Based on The Based on The HeartMath HeartMath Solution Solution By Doc Childre By Doc Childre & Howard & Howard Martin Martin

Physiologically, it simply doesn't

matter whether your anger is justified or

not. The body doesn't make moral

judgments about feelings; it just

responds.

Resentment, anger, Resentment, anger, frustration, worry, frustration, worry, disappointment—disappointment—

negative emotional negative emotional states, justified or states, justified or not, take a toll on not, take a toll on

your heart, brain and your heart, brain and body. Don't let body. Don't let

justified emotions justified emotions rob your health and rob your health and

well-being.well-being.

So if we can't So if we can't express it or express it or

repress it, what do repress it, what do we do when we we do when we feel angry? The feel angry? The

answer is to answer is to recognize the recognize the

anger, but choose anger, but choose to respond to the to respond to the

situation situation differently. differently.

Easier said than Easier said than done, right? Can done, right? Can

you actually you actually imagine trying to imagine trying to strong-arm your strong-arm your

anger into anger into another, more another, more

amicable feeling? amicable feeling? It would never It would never

work. work.

Determination Determination alone won't alone won't

work. It takes a work. It takes a new new

intelligence to intelligence to understand understand and manage and manage

our emotions. our emotions.

By getting your By getting your head and heart in head and heart in

coherence and coherence and allowing the allowing the

heart's heart's intelligence to intelligence to

work for you, you work for you, you can have a can have a

realistic chance of realistic chance of transforming transforming

your anger in a your anger in a healthy way.healthy way.

Often we think Often we think we won't take we won't take needed action, needed action,

whether in a whether in a confrontation or confrontation or

in getting in getting something something

important done, important done, without being without being

propelled by our propelled by our anger. anger.

While anger While anger can give us a can give us a short burst of short burst of energy, until energy, until

we manage the we manage the anger, we can't anger, we can't see what action see what action would be best would be best

to take.to take.

The information The information is simply not is simply not

available. The available. The emotions have emotions have short-circuited short-circuited the pathway in the pathway in the brain that the brain that

helps us see the helps us see the most appropriate most appropriate

action to take.action to take.

We all know people We all know people who say: "It's the who say: "It's the

principle of the matter" principle of the matter" to justify sustaining to justify sustaining toxic emotions for toxic emotions for years. As they hold years. As they hold onto their anger or onto their anger or

hurt, they bleed away hurt, they bleed away their energy reserves, their energy reserves, often ending up bitter often ending up bitter

and depressed.and depressed.

When we consciously When we consciously choose a core heart choose a core heart

feeling over a negative feeling over a negative feeling, we effectively feeling, we effectively

intercept the intercept the physiological stress physiological stress

response that drains response that drains and damages our and damages our

systems and allow the systems and allow the body's natural body's natural

regenerative capacities regenerative capacities to work for us. to work for us.

Instead of being taxed and depleted, our

mental and emotional systems are renewed.

As a consequence, they As a consequence, they are better able to ward are better able to ward

off future "energy off future "energy eaters" like stress, eaters" like stress, anxiety and anger anxiety and anger

before they take hold.before they take hold.

Learning to "just say Learning to "just say no" to emotional no" to emotional

reactions isn't reactions isn't repression. Saying no repression. Saying no means not engaging means not engaging

the frustration, anger, the frustration, anger, judgment, or blame. judgment, or blame.

Without engagement, Without engagement, you won't have you won't have

anything to repress.anything to repress.

Don't hold to anger, Don't hold to anger, hurt or pain. They hurt or pain. They steal your energy steal your energy

and keep you from and keep you from love.love.

Leo Buscaglia Leo Buscaglia

and finally a Chinese and finally a Chinese

Proverb Proverb

If you are patient in If you are patient in one moment of one moment of anger, you will anger, you will

escape a hundred escape a hundred days of sorrow.days of sorrow.

All designs are the work of Biswajit Pandey, photographer