3 Ways to Channel Anger Constructively

Some people have unresolved pain and they’re angry all the time. The least thing can trigger them. But for most, anger is an emotion that results whenever a person or their loved one is emotionally or physically threatened. It’s often an indication that something is wrong. Feeling cheated, disrespected, or wronged in any way will likely elicit an angry response.

Being angry is a normal human feeling, but what we do with it can be constructive or destructive. To use anger constructively, it must be converted from negative to positive.

Recognize that anger is energy – When you realize anger is an excess of energy, you don’t have to be at its effect. You don’t have to do what it’s telling you to. Instead, when you feel that surge of emotion, you can calm yourself by realizing your body is simply doing what it’s designed to do – supplying you with extra energy to meet a perceived threat.

One good way to burn off energy is to do some form of physical exercise. Walking, jogging, or cleaning can be ways to diffuse the pent-up energy. Writing out your feelings can diffuse the anger also. After you let loose on paper, either burn or throw away what you wrote. Then instead of responding in a way you may later regret, you can discuss the situation without the toxicity.

Sometimes, anger can be a warning signal that something is wrong. You can also use the energy that anger produces to make a positive change.  Sometimes, it takes us getting mad enough to say you’ve had enough, and then use the anger to drive yourself forward.

Convert the energy into something positive – When you’re angry, your senses are heightened and their sharpest. If you can resist the urge to attack yourself or the other person and sit with the anger, you can turn the negative energy into positive energy.

When you make a conscious effort to be with the anger and use it for good, good can happen. You can channel it into taking an action that you’ve resisted doing. Ask yourself if you’re in a situation or relationship that isn’t good for you. Does something need to change? Is someone walking all over you? Do you need to speak your truth? If you are willing to listen to your anger as a call for change, it can be your friend instead of an unwanted foe.

Identify the underlying fear – Most anger can be dissolved by understanding the fear that lies beneath this emotion. When you’re mad, check in with yourself to search for underlying fears. They’re always there and very clever at hiding. For example, if someone has treated you poorly, the fear could be that you feel of no value to that person. Once you face the fear, you can regain your power. Even if someone doesn’t value your worth, that doesn’t mean that you’re a worthless person. You define your worth. If someone is disrespectful to others, they have little respect for themselves, it’s got nothing to do with you.

It’s important to put your energy into people who care about you. No one is 100% respectful all the time, we all have tense moments when we aren’t our best. But if someone consistently treats you poorly, it’s time to address it or move on. Otherwise, you might be getting a secondary benefit from being treated poorly and your relationships will never improve. For some, it’s normal to be held in low esteem so they don’t know anything else. After a while, they feel comfortable being uncomfortable with the way they’re treated. But that doesn’t make it okay. If you feel powerless to stick up for yourself, get help to overcome being treated lovelessly.

It’s impossible to go through life without anger occasionally. But anger doesn’t have to be your enemy. When you face your fears, they no longer control you. When you face the anger, you reclaim your power to do something about it – mostly making the change is signaling you to do.

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