Anger is neither good nor bad. What we do with anger is what matters.
- Do we use our anger to fuel our passions?
- Do we use our anger to correct injustice?
- Do we use our anger to make sure our voice is heard?
- Do we use our anger to create safety for ourselves and others without making anyone else feel unsafe?
Anger is key to our survival. One of my favourite movies is Serenity, where the plot revolves around figuring out what happened on a remote planet where everyone died. It turns out the government used chemicals to keep the population calm, suppress aggression, and create a peaceful paradise. The problem was that everyone just laid down and died because they had no fight left in them. No drive to excel at work. No passion for pursuing hobbies. No desire to live life. By getting rid of anger, they got rid of life.
The next time you are angry, don't push the anger away or suppress it. Ask your anger what the problem is. What is needed to feel safe and secure? Work with your anger to re-purpose that energy to work for your betterment and not your determent.