Tuesday Teens & Adults – Anger Management W1
The Powerful Word of the Month this month is “Anger Management.” Anger Management is the commitment to deal with anger in a safe, fair, positive and productive way. Obviously everyone gets angry. As leaders, parents, students, teachers, or citizens of our community, we must learn to manage our anger instead of pointing it inward or thrusting it outward in an unfair or unsafe manner. It often turns out that one who is unable or unwilling to manage his anger in a safe and positive way is only hurting himself. A famous quote captures this sentiment: “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). Stemming from empathy and self control, anger management is the next step in creating positive relationships with others.
Week 1: This week, we’re talking about what makes us angry. As we get older, we find that there are all different kinds of things that can make us angry– and in all different kinds of ways. Some anger is short lived while other anger is carted around as a grudge of resentment for years. What makes people angry? Is all anger justified? In the 1600s, Thomas Fuller wrote; “Two things a man should never be angry at: what he can help, and what he cannot help.” Do you agree? Do you know of people who hold onto their anger or get angry about so many things, that they always seem to be angry at something? How can one rectify that problem? This week, your Powerful Thought Assignment is to rate yourself from 1 to 10 on your ability to manage your own anger– both short lived and long term. What would make your score one point higher? What would a ten look like? What adjustments would you like to make?