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The Upside of Anger: How to Transform Rage into Positive Results
Learn to use anger rather than let it use you.
In anger, there is truth.
Most people associate anger with embarrassing, out-of-control meltdowns. However, anger is an essential signal that something is wrong. When harnessed effectively, anger can strengthen us to fix what is broken.
My Experience with Anger
In the past, I have been guilty of flying into rages, complete with yelling, foot stomping, door slamming, and other flat-out embarrassing behaviours. Anger used to consume me, and when it did, I gave in to my darkest impulses.
The worst part was that I used to yell at my children for minor infractions. My rage was out of proportion to their actions. They did not deserve this because they were not the true source of my anger. Rather than dealing with the underlying issue, I was venting in an unhealthy way.
Today, anger and I have a much healthier relationship than we did in the past. I now try to use anger rather than being used by it.
I see anger like a man with a horse; if the man does not train and control the horse, the animal will drag the man around. But if the man can master the horse, they will have the strength and skill to do things neither could do alone.
So, how can you convert anger into your ally?
Try to use anger rather than being used by it.
Anger Misconceptions
My journey to master my inner rage was hampered by several misconceptions that held me back.
1. Getting angry is wrong.
Anger can be associated with irrational violence, which makes us believe that when we are fired up, we are at our worst. But most anger does not lead to violence, either physical or verbal.
Anger is a natural reaction. The unconscious mind has processed the situation and identified that it is threatening. Seeing red signifies something is wrong, and you must prepare to respond.
