I'll Take My Anger White Hot

The following contains an unpaid product placement. 

*Where's The Cream

(Excerpt)

What do you mean …

You don't have any cream

The Starbucks-spoilt princess did yelp

She lamented and let our a scream

Now I know what you are thinking

Our little princess should switch to decaf tea

The problem, our little princess …

                                  our little princess is me

From my dead, gripping talons

Will you get my cup of caffeine

So wipe that silly smirk from your face

Soothe the beast and get me some f**cking cream

Click to hear in its entirety

Well first off … don't worry … I have indeed switched to tea. Decaffeinated … no … that ain't going to  happen … but let's just say I am wake up with an Earl now.

Me and and Jean Luc Picard cannot be wrong … now if only I could get a computer to make mine … hot.

So why did I choose to share with the world a story about me behaving badly. I know you're shaking your head … you being angry … no … not you, Pryde. Yes me and I'm pretty certain you too.  Let's face it; just about all of us experience anger. 

To those of you who have indeed shed your ego and do not experience anger … return to your lotus pad … this does not concern you. I'll let you know when it is over.

So where did my anger come from? In this case hormones had a lot to do with. Being that it was early morning … and I have never been what one would call a morning person ... the hormones that lift my mood were low. 

As we have discussed in past episodes hormones are made in body from neurones firing, resulting in a cascade of events that turn energy into mood.  

The other essential element was thought. I was not thinking … listen Pryde, you are just experiencing a lull because you haven't had your caffeine. You don't really need the cream. Take a deep breath, run around the block, hum a few bars of the Darth Vader theme and imagine the barista is that really annoying general … in other words … laugh it off. No I became Princess Leia when she got mad at poor Chewy because she was really mad at Han. 

You know when she called him a walking carpet. If you haven't figured it out yet … I am indeed a sci-fi nerd. May the force be with and long live the International Sign of the Donut.

I had certain expectations and they were not met. Is not having our expectations met a good reason to get angry? Was my anger justified? Is anger ever justified? Really … It doesn't matter.  A wise man once said that anger is its own punishment and here are the very real reasons why. 

Firstly the reasoning part of your brain shuts down and you respond with the lower parts of your brain and usually end up making things worse.

That's right … you get more stupider and we all know how sexy stupid is.

With chronic anger you face an increased risk of heart attack and stroke. It's not your enemy or the cream that will get you but the anger. 

Oh and did I mention it isn't sexy.

Anger interferes with digestion, can lead to acne and rashes, and over the long-term impairs the immune system. So if you ask me the seeming release of emotion/energy, justified or not, is not worth it. 

Should I hold it in?

No, anger turned inward becomes depression. If you do find yourself angry … stop the thoughts that are fuelling the anger as soon as you can and find a non-destructive outlet for the energy build up. I find just doing some intense contractions can dissipate the built up of energy quite quickly. 

Literally squeeze it out.

But what we really should be doing is looking for ways to stop anger before it happens. In my experience this means getting to know your body and your physical triggers … caffeine drops, sugar drops, lack of sleep, not enough exercise or down time, where you are in your monthly cycle, or  … and boys, just in case you thing I don't mean you … where you are in your daily cycle. If you don't take care of your body you are going to struggle to take of your moods. Get to know you body and get to know your thoughts and what thoughts make you feel bad. Because sometime all anger is a build up of negative thoughts. Give yourself carte blanche permission not to have those thoughts. Anger can be tricky … masquerading as what we might otherwise think of as altruism. But if you're angry then there is nothing altruistic about it. Only the ego gets angry. I know; I know. You want to change the world … make it a better place. So do I. But here's the thing; you can chip away at a mountain of suffering with anger but you just make a bigger mess in the process. 

Are you still angry? Good. Because I am going to talk a little more about it next week. 

May all your lattes be full fat. Unless you like it black … and to that I say … why so bitter;)  

I'll leave you with my apology poem to the Starbucks barista. Blessings.

**Angels of the Morning

* Where's the Cream is published in its entirety in Monsters.
** Angels of the Morning is published in Strays.

Monsters and Strays is available at the link below.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=pryde+foltz
Source …http://science.howstuffworks.com/life/inside-the-mind/emotions/anger2.htm