The Anger Free Life
The Anger Free Life
Through Simple Rational Self- Actualization
by Kayden DiGiovanni
Chapter 8
Open Up
Step eight is one of the hardest from my point of view, open yourself up to other points of view. It sounds easy but what I mean by this is to try and let go of your personal ego a little bit.
Growing up in the 80’s I had a particular liking for Metal music. In fact I listened to nothing but metal well into my late 20’s.
Then I began opening up a little, first to the music that I remembered my parents listening to as a child, then I slowly began to get curious as I met new people into different things. I was very closed off and even angry at anything other than metal for most of my life. Then I realized that if you like rap, I know nothing about rap, but if I’m around it long enough and you tell me enough about what you have learned and your point of view, then I can begin to like it, and even have it become a meaningful part of my life. I did the same with classical, country, rockabilly, psychobilly, funk, blues, world music, jazz, pop, electronic, industrial, punk, horror punk, crust, Irish, folk, disco, motown, there simply isn’t a genre that I do not like now.
Of course I don’t like every song in every genre, and I still cringe when the kids are listening to the new pop song that sounds so thin and meaningless to me, but then I realize that this will be remembered by them as the music of their childhood and it becomes meaningful to me through that point of view.
I use my music example because it’s easy, but this can be applied to everything. We all meet people that are deeply into things that we know little about, we may even be appalled by what they are into, but if we take the time to listen to what they know, and even do a little internet research, you will find the points that interest them and make it meaningful to your life.
With the easy access to information that we have today, and even easy access to college classes, we can all have a very rounded education. With our newly found lack of anger we could eaisly find an interest in what others have to say. I am a true believer in autodidacticism. If you don’t know what that word means then do a quick search.
Once all of this has settled into your mind and the anger has truly gone away, then my suggestion is to learn something new every day, and take some time to reflect on it.
In conclusion, don’t take anything personally, forgive the demons of your past, realize that others are speaking through their anger virus, realize that you can not change others, stop making assumptions and judgments, stop judging yourself, stop all of your expectations, and finally open yourself up to others, and you have conquered the anger virus.