Just for Today, I will not be Angry

These days people think of anger as something of a villain in the stable of human emotions. Nothing could be further from the truth. Anger is a very useful emotion. It triggers the most primitive part of our brain – the amygdala. The alarm raised by the amygdala is sent to the adrenal glands. They release the hormones adrenaline and testosterone to give your anger a boost of power.

You now have muscles twitching and jerking, urging you to take action in the form of fight or flight. When you are angry, the reaction usually is to rage loudly. The adrenalin will increase the speed and volume of your speech. Your pulse will increase as blood pumps away from the stomach to your limbs. Your face will feel hot and flushed. Your veins will begin to protrude.

The stress increases in your body as does cortisol, the stress hormone. Cortisol cuts of the non essential functions of the body to help you focus on the immediate threat. However when you are angry, there is no real physical threat and this cocktail of hormones is unable to resolve itself. Continuing to course through your body and keeping your on the edge.

Anger is needed to keep you safe. What is bad, is excessive anger. Imagine being stuck in the state of anger for hours, days and months. Think of all the damage this excessive anger is doing to your own body. This is why managing anger has become the new mantra for stressed individuals. It’s not that difficult to do. Here’s a clue.

Anger is a choice. If you get angry, you are allowing the person or situation who makes you angry, to steal away your energy. Is that what you want? To hand over your energy to every fool who can make you angry? No wonder you feel low and depressed after a bout of expending your anger. All those hormones come crashing down and bring the high your body experienced to a low.

Today's Call to Action

How can you manage your anger? Think about what makes you angry. Sit down right now and make a list of all the triggers that you are already aware of. It’s just going to take a few minutes to bring to your mind everything that you feel is wrong. That you feel is unfair. That you feel is stupid. Make that list and look at it.

Now tell me, how many of these things on the list, both people and situations can you control? No there isn’t, because if you could control it, it would not trigger you. Is there something you can do to cancel the trigger? Think of at least five things you can do, besides getting angry, when this situation occurs next.

Having thought out of options in advance gives you a better chance of not loosing your temper when the situation occurs. If you catch yourself becoming angry, immediately take ten deep breaths before speaking. The simple realization that you now refuse to give away your energy to this undeserving situation or person, will allow you to reign in your anger.

Affirmation – Today I choose kindness over anger. I release anger from my body and make space for compassion. As the anger leaves me, my body begins to heal. 

I wish you days filled with kindness and compassion.

Love and light, always

Cashmere