Manage Stress by Controlling Your Anger

By Althea DeBrule, Christian Career Tools Thursday, December 30, 2010

When most Christians think of stress, what comes to mind is usually basic information that's not particularly interesting or beneficial. But there's a lot more to stress–especially how anger affects it than just the basics.

Anger is an emotion every human being has been given. It is the mind's defensive response to situations that make us feel vulnerable. If unchecked, anger can have serious personal consequences by increasing stress levels (Psalm 37:8). It can also damage relationships with others (Proverbs 22:24).

Take these practical steps to manage stress by controlling your anger.

Instead of lashing out at others or yourself, step back and re-evaluate your priorities. Manage any anger or hostility and use tact or diplomacy when dealing with others.
Get the facts and sort out the details of your anger; and then analyze your emotional response and feelings. Determine the root cause of the anger and identify the concern, issue or problem that needs to be solved.
Admit when you're angry and take responsibility for the emotion. Don't blame another person for your response. YOU are the only one who can cause you to be angry.
Own up to situations that are uncomfortable and apologize where appropriate. Don't dwell on or brood over what happened.
Don't ignore or avoid problems by hoping they will go away. Focus and hold yourself accountable for the outcomes or solutions.

See how much you can learn about controlling your own anger when you take a little time to read a well-researched article? Don't miss out on the rest of this great information.

Speak assertively to the person with whom you are angry. If this is likely to cause your anger to spiral out of control, find a neutral person whom you trust to facilitate the discussion. The neutral person should not do any of the talking; only set the stage for the discussion and summarize agreements at the end.
Without being aggressive or highly emotional, state the problem objectively. Now describe why you are feeling angry.
Finally, state your desired outcomes and what you want to achieve. Propose a solution that would be acceptable to you and also potentially acceptable to the other person. Seek agreement and reconciliation.
Change your place. Remove yourself from negative people and environments to those where you can grow.
Hold a personal and private debrief of the meeting. Go over the meeting in your mind, evaluating whether you were successful in managing your anger. Identify at least 3 lessons you learned from the experience. Use these for future situations. Engage in your favorite activity to manage stress. Relax and physically unwind.

If you've picked some pointers about stress and anger that you can put into action, then by all means, do so. You won't really be able to gain any benefits from your new knowledge if you don't use it.