ITS ABOUT THE GIFTS

January 2 • By John Craft

We’re more excited about the GIFTS than we are about the ANGER.  The GIFT is becoming who you most want to be.  Not physically transporting in the external world, but journeying towards full authenticity in your internal world.

ANGER is the safety worker on the side of the highway waving a red flag saying “Danger!  Slow down and pay attention or you may get hurt or lose something important.”  Anger asks us to be alert, curious, and to pay attention.

We do explore Anger in the Gifts of Anger, and deliver ways to transform its energy into respect-based and helpful behaviors.  It is a huge and helpful accomplishment to learn to respond in non-hurtful ways to the warnings and energy that anger brings

However, the real GIFTS come with the awareness and conscious choosing that responding rather than reacting makes possible.  The GIFTS come into focus when one pauses and recognizes not only that something is not OK, but then identifies the deeper cause of that discomfort—the deep need or want that is being ignored or threatened.  The GIFT comes with choosing to move towards that deep need or want—to choose to do what will most likely satisfy those deep needs or wants.

Some humans are Seekers.  Seekers carry a relentless curiosity and desire to move towards full authenticity—to become what is true for them.  Seekers are willing to sit in the discomfort of recognizing that past choices and behaviors are no longer serving their journey towards full authenticity.  The humility of acknowledging past shortcomings opens the door to exploration and “trying on” new approaches and behaviors.  Anger as a GIFTcan be that next door you seek.