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Dealing With Anger


16 years ago 0 115 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
"In order to have real transformation, we have to deal with the roots of our anger - looking deeply into its causes. If we don't, the seeds of anger will grow again. If we practice mindful living, planting new, healthy, wholesome seeds, they will take care of our anger, and they may transform it without our asking them to do so." I suppose, taking this image a bit further: we've ripped out the weeds of smoking that were throttling us. They were making it difficult for the good seeds to grow- but also the other bad seeds- we are confronted with them even more clearly now that the weeds of smoking are gone. They, too, will have to be dealt with (giving up smoking is not going to make life perfect, alas...). And by ripping out the weeds of smoking, we are left with the scars of bare earth. Plant new seeds to cover the emptiness- and make sure that the good seed spred- and not the bad ones.... I don't know if all this is very clear- but it seems to fit for me. [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]10/17/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 18 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 306 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] �70.38 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 1 [B]Hrs:[/B] 9 [B]Mins:[/B] 30 [B]Seconds:[/B] 8
16 years ago 0 307 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
[quote] ...In order to have real transformation, we have to deal with the roots of our anger - looking deeply into its causes. If we don't, the seeds of anger will grow again. If we practice mindful living, planting new, healthy, wholesome seeds, they will take care of our anger, and they may transform it without our asking them to do so." So here is Thich Nhat Hanh's anger meditation: "When anger arises, we may wish to go outside to practice walking meditation. The fresh air, green trees and plants will help us greatly. We can practice like this: Breathing in, I know that anger is here. Breathing out, I know that the anger is in me. Breathing in, I know that anger is unpleasant. Breathing out, I know this feeling will pass. Breathing in, I am calm. Breathing out, I am strong enough to take care of this anger. To lessen the unpleasant feeling brought about by the anger, we give our whole heart and mind to the practice of walking meditation, combining our breath with our steps and giving full attention to the contact between the soles of our feet and the earth...After a while, our anger will subside and we will feel stronger. Then we can begin to observe the anger directly and try to understand it. [/quote] [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]2/4/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 273 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 1,365 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $273.00 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 38 [B]Hrs:[/B] 1 [B]Mins:[/B] 21 [B]Seconds:[/B] 29
  • Quit Meter

    $295,139.00

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16 years ago 0 2223 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Good one Pen, i think this was a good thing to post here right now :) Tresa [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]8/8/2002 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 1913 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 38,260 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $6,695.50 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 269 [B]Hrs:[/B] 19 [B]Mins:[/B] 7 [B]Seconds:[/B] 4
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    Days: 687 Hours: 11

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16 years ago 0 58 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Tryagain, I feel your anger! It burns from the screen! From what you say, I feel that you are grieving for what you have "lost". The five stages of grief are 1. Denial, 2. Anger, 3. Bargaining, 4. Depression and finally, 5. Acceptance. You are stuck on 2 (or even 4?) and need to find some way of moving on towards 5. It really is a nice feeling to just feel accepting of the fact that you will never smoke again. Everyone I know keeps telling me how calm I am now - I used to think smoking calmed me down, obviously it didn't. Instead of focussing on your craves, try to divert your attention elsewhere - have a cup of tea, do some knitting, do a jigsaw, play computer games, read a book, watch a movie ... do ANYTHING other than just sit there and think about how "great" a cigarette would be. After 279 days, it would taste disgusting, you would feel the nicotine hit your brain about 2 seconds after you drag and then you would feel like an abject failure. 279 days of "fighting" gone, just like that ... I know it's hard but you can do it - look at some of the veterans on this site. They are living proof it can be done. I'm on a cold turkey quit and it's been hell (I've been hellish to live with!) but it is getting better. I try to focus on the positives of quitting and, hardest of all, staying calm. Chocolate helps! Good luck, hope to keep seeing you in here with your meter still going the right way (you have less than three months to go to have that all important first year under your belt!). [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]9/23/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 40 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 1,000 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $480.00 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 3 [B]Hrs:[/B] 18 [B]Mins:[/B] 36 [B]Seconds:[/B] 6
16 years ago 0 2462 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Pen, I will never, ever, ever forget the wise words you spoke to me when I was dealing with my own anger issues. And now you've gone and done it again. Thank you. Rusty :) [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]12/13/2004 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 1054 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 29,512 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $3,689.00 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 148 [B]Hrs:[/B] 16 [B]Mins:[/B] 38 [B]Seconds:[/B] 17
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16 years ago 0 3207 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
I should rephrase that. I wasn't angry about my son leaving, but I did get angry at you when I didn't get the response I wanted, the help I was looking for in how to deal with such strong emotions. Again, I apologise for that. I realized in retrospect that you were trying some tough love on me, trying to make me see how my sadness wouldn't be lessened by smoking. Which made me madder at the time because I wasn't intending to smoke....lol A little patient acceptance on my part would have gone a long way in both not alienating you and in riding out my sadness. [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]3/22/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 225 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 9,000 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $1,530.00 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 31 [B]Hrs:[/B] 10 [B]Mins:[/B] 51 [B]Seconds:[/B] 31
16 years ago 0 3207 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Very Nice, Pen. Thanks for taking the time to post this. Patient acceptance is such an eloquent way to phrase the concept. And it seems like it can be applied to just about any situation. I was thinking this morning about my most recent bout of emotional difficulty when my son was preparing to leave, and realized that I was downright scared of the strength of my sadness. I didn't want to smoke, I wasn't angry, but I desperately wanted to not feel what I was feeling. I wanted it to go away. I had made no preparations in knowing how to cope with such strong feelings in a positive way. So, I was thinking to my self, "Okay, so what can I do to prepare myself to not let strong emotional situations distress me so much?" And, bingo! here is your post. If you don't mind, I'm going to use this as a daily lesson to meditate on for a while. BTW, what poem was some of it based on? Thank you again. -aloha [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]3/22/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 225 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 9,000 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $1,530.00 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 31 [B]Hrs:[/B] 10 [B]Mins:[/B] 49 [B]Seconds:[/B] 52
16 years ago 0 1160 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Pen, just wanted to say thanks for taking the time to post. Anger and Patience are two things I have been struggling with. I hope you don't mind me moving your essay to my journal. I found it very helpful and I'm sure I will need to re-read it. Thanks again...you never really know when what you say is just what someone else needs to hear. [color=Blue]BLUE CLOUD[/color] [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]7/4/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 121 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 2,420 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $484.00 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 16 [B]Hrs:[/B] 3 [B]Mins:[/B] 18 [B]Seconds:[/B] 52
16 years ago 0 672 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Anger will eat you up from the inside & make you a bitter person that no-one will want to be around & you will end up old washed up & alone. Surround yourself with things that have a positive influence on you new life, Don't associate with 'moaners' & walk away from week & depressing people. If trouble comes a knocking ... walk away. & most important of all... in most of lifes situations it pays to don't give a @&^% & just be happy [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]1/1/2005 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 1035 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 36,225 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $6,727.50 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 147 [B]Hrs:[/B] 22 [B]Mins:[/B] 30 [B]Seconds:[/B] 56
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16 years ago 0 519 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
What a beautiful essay! I'm going to print it out and save it. I have a friend who is given to bouts of unfocused anger. Right now I am also having trouble with anger and it's sibling out of control rage. I wish I could find a way to accept responsiblity for the quit. Intellectually I know that it was me, I made the decision, I could change that at any time. I could go down right now and buy two packs of cigs and smoke them both one right after the other, then go buy some more. I haven't. Therefore I must mean to maintain the quit. It wasn't always this bad. It has gotten a lot worse in the last five days since I stopped the NRT. I think that was a mistake. While it kept me in a state of limbo, it did relieve the worst of the cravings. The craves had become just a constant fly buzzing around my head, sometimes landing on my nose. I was told that once I stopped the NRT the limbo would go away. Without the nic/nag I would feel so much better. It is now five days. It takes 72 hours for nic to leave the body. I should have started feeling better starting two days ago. I should NOT have been sitting in a chair at two in the morning wanting to smoke. Even when I smoked 2 1/2 packs a day I never woke up in the middle of the night to smoke. Why am I wanting to smoke anyway. If anything, why not just want a piece of gum, why go all the way back to cigs 279 days ago? There must be a reason why it is getting worse after so long. I am giving it a few more days. I have already suffered 279 days of constant cravings with 279 nights of smoking dreams. The little annoying buzz was a complete pleasure next to what I have now. I have to reevaluate. If it gets worse, I must take some other action. Hypnosis, accupuncture, back to NRT, something, but this cannot go on I can't permit it to go on. [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]1/27/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 279 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 8,370 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $2,790.00 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 36 [B]Hrs:[/B] 16 [B]Mins:[/B] 25 [B]Seconds:[/B] 29

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