Are we getting angrier? Or are we getting in the habit of venting more publicly? When you look around at the violence, outbursts, and division in our nation, it seems that society has gotten more and more angry over the years. Things have boiled over in politics, public health, riots, racism, and a whole slew of other issues. This is especially true on social media, where angry and vindictive comments and attacks have unfortunately become the norm.
On a recent episode of Trending with Timmerie, host Timmerie Geagea spoke about the current state of anger in our country. “How do we get past this attitude that anger is virtuous in some way? What they’re saying is people who act angry are virtuous because they’ve had enough. That’s not true.”
Certainly, a constant state of anger is good for neither our physically, spiritual, nor mental wellbeing. So what can we personally do to overcome our anger?
Timmerie says that the first step is identifying triggers for anger in your life and setting up boundaries to reduce exposure to things that make you especially angry. “For me, it’s limiting my time on technology because … just the physical stimulation of the screen, the impact on the eye and the brain, can be exhausting and angering at times.”
Things like social media, too much mainstream news exposure, and excessive screen time can have negative affects on our health, elevating heart rate and building anxiety. Timmerie points out that certain people may also be triggers for anger, and it’s possible that we should limit our time with people who bring out our rage.
On the flip side, time spent with the Lord in prayer, exercise, time outdoors and with our family and friends can build up happiness and peace in our lives.
Building virtue can also counteract our angry emotions and reactions. “Praying and practicing peace, joy, generosity, gentleness. All of these are rooted in our Lord and are gifts given to us by him, by the Holy Spirit. Do we pray, maybe, before entering into a difficult conversation or situation?” asked Timmerie.
If you struggle with getting angry and anxious about everything happening in the world today, take some concrete steps to mitigate that. Decrease your exposure to triggers for anger and increase time spent with things that bring you peace and joy. Build up virtues that counteract the bad habits and negative emotions that plague us. Turn to the Lord, Prince of Peace, for assistance and solace.
Tune in to Trending with Timmerie weekdays at 6-7pm CT only on Relevant Radio®.
