Anger Replacement | Previous Challenge Entry

how it works

TITLE: Anger Replacement | Previous Challenge Entry
By donna robinson
01/25/05
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When I was small I had a terrible temper and I always felt so sad afterwards. When I was 9 I realized that I didn't like feeling that way and became determined to be anger free.

When I look back I am amazed at the techniques I figured out on my own. Till I remember that before I tried to change, I had talked to God about it. Back then I had daily conversatons with God and told Him just about everything about my day. It never occurred to me to stop talking to someone who didn't answer back. I always felt his answers in my heart or in thoughts that would suddenly pop up in my head.

It took months of hard work but finally I had mastered my temper. Before I had spent a lot of time being angry. Now I found I had more time to listen to the other side. I liked the calm feeling that was taking the place of rage. I don't know if anyone ever noticed because I don't recall any compliments and I think I would have backed off and been embarassed if anyone had said something.

I was doing this strictly for me. I found the more I practiced the easier it became. Finally, years later I realized it had been a very long time since anyone made me mad enough to lose my temper. I had learned it simply wasn't worth the effort. Anger cost too much. It took away my spirit.

Any time you eliminate something from your life, you put something in its place. For me it was joy; I loved the feeling of being happy. Children see things in such simple terms. They don't over think a problem, they simply react.

It's funny because I don't remember the techniques I used but I've never forgotten the feeling of how anger made me feel as a child or my desire to leave it behind. I remember liking the person who could stop and think before reacting so much more.

Through the years I've carried this awareness with me. When I have a trait I really want to change, I spend a lot of time thinking about how it makes me feel and how I would rather feel. I talk to God about it like I used to do as a child and it seems between Him and me, we find a way without reading 20 self help books.

When writing this I thought about that old hymn from my childhood, Take It to the Lord in Prayer and years later, it is often still that simple.

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