Symptoms and Triggers of Anger: How to Deal With a Lively Emotion

I was born a natural redhead, but even after it turned brown, it took me a while to overcome the bad reputation of the tempetuous redhead. This happened only after I spent 13 years with a husband who's only joy in life appeared to be to trigger that anger daily.

So, what was I to do? Is being passionate a hereditary trait really linked to the color of your hair? If so, I was doomed!

Well, actually, it was a process that took about three years. The first turning point came when I realized I had a problem. I was angry all the time. It wasn't just a case of something major triggering me, I began to notice that I was in a constant state of anger and not only that but my husband was enjoying it.

So, the decision to overcome this tendency was made that day.

Here is the method I employed, and hopefully it will help others:

> Use a journal to begin to realize when the emotion of anger is provoked.
> Take a moment to realize what the bodily symptoms of anger are within you (i.e. rapid heart rate, shallow breathing, tense muscles...).
> Make an intention to notice when you are beginning to be angry.
> Watch daily for moments of anger and notice all the accompanying feelings.
> Watch what your thoughts were before you began to feel the first symptoms of anger.
> Address those thoughts and feelings. Get to the root cause. What is really making you angry?

What you will find with this method is that there are specific triggers that awaken anger. It might have to do with your self perception that you are not worthy, that you are a victim, that life is unfair, that there isn't enough time in your day, that you are just here to meet other people's needs and not your own.

These are the belief systems that are triggering that anger. The point is to understand no one makes you angry. The only one who has the power to make you angry is you. It's time to stop blaming others and learn what you are telling yourself that justifies why you are angry. By understanding this, you will learn how to release those little moments of anger as they are just telling you all about yourself. And, you will have the added benefit of understanding when an issue is truly important to who you are and when they are merely triggers of previous patterns of detrimental belief systems about Self. Pretty soon, you will start experiencing a free flow of gratitude in your life as you realize that all those moments of anger were nothing more than reflections of Self.