The frustrations of everyday living can sometimes get the better of us. Like me, you have probably seen numerous videos posted of folks going off in a grocery story or a retail store because they were asked to wear a mask. I mean, life was sometimes difficult and then COVID-19 came along and added stress to our teachers, store clerks, restaurant wait staff, church members….well the list goes on.
The question we all have to ask ourselves is, “Will you control you or allow your emotions to control you?” See, when we allow ourselves to become overly irritated by the inevitable ups and downs of life, we may become overstressed, overheated, overanxious and just plain angry.
Anger often leads to impulsivity; impulsivity often leads to poor decision-making; and poor decision-making tends to tear down character. So, if you’d like to increase your storehouse of wisdom while, at the same time, strengthening your character, you should learn to control your temper before it controls you.
When you allow yourself to become angry, you are certain to defeat at least one person: yourself. When you allow the minor frustrations of everyday life to hijack your emotions, you do harm to yourself and to your loved ones. So today and every day, guard yourself against the kind of angry thinking that inevitably takes a toll on your emotions and your relationships.
As the old saying goes, “Anger usually improves nothing but the arch of a cat’s back.” So don’t allow feelings of anger or frustrations to rule your life, or, for that matter, your day—your life is simply too short for that, and you deserve much better treatment than that…from yourself.
If you think you’re about to explode in anger, don’t! Instead of striking back at someone, it’s usually better to slow down, catch your breath, consider your options, and walk away if you must. Striking out in anger can lead to big problems. So it’s better to walk away—and keep walking—than to blurt out angry words that can’t be un-blurted. Blessings on your journey!