8 Commandments of Anger Management

Many of us live a life of denial. Reality is often hard to face. It is easier to stay on the sideline with false beliefs stuck in dysfunctional patterns of behavior. Whether it be anger addictions, poor communication, apathy or sloth, change is difficult. As I often tell my clients, "de-nial is not just a river in Egypt." Sometimes you have to be disgusted with your behavior in order to consider changing. Sometimes it takes a crisis, a loss, or consequences for your behavior to precipitate the motivation to change. Many times a crisis presents a valuable opportunity to change. Legal charges, probation, jail time, a broken relationship, loss of a job or health consequences can serve as the necessary stimulus. The opportunity exists to look inward to get to the root your problem. A spiritual awakening may occur. Counseling may be required or encouraged to further strengthen your skill set needed to regain self-control. Often life calls upon us to put aside our own desires and do something for someone else. Becoming a master of our anger may be the best gift we can give to someone.