Yesterday morning, Elizabeth Lombardo, our happiness expert, joined me to discuss how our anger can chase our happiness away. You can listen to our show via the player below.
Elizabeth explained that anger is actually a secondary emotion; meaning, another emotion lies below our anger. We may be feeling helpless, sadness, depression, fear or overwhelmed. Our anger also can serve a purpose—propelling us to take action, resolve a situation, voice a concern, work to make an impact. When our anger becomes our sole purpose (we’re angry at everyone and about everything), then we’re making life harder for ourselves than it must be. Our anger is no longer our path to action but our perpetual place of pain.
Elizabeth reminded us we have two choices when we’re in a bad spot:
1. We can change the situation.
2. We change our emotional reaction.
If your stress is becoming your anger, then look for ways to manage your stress before it becomes the words you wish you could take back. (We’ve got tips and talk shows that address stress here.)
Sometimes, the base of our anger is our desire for others to be different. Elizabeth shared a great suggestion for managing the root of that anger: You become who you want others to be.
I’d love to know what makes (or has made you) angry. And, how did you let go of that anger? Please share in our comments section, below.
Related Articles
- Healing Your Pain (caregiving.com)
- Accepting to Find the Fairness of Life (caregiving.com)
- Because of Caregiving, Have You Gained Compassion? (caregiving.com)
- Easy (caregiving.com)
- Making Contact (caregiving.com)
- Angry, but not what you think (caregiving.com)
- Forgiveness: Opening the Door You Kept Shut (caregiving.com)
You are a disruptor. The delivery of health care starts with you, continues because of you, and ends with you. Let's disrupt together to make the world better for family caregivers. 
Nancy Fairbrother
Pain was my motivator. When I noticed how bad anger made me feel, I decided to change. I used some very effective self-healing techniques to resolve the issues that triggered my anger. I realized anger was hurting me more than those I lashed out at. I realized anger was not my natural state of being. It’s great to finally be in charge of my emotions. Life is good now that I can be myself.