I think I may suffer from “low frustration tolerance” and I know exactly what frustrates me; the French bureaucracy! I wonder if they have any “wreck rooms” here?!? Hmmm . . . maybe the French bureaucracy provides them!?!
I really like this Sedona Method. How long am I going to choose to be angry over this? Often I find that the frustration dissipates when I simply do something else! Sometimes it can be a matter of just turning my attention to something else. Often I come back, not so frustrated and I figure it out pretty quickly. Now can I just say that it this takes a lot of spiritual discipline to turn to something else? But it’s a process . . .
This is probably the best article on anger that I have read Christine. I like the reference to anger as a fuel.
In 2002, when I was arrested in Zimbabwe for the "crime" of refusing to leave my legally owned farm during the government's illegal theft of 5000 white owned farms, anger kept me sane.
I found that anger at the injustice, 5 hours of verbally abusive interrogation by, at times, 5 security police and 3 days and nights in an overcrowded, filthy police cell helped me treat the experience as a game and kept fear at bay.
Moving to Canada as a virtual refugee with no assets and no cash, I soon realised that I had to let that anger go and accept a life vastly different from the one I had before.
This is very helpful, Christine. I really struggled with my own anger growing up and into adulthood because I didn’t receive any guidance on how to process it. My expressions of anger were usually unhealthy or I held it in. It’s taken a lot of work to understand that it’s a normal emotion and to find healthy ways to express it (sometimes yelling while driving helps to dispel the energy). I try to recognize it and say, “I feel angry” because naming it is the first step for me. Physical activity also helps me process my anger. I appreciate the suggestion of using the psalms, too. Thank you.
Christine, thank you for putting this emotion on the table with such clarity and grace. I like to think of anger as a secondary emotion. It's really all about hurt, frustration, fear, sadness, disrespect. All the emotions we're not quite sure what to do with. Changing our lenses invites us to be more kind and compassionate toward ourselves. 'I am angry' can then morph into 'I feel hurt' or 'I feel disrespected.' And then it's less all encompassing and more manageable.
I appreciate your work here so much, friend. Your insight and wisdom is priceless.
Definitely agree that finding rage and despair in the psalms was reassuring. As a Catholic, for whom rote memorization (of prayers, not the Bible :)) was the bulk of my faith practice as a child, I also find that rewriting prayers and psalms to be personal to me helps me feel more connected to what I'm saying. I also love (and feel slightly scandalized by :) ) the idea of yelling the psalms of lament in the Chapel.
I think I may suffer from “low frustration tolerance” and I know exactly what frustrates me; the French bureaucracy! I wonder if they have any “wreck rooms” here?!? Hmmm . . . maybe the French bureaucracy provides them!?!
I really like this Sedona Method. How long am I going to choose to be angry over this? Often I find that the frustration dissipates when I simply do something else! Sometimes it can be a matter of just turning my attention to something else. Often I come back, not so frustrated and I figure it out pretty quickly. Now can I just say that it this takes a lot of spiritual discipline to turn to something else? But it’s a process . . .
This is probably the best article on anger that I have read Christine. I like the reference to anger as a fuel.
In 2002, when I was arrested in Zimbabwe for the "crime" of refusing to leave my legally owned farm during the government's illegal theft of 5000 white owned farms, anger kept me sane.
I found that anger at the injustice, 5 hours of verbally abusive interrogation by, at times, 5 security police and 3 days and nights in an overcrowded, filthy police cell helped me treat the experience as a game and kept fear at bay.
Moving to Canada as a virtual refugee with no assets and no cash, I soon realised that I had to let that anger go and accept a life vastly different from the one I had before.
This is very helpful, Christine. I really struggled with my own anger growing up and into adulthood because I didn’t receive any guidance on how to process it. My expressions of anger were usually unhealthy or I held it in. It’s taken a lot of work to understand that it’s a normal emotion and to find healthy ways to express it (sometimes yelling while driving helps to dispel the energy). I try to recognize it and say, “I feel angry” because naming it is the first step for me. Physical activity also helps me process my anger. I appreciate the suggestion of using the psalms, too. Thank you.
Thank you for a great article on how to re-evaluate my anger.
Christine, thank you for putting this emotion on the table with such clarity and grace. I like to think of anger as a secondary emotion. It's really all about hurt, frustration, fear, sadness, disrespect. All the emotions we're not quite sure what to do with. Changing our lenses invites us to be more kind and compassionate toward ourselves. 'I am angry' can then morph into 'I feel hurt' or 'I feel disrespected.' And then it's less all encompassing and more manageable.
I appreciate your work here so much, friend. Your insight and wisdom is priceless.
Loved your article along with all the personal experiences,different viewpoints, quotes & the Rumi poem! 🙌🫶
Definitely agree that finding rage and despair in the psalms was reassuring. As a Catholic, for whom rote memorization (of prayers, not the Bible :)) was the bulk of my faith practice as a child, I also find that rewriting prayers and psalms to be personal to me helps me feel more connected to what I'm saying. I also love (and feel slightly scandalized by :) ) the idea of yelling the psalms of lament in the Chapel.