The wheel of needs
People who are cut off may try to stabilize their intimate relationships by creating substitute ‘families’ in social and work relationships. ―The Bowen Center for the Study of the Family
👥 Serves: 1 person, 2-10 people
🎚 Difficulty: Medium
⏳ Total time: 31-60 minutes, Ongoing
🥣 Ingredients: Template and a few coloured pens or markers for each participant
🤓 Wholebeing Domains: Accomplishments, Awareness, Meaning
💪 Wholebeing Skills: Acceptance, Accountability, Clarity, Commitment, Goal-setting, Non-judgement, Reflection, Self-awareness, Sense-making
The wheel of needs
📝 Description
Exploring your fundamental needs across major life areas.
The wheel of needs is a mindfulness-based practice that helps you explore your fundamental needs across 8 main categories in life: physical environment, business & career, finance, health, connections, personal growth, fun & recreation, civic engagement. It is a tool to observe where your needs are currently being met (or not), revealing neglected connections and power imbalances.
This recipe has been kindly donated by Alice Siracusano of Nati Per Cambiare.
🌟 Steps
Step 1 – Preparation (5’)
Choose a peaceful, distraction-free environment. Briefly introduce the activity, highlighting that the goal is to observe, with honesty and non-judgement, what your needs are and how they are met at any given moment (or not).
Step 2 – Fill out the wheel (20’)
You can download this template and print it out or draw your own wheel of needs. If drawing it, divide the wheel into eight segments, each presenting a specific domain in life and assign a specific colour to each domain. For each segment, write:
- The image of yourself you DESIRE to have in that area (e.g. connections: reliable).
- The image of yourself you DISLIKE having in that area (e.g. connections: late).
- Finally, reflecting on both, write the NEED associated with this area, even if it is not currently satisfied (e.g. connections: commitment / trust).
Step 3 – Colour mapping (10’)
At this point, underline or circle each need with the colour of the area that satisfies it TODAY (this may not match the colour of the area where the need is located). For example, if your need for “commitment and trust” from the “connections” domain is met by the “business & career” domain, underline it or circle in the colour of the “business & career” domain.
Step 4 – Reflection and sense-making (20’)
Journal (if doing this alone) or share with others your reflections on the activity:
- Which feared images appeared most often? In which areas?
- Is there an area overloaded with needs (e.g. business & career meeting too many needs?)
- Which domains show the biggest amount of “different” colours (meaning different than the colour of the actual domain)?
- Do you spot any unlikely intersections (e.g. emotional needs in the “connections” domain mostly met by the “fun & recreation” domain)?
- How do you feel after visualising this map?
Step 5 – Micro-change (1 week)
Think about the smallest possible step (achievable within 72 hours) that can move one need toward its natural domain. It is important that the micro-change is specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely.
End the session by celebrating each other’s courage in experimenting with new ways of being. And if it feels right, reconvene after a week to share your progress with one another.