Anger: Stage 2

Following close behind Denial, we have Anger.It occurs when when the deflecting barrier of Denial and Isolation wears out and the first bits of reality begin to permeate soul and body. In a frantic effort to expel the invading truth we vent. Yelling, pacing, and perhaps even violent behavior can be expected. This torrent of anger may be directed at almost anything, animate or inanimate whether it is the offending element or not. In the case of loosing a loved one, you may even direct your anger at the one you are losing or have lost. As time passes you know and remember that you love them, but you blame them for being weak, perhaps even going as far as to wish that you had never known them so you wouldn't have to suffer so. Knowing that what or who you are focusing your anger on is blameless only makes you more angry. The only way to get past this stage is to let it out. Try to vent your anger in the least destructive way possible. Screaming into a pillow and then punching it a few times is a personal favorite of mine. It sure beats letting it fester inside you and destroy your appearance and mood. After you have expunged the anger from yourself, feel free to lay on your bed and stare up at the ceiling and move on to the next step. The most important thing to remember is not to repress your anger, you just need a constructive outlet. Or at least one that will not be overly destructive.

Denial: Not a River in Egypt

Stage 1 of the 5 stages in dealing with grief or loss. Ironically, many if not most people in this stage are in denial of the fact that they are. Funny how out of reflex, when we are faced with a problem, we first pretend that it doesn't exist or that it will simply go away. I know that I did when I found out about a tragedy that would inevitably befall my family. I didn't believe it, ignored it, attempted to outsmart it, but there was no beating it. Life would play out like it was meant to and there was no way I could change it. All that being said, I know it doesn't sound like the way to go, but in all likely hood you'll end up there anyway. Just be sure that when you do, that you get a move on quick, because ignoring a problem doesn't make it go away. Things will only get worse during your time in dream land.

How To Lose Friends And Alienate People

A phrase the children are indoctrinated with early on in life is "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all." But if you're reading this blog, you're not a child and you know that sometimes it can be a greater disservice to someone to hold your tongue than to speak a harsh truth. Phrases that once gave the world clear blacks and whites have little significance in a world made up not only of shades of gray, but wild and unpredictable flashes of color. In this world, the black and whites are the accepted laws and extremes that govern us. Shades of gray are the subtle and slight variations and exceptions to those laws. The bouts of color represent the beliefs of man and their will to follow through with them. Like colors, we are all different, though some of us are more similar to one another. To disregard the subtle variances and say what you will is the surest way to incite anger, jealousy, and every other undesirable characteristic imaginable. Words are powerful tools, but they also make deadly weapons. Take great care just which ones you use and how.