Clear from Anger

Anger: Managing Your Emotions for a More Powerful Mind

Anger gives us the energy to avoid or overcome danger.  However, managed incorrectly, anger can destroy relationships, ruin careers, and linger forever.

Success starts with a clear mind that is free from anger. ~ www.jaywren.com

Why I Wrote This Article About Anger

I am not a professional mental therapist.  Nor am I qualified to give advice on dealing with emotions.

The reason I wrote this article is that I want to grow emotionally as well as mentally.  I work on building the skills to redirect my anger in ways that are effective and productive.

Although these skills are effective, using them is a conscious daily effort.

All Emotions are Healthy

There are no bad emotions. There are only bad uses of emotions. ~ www.jaywren.com

How I manage my emotions affects how successfully I interact with other people.  If I take my anger out on other people, I build a wall of resentments between the people around me and myself.

Furthermore, if I hang on to negative emotions too long, they can become mental states.  Recovering from negative mental states can take a tremendous amount of effort.  Just recognizing that we are living in a negative state of mind sometimes needs professional attention.

Here are Some of the Things I Do.

I studied Transcendental Meditation™.  Daily, I practice the meditation methods that I learned from my TM™ studies.

I also practice mindfulness meditation.  Thich Nhat Hanh, a Vietnamese monk and peace activist during the Vietnam War, brought the practice of mindfulness meditation to the United States.  Mindfulness is a method of focusing on breathing.  I find that just remembering to take a slow breath in and out reduces stress.

Eckhart Tolle is a native German who became a Canadian citizen.  In his book The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment , he teaches how to live mentally in the present moment.  When I start sliding into negative thoughts, I stop and look around. I realize that the things that are bothering me are in my mind.  However, the world is in front of me and around me.  Taking a moment to become aware of the present moment is a very powerful way to find peace and increase focus.

Additionally, I move.  I go for a walk or go into the yard and do a couple of chores.  Exercising helps. I do a few planks, squats, and push-ups. Every hour, I do something to move.  Motion brings me back into the present moment.

These things help me to create a space between my anger and my action.  Doing these things, I can find peace and achieve success with a clear mind that is free from anger.