A couple of weeks ago, we talked about how we can use the “reduce” part of “reduce, reuse, recycle” slogan to help us reduce our anger when we feel it like we’re about to “lose it.” This week, let’s tackle the last part of the slogan: how we can recycle our anger and constructively use the energy anger generates in us.
How to Recycle Your Anger
While we might understand how rage can fuel more tension in relationships, we aren’t always clear on how to use it as a helpful source of energy. The goal is not to get rid of anger, but to take that raw energy and turn it into something new, different, and constructive. Converting our anger into a positive force is a lot like recycling a plastic container.
Once our recycled plastics are sorted and cleaned at a recycling center, they are often compressed, tied into bales, and shipped to another location. There the plastic is shredded and then melted into small pellets. These pellets are sent to different manufacturers who make new plastic products. The plastic pellets become warm fleece jackets, different plastic containers, and plastic parts – something fresh and different. The plastic, however, is the same raw material from the beginning of the recycling process to the end.
In the same way, we can take the energy of our anger and channel it into new, healthy directions. It can be the fuel we need to right a wrong that was done to us or someone we love. It can be the source of energy we use to find solutions to old problems rather than create new ones.
Here are the basic steps to help you start recycling your anger, instead of letting it fester:
1) Choose to Make Recycling Your Anger a Habit
The first step in constructively handling our aggravations involve a decision. We have to decide to recycle our anger. While this may seem like an obvious step, until we make the decision, we will never change.
Our goal is not to remove anger from our lives. Anger can be a valuable source of information and energy. We want to recognize our fury, acknowledge it, contain it, and recycle it in a way that is healthier for us and others. Commitment is needed to make this choice into a habit.
2) Choose How You Will Recycle Your Anger
Too many people who face devastating situations allow themselves to remain bitter and resentful when they could take their anger and do something to make the lives of others better. Let’s look at some ideas for redirecting anger into something positive:
- Do something physical – take a brisk walk, clean the house, cook, bake, knead dough, or pound nails.
- Pray, reflect, and meditate – pray for God’s guidance and ask Him to show you how to express your anger.
- Write in a journal – unload those toxic thoughts onto paper to shed your deep hurts and leave you with less to recycle.
- Share your feelings – talk with a counselor or a caring friend to help you identify your feelings, sort out what’s going on, and express your aggravation constructively.
- Get rest, eat well, and set priorities – get some extra rest and pamper yourself. It’s amazing how much smaller problems appear after a great meal and a good night’s sleep.
3) Embrace Setbacks
In spite of our best intentions, there will always be times when we “lose it” and act on our anger inappropriately. When you’ve lost your temper and allowed it to rule you, take some time to process what was going on before the incident, how you responded, and ask God to forgive you and help you respond better in the future.
Once we experience the benefits of taking time to redirect our frustrations and irritations into something different, we will be more willing to do it again in the future. Hopefully, we’ll start thinking green – reduce and recycle – instead of seeing red.
Over the years, I’ve discovered that the real issue isn’t whether I get angry, but what I do with that anger. Do I express it in a selfish, harmful way? Or do I accept it and find constructive ways of handling it? Today I strive to do the latter. After all, why waste all that valuable energy?
What ways have you found that work for you to recycle your anger? If you have any tips to share with others, please let me know!
Warmly,
Georgia
