Today is January 12 and the Navigate the Chaos question to consider is “How often do you let anger derail you?”
Since navigating the chaos can often result in frustration, it's important to examine your relationship with anger.
Actually, you should consider examining your relationship with all of your emotions, not just anger.
Spending time with our emotions takes a good deal of effort, self-examination, and willingness to grow.
In the 2005 American romantic comedy and drama film The Upside of Anger Evan Rachel Wood’s character Lavender "Popeye" Wolfmeyer said
“Anger and resentment can stop you in your tracks. It can change you, turn you, mold you and shape you into something you're not. The only upside to anger, then is the person you become.”
Recognizing what so many successful people have been able to do, she finished her thought by stating “Hopefully the person you become is someone who wakes up one day and realizes they're not afraid to take the journey…and that anger leaves a new chance at acceptance, and the promise of calm in its wake.”
Rick Allen is just one example of someone who did not allow anger to stop him from pursuing his dreams.
After joining the rock band Def Leppard at age 15, Rick Allen got into a car accident six years later, which resulted in the amputation of his left arm.
Unable to play the drums, Allen sunk into a state of depression and feared that he would never again play drums.
Thanks to Def Leppard’s lead singer Joe Elliott, and with the help of others, Allen managed his fear and learned how to play a newly designed drum set with his feet and right arm.
Two years after his accident, Allen was back playing with the band. Allen noted that “taking risks always comes with a fear of failure or rejection for me but when I trust my true potential I am able to push through my fear and follow my heart. Before I sat behind the drum kit my head told me I was defeated and not even to try but my heart knew better.
With the help of people around me saying I could, and by using my creativity in creating a way to play with my feet, I was able to take a chance to achieve what may have been impossible.”
Allen’s approach to recovering from this accident and mastering his fear symbolizes Eleanor Roosevelt’s belief that “You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing which you think you cannot do.”
As you go about your day consider asking yourself "How often do you let anger derail you?"