Anger Stops You

When you get angry, you have to stop your forward progress, because you're pushing back against that thing or person you don't like or don't agree with.

Anger occupies your focus and mental energy, asking you to fix the problem so that you can move ahead again. The real problems begin when you get stuck in your anger, and never resume your progress.

Positive emotions give you the "go ahead" and energize you to move toward your goals and desired outcomes. So...

• The first order of business when you're angry is to listen to and learn from your anger, as suggested in the video above.


• As you begin to understand the "backstory" behind your anger, it may begin to subside, a little or a lot, allowing you to move forward again.


• Another way to get unstuck from your full-stop anger is to shift your focus to the positive, finding the good in whoever or whatever you're angry about.


• You might think of this as a three part process: 1) Stop and listen to your anger, 2) Feel empathy and self-compassion for your hurt and angry self, and 3) Find the good in all that lies before you, including the object of your anger.

If you get stuck in your anger, your entire system will begin to shut down, and you will suffer until you get moving in a positive direction again.

Think of it this way...