“Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned.” – Buddha
These words, said about 2500 years ago, are still valid today.
Whom do you punish when you are angry? You punish yourself.
Does anger help you in any way?
Does anger solve any problem?
Do you feel any better afterwards?
The obvious answer is, NO.
When you are angry, your emotions get agitated, your blood pressure goes up, you become impatient and irritable, and you lose control over your actions and reactions.
Anger hides common sense and reason, and makes you say and do things, which will only aggravate the situation.
Sometimes, you might get angry, because you interpret other people’s words and actions incorrectly. The person, who, allegedly, made you angry, might not be aware at all of what is going inside you.
If you let the anger grow, and hold it within you, you waste precious time and energy and harm your health. It is only you, who suffers, not the person whom you believe aroused your anger.
It is like the Buddha said, ‘you are holding a hot coal and burning your hand.’
It Is Always Better to Avoid Anger
It is not wise to hold your anger bottled within you. Venting it out might release it, but the consequences might not be so pleasant. It is much more desirable not to create anger at all.
If you got angry, do your best to get rid of it at the start and not let it grow. It is easier to make it go away if you are attentive, and stop it the moment it appears.
Not letting anger arise is not so easy, but it doesn’t mean that you can’t do something about it.
Simple Tips to Get Rid of the Hot Coal Called Anger
- When you feel you are getting angry, take a few deep breaths, and then count up to ten, twenty is better, before reacting or saying something.
- When you find yourself getting angry, imagine the anger like a hot coal, burning in your hand. Then imagine yourself throwing it away, into the sea, where it cools down and harms no one.
- Repeat over and again in your mind that anger will not help you in any way, so you’d be better without it.
- Anger will not help you in a traffic jam, and it would not help if you missed your train. It will also not help you if woke up late in the morning, because your alarm clock didn’t ring. It is not worth getting angry over things you have no control of.
- Choose to react calmly and peacefully in every situation. Try time and again, regardless of how many times you lose control and get angry.
- Don’t take anything too personally. It is not worth it. It only brings more anger, more stress, and more unhappiness.
If you are earnest about getting rid of anger, you should read the books:
Inner Peace in the Busy Daily life
Emotional Detachment for Happier Life
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About the Author
My name is Remez Sasson. I am the author and creator of SuccessConsciousness.com, which I have been running since 2001. Join me on a fabulous journey to self improvement, happiness, success, positive lifestyle, conscious living and meditation, through my website, articles and books.