.
Drawing on the ideas of Kurt Hahn (Founder of Outward Bound) and Abraham Maslow, I’ve decided to assemble a “Homeschool Blueprint for Adults” so anyone reading this can implement it on their own. Think of this as homeschool education for adulting, designed to keep us on track to flourish and live a life of “beauty and wonder” in the years ahead.
For starters, let’s check out Kurt Hahn’s “Seven Laws,” drawn up for one of the first schools he founded in Germany and later translated to Outward Bound (James, T., 1995).
I’ve adapted these laws to serve our adult homeschooling purposes ; ).
First Law | Give yourself the opportunity for self-discovery.
Engage in several different activities. Try new things, notice what you love and what helps you stay present and lose track of time. Make an effort to do these activities with people and in places that inspire you.
Second Law | Allow yourself to meet with triumph and defeat.
It’s important to know our weaknesses as well as our strengths, so you can better deal with the inevitable challenges of life. There’s no better way to find and accept a weakness than to engage in endeavors where failure is a possibility. So don’t avoid failure! Have the courage to lean into it and learn to overcome defeat.
Third Law | Give yourself the opportunity of self-effacement in the common cause.
Take on tasks that matter not just to you, but to your community. Whether hosting a party for your neighbors, participating in PTSA, or volunteering in any capacity, contribute to the world around you and remember, “you are a crew, not passengers” (James, T., 1995).
Fourth Law | Offer yourself periods of silence.
Build in plenty of time for quiet reflection that often gets “speedily and prematurely used up by the nerve-exhausting and distracting civilization of today” (James, T., 1995). Use this time to sit still, meditate, journal, or contemplate in silence.
Fifth Law | Train Your imagination.
VISUALIZE what you plan and hope for in the future! Let your imagination connect with what could be and imagine yourself creating it! Don’t let your fears, or anyone else’s judgments – online, offline, or in person- steer you off track. Trust in the possibility of what you can imagine.
Sixth Law | Make games (i.e., competition) important but not predominant.
Engage in activities not to win, but to PLAY. Take this philosophy into your physical fitness routines, work, and hobbies. Make an effort to enjoy the process of whatever you undertake and stay present with the company you keep. Appreciate wherever you are instead of getting distracted by outcomes or overly attached to expectations.
Seventh Law | Free any sense of wealth and power from the enervating sense of privilege.
Honor the ebbs and flows of life and remember that it can sometimes get hard – for you and anyone else. During times of great success, stay self-disciplined, remain grateful for what you have, and be compassionate toward how you and others may sometimes struggle.
As a final addition to our homeschooling blueprint for “adulting,” reconnecting with our values seems fundamental.
I don’t know about you, but I’ve often found myself over the years spending far too much time on activities that are incongruent with my values, causing me to neglect, or worse yet, FORGET, what matters to me most!
Abraham Maslow introduced the difference between “Being Values” (“B-Values”) and “Deficiency Values” (“D-Values”). B-Values are qualities that matter when a person is motivated by self-actualization rather than deficiency or unmet needs (D-Values).
So, as a tribute to Maslow, I’m going to add an eighth law to the Hahn-inspired methodology for our blueprint:
Eighth Law | Increase your living experience with “Being Values.”
As you choose what and with whom to engage your time and energy, ask yourself: are you moving towards opportunities, visions, and purposes that excite you (B-Value), or are you just fulfilling a need because of something you think you lack, or fear you might lose (D-Value)?
So, for instance,
o D-Value =“I will pursue my education and self-actualize because I need to be recognized, noticed, and viewed as successful.”
o B-Value = “I want to pursue my education and self-actualize because I’m excited to learn about the world, express my creativity, and contribute my knowledge to the world in a way that feels deeply meaningful.”
As much as you can, GO FOR THE B-VALUES! As Maslow himself said,
“If we were to accept as a major educational goal the awakening and fulfillment of the B-Values, which is simply another aspect of self-actualization, we would have a great flowering of a new kind of civilization. People would be stronger, healthier, and would take their own lives into their hands to a greater extent. With increased personal responsibility for one’s personal life, and with a rational set of values to guide one’s choosing, people would begin to actively change the society in which they lived” (Maslow, A.H., 1971).
Here, here, Maslow! Reigniting our education to self-actualize as adults seems like a worthwhile pursuit to not only appreciate every last inch of this incredible life experience we’ve been gifted—the hard times and the good times- but also to contribute to the “great flowering” of ourselves and everyone around us!
References
James, T. (1995). The Only Mountain Worth Climbing: A Historical and Philosophical Exploration of Outward Bound and Its Link to Education. Fieldwork: An Expeditionary Learning Outward Bound Reader, P. 57- 70. https://doi.org/Kendall Hunt Publishing Company
Kumar, S., & Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden (Official). (2012, August 13). Holistic education: Learning with your whole being - by Satish Kumar [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWo1k4jrbgk
Maslow, A. H. (1971). The Farther Reaches of Human Nature: Chapter 13 (pp. 173–188). The Viking Press.