A Thumotic Perspective on Delayed Development to Adulthood, Part 1

This is Part One of a multi-part series that presents my thumotic perspective on delayed development to adulthood.

Introduction

A thumotic perspective is a holistic perspective that focuses primarily on the role of your spirit, rather than body, mind, and society, in what is going on in your life. The word “thumotic” comes from the Ancient Greek word for spirit, thumos.

Your spirit is what makes you alive rather than not. You either have spirit and are alive or you don’t, and you are dead. Your instincts, emotions, moods, heart-knowledge, and personality characteristics are aspects of your spirit. Your spirit also drives you to keep living and developing from childhood, through adolescence, to adulthood, and old age. When you expire, spirit-out, you die. You can die at any moment in the course of your development.

Your Spirit’s Role in Your Development to Adulthood

From your conception in your mother’s womb, your spirit inherently drives your development to adulthood. You’re an adult when your body and mind are fully developed and you are able to sustain your own life.

Your development to adulthood is unique because you are unique and the course of your life is unique.

In the course of your development to becoming a self-sustaining adult, you make your way through many difficult challenges: congenital anomalies, illnesses, injuries, physical and emotional neglect, verbal abuse, emotional abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, hunger, poverty, violence, ineffective discipline, limited opportunities, and inadequate training and education. Some challenges are so difficult that they threaten your development to adulthood.