don’t ignore your anger

It’s on you to deal with it.

Before I get into this post, I wanted to let you guys know that my book When God Stops Making Sense: A Journey to the Other Side of Faith is now available on Kindle. You can purchase it for $4.99 or read it for free with a Kindle Unlimited membership. I’m working on a paperback version and I’ll let you guys know as soon as it’s good to go.

Kindle Store: https://a.co/d/02svLu8o

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You know what? Sometimes life can hurt. Anger, pain, disappointment, disillusionment, and sorrow are plentiful on this planet, and cynicism and bitterness can quickly take hold of you if you aren’t careful.

I’ll be honest. I’m dealing with something right now that is tempting me to give into those emotions, so I figured I would jump on here and write about it, because writing about it can be as cathartic as anything else. It’s certainly the route one should take if remaining employed is a priority, which it is for me at this time. What happened left me feeling angry, disappointed, and perhaps worst of all disrespected.

But here’s the deal. In the face of that anger, disappointment, and disrespect, it's on me to get over it.

I know what you’re thinking. Why didn’t I think of that?! I get it. It’s like telling someone who’s depressed to cheer up. Thanks, buddy! I’m better now!

I know. But let me unpack this for a second.

The biggest problem with anger is that it is a raw, natural emotion. It’s one of the first emotions we experience as humans, and man, it almost always feels right in the moment. The passion. The unfiltered indignation. The irrational rage.

I have been wronged, and I will not stand for this! FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU…

Being swallowed up by some of this righteous anger can be exhilarating. It’s even better when you can share it with others. Being angry about the same thing with other people is one of the best feelings on this planet. To be both affirmed and understood at such a base level is rare. It’s why the best way to start a movement is not to inspire to empathize, but to tap into anger and frustration. Being angry just feels good.

Hell, I’ve written many times about anger, and about how anger is many times both warranted and necessary. This is why this is a complicated topic that I’m suddenly feeling unfit to unpack.

The problem with anger is that the relief is short-lived. There are eventually moments when you must settle down, take a deep breath (or several), and take the next step.

Because the truth is that anger, while temporarily invigorating, will eventually destroy you.

Unresolved anger will eventually seep into every corner of your life, and you will become a miserable shell of the person you once were. Picture that baby Voldemort at the end of the last Harry Potter movie. Curled up in a fetal position, so angry at everything all at once that you can no longer function. It happens, and it often happens fast.

So, I guess what I’m urging you to do is really examine your anger. Some anger lingers, and only time can heal it, but other anger is a simple matter of taking conscious steps to leave it behind. You must decide for yourself which is which, but trust me when I tell you that there’s a lot more of the latter.

All I can tell you is good luck. Working through your anger can be a long, arduous process, but both you and the people in your life will be glad you gave it a fair shot.

Until next time.