| Anger is a tool. Anger is an emotional | | | | |
| response to signal when things go against our | | | | Remind yourself - anger is an emotion like |
| ideals of how people could be and how the | | | | any other. Like fear, love, delight, grief. |
| world functions. You can't see appalling | | | | But you can learn how to express your anger |
| things happen and be immune to the feelings | | | | in a constructive way. By learning how to |
| of anger that will emerge - it's a useful | | | | channel your anger, you not only stay open |
| emotion. | | | | hearted and loving, you also teach others how |
| | | | to manage their own anger. |
| It's how you react to those situations that | | | | |
| mark you out as someone who understands anger | | | | Try something right now. Think back to the |
| and knows the consequences of letting it get | | | | last person you felt really angry with. Take |
| out of control. After all, allowing your | | | | a moment to remember what made you so mad. |
| response to become physical, so that you | | | | |
| damage someone in the process of expressing | | | | Now imagine yourself in their shoes. Try to |
| your anger, shows no respect either for your | | | | put in words what you remember them saying |
| own ability to live from your heart, or for | | | | and why they said the things they did, or did |
| the wellbeing of the person who is on the | | | | the things that you believed started off the |
| receiving end of it. | | | | row. And now imagine yourself back in that |
| | | | situation, but this time saying that because |
| Violence and anger is not the same thing and | | | | of what has been said or done, you feel |
| they do not go hand in hand. | | | | angry. Own the anger. No blame, no judgments. |
| | | | No-one can make you angry - it's your |
| Remember the last time you had a blazing row | | | | emotional response and you can learn to |
| with someone? Remember how you didn't hear | | | | choose how to respond in the future. |
| what the other person was saying - you didn't | | | | |
| want to hear and you sure as heck didn't | | | | Isn't it easier to say that you're angry in a |
| think they might be right. You wanted to | | | | calm and loving way? Isn't it more likely |
| punish them. You wanted to put up barriers | | | | that, had you used love to deal with the |
| and withhold friendship and block out what | | | | situation, you might have connected and found |
| they were saying. | | | | a healthy, loving way to resolve the problem? |
| | | | |
| Remember that we all have is the right to say | | | | Yes it's a challenge. But you have such power |
| how we feel. We all need to be heard, our | | | | and inner strength in you that the further |
| feelings acknowledged, and to be understood. | | | | you go along that journey, you will |
| If you shout and yell, what chance is there | | | | eventually meet it. Believe that you will. |
| to resolve anything? | | | | |