In my view, anger spans a continuum: Annoyed…irritated…frustrated…angry…rage…fury. Many people experience anger regularly at some level and are not even aware of it.
We may have daily, if not hourly experiences. Not blind rage, not fury, but a lower level of anger such as annoyance or irritation. Low-level anger be more damaging to our wellbeing because we can sustain it for longer periods. For many, low-grade anger is their default “normal” response.
I call this the “death of a thousand cuts.”
I use that dreadful description because sustained anger has a cumulative effect that profoundly affects our health and functioning. Low-grade anger exacts a heavy toll on our moods, our relationships, and our overall effectiveness.
As humans we tend to run on automatic pilot. Subtle anger is so common, so deeply ingrained into how we function, that we don’t really notice it most of the time.
Here’s one technique to help address low-level anger:
Start keeping a log of your frustrations. The heavy traffic, the app that won’t work, the person that makes you late, the house not being clean, the list can go on and on.
After keeping a log for a week or so, people are surprised at how often they engage in low-grade anger.
This practice of keeping a log brings subtle anger to your awareness and creates an opportunity for critical evaluation. Critical evaluation then transfers energy usage from the emotion centers of the brain (which generate anger) to the cognitive center of the brain, leading to a calmer state.
This is a simple, yet deceptively effective step to move you toward peace.
All the best to you.