Acknowledge your anger

Some people don’t think that they get angry.

This worries me because it could mean that this person has repressed their anger (perhaps having been condition to believe that anger is ‘bad’/not allowed)… OR, that anger has become such a regular state of being that they no longer recognise it when it crops up. For others, anger is an emotion experienced like any others, it comes and goes, but dealing with it doesn’t necessarily get any easier.

Here’s 2 tips for managing anger (particularly useful when we’re triggered by the news):

1. When something sparks our anger, we often trigger more anger.
   
   We find ourselves shouting (in our heads or out loud) “and another thing”! Anger compounds.
   
   Notice when you’re escalating, take deep breaths and choose how you want to respond. Allow the anger to naturally dissipate without shoving it away.
   

2. Generally speaking we’re angry with another person or ourselves. So a good question to ask is - what am I trying to control?

   Acknowledge that you can’t control other people - releasing this attachment to being in-control will loosen your frustration.

So the action? You’re likely harbouring more anger than you think. Notice it this week and try these tips to release it.