Each of us should take a minute to think back, even in just the past week, to the times we’ve been angry or short-tempered and think, “Has this ever served me well?”

The answer is very rarely, yes. Anger, as I’ve learned, always makes things worse: No other emotion has cost the human race more dearly.

But it’s a hard emotion to combat. It’s natural, often almost instinctual. So here is a practical tip I’ve learned to manage my anger, and a piece of advice.

So let’s think about it; Do you want to be less angry? If you answered yes, then practice becoming less aware.

For myself personally, anger often starts from noticing too many subtleties of the way others interact with us. In many cases, I’d (we would) do better not to notice the slights and microaggressions that can drive us nuts if we let them. One can will oneself to ignore such things – a practice many long-married couples will instantly recognize!

Today, when you feel that anger start to boil up because someone cuts you off in traffic, your computer glitches when you just can’t afford it to, the waitress messes up your order despite very careful instructions – stop, step back, and ask yourself, what if I didn’t pay any attention to that? What if I hadn’t noticed? Would I still be bothered? Would I need to be this angry?

It brings to mind something a friend once said, “You don’t have to turn this into something. It doesn’t have to upset you.”

Why; Because you don’t have to be aware of it.

By Brian Nadon