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The Major Stages of Life

Key Phases of Living from the Cradle to the Grave

Sep 17, 2008

Being aware of life's stages can help in managing relationships, career, finances and all other elements of living.

Every person undergoes key changes in life. Although the intensity may vary from person to person, or another may remain single, every significant transition in life has characteristics with potential turning points. Eight major life stages are identified as follows:

1. Birth

A birth is a joyous event shared by families, relatives and friends. In some cultures, people perform some kind of ceremony to welcome a new life of an infant. The event also signals that a couple is now parents who may need all kinds of community support, from practical to emotional. Some ceremonies may by religious and formal, such as baptism; it may also be traditional, depending on certain home or country's culture and tradition.

2. Puberty

The beginning of sexual maturity can be a time of confusion and embarrassment for young people. However, in some non-Western cultures, this stage is seen as a time for public rejoicing: for example, menstruation in girls may be celebrated rather than discussed in secret or hushed voices. The Jewish bar mitzvah for boys and bat mitzvah for girls around the age of 13 marks the acceptance of religious obligations - duties and responsibilities – and as such, is regarded as a significant step toward adulthood.

3. Coming of Age

The coming of age may involve several landmarks at different ages which signify becoming an adult or passing the age of consent, for example, being old enough to have a driver's license or being eligible to vote. In the past, people in the United Kingdom were given the "key of the door" when they came of age – a symbol of their family's acceptance of them as adults. In some countries, young girls who reach the age of 18, for example, are accepted into their class societies by being a debutante, celebrated with a formal party.

4. School Graduation

Having a ceremony to celebrate graduation from high-school or college recognizes the individual's work and achievement within the peer group context, and gives the student's family or loved ones the chance to express their joy on this occasion. Usually, these events have great significance as the academic work and time spent have been longer. More important is the challenging risk of success or failure in facing the "unknown." This turning point usually demands a serious evaluation of goals, skills and talents.

5. Marriage

Marriages may be religious or civil ceremonies, or traditional rituals. A public ceremony serves important functions. It allows a couple to make a public commitment to each other and to their future life together, and signals that the two people are now a couple, and no longer available to other partners. With a legal contract, marriage creates a socially sanctioned framework for raising children. A ceremony also enlists the support of members of the community, who, by giving gifts – in kind or money - help the couple to set up their material needs for their new home.

6. Midlife

For many people, the age of 40 is a key turning point, a critical time to reassess their lives and consider their futures. Although there may not be an official ceremony to mark midlife, many people throw a 40th birthday party to recognize the significance and as a way of celebrating the opportunities life has offered at the same time looking forward to what life will bring. For many, the phrase "Life begins at 40" is true, although in the present time, this phrase has now been extended to "life beginning at 50" or even at 60.

7. Retirement

Retirement can be a major life change especially for those who have worked all their lives. Many people fear the loss of self-worth, particularly, if their identity has been derived from what they do rather than who they are. A retirement party is a way of congratulating someone on a productive working life, and marking an exciting, new chapter of his or her life.

8. Death

This is the inevitable final stage of a person's life on earth. The customs and rituals surrounding death vary from culture to culture, but all make the committal of the body, usually by burial or cremation, as part of a ceremony. Having a planned or formal structure to frame an event that often involves great sadness and distress appears to be cathartic for most people depending on the relationship between the departed and the bereaved.

Knowing these major stages of life helps not only the individual who undergoes the changes; it also assists those around to support and make allowances as the person undergoes them.

The copyright of the article The Major Stages of Life in Psychology is owned by Tel Asiado. Permission to republish The Major Stages of Life in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.