The anger antidote

Anger isn’t the villain it’s made out to be. In fact, it’s a perfectly normal emotion, one that protects, alerts, and motivates us. It says, “Something’s not right here!” The trouble starts when anger gets a little… over-enthusiastic. You know the kind, when someone’s dawdling in the middle lane, cutting the queue, or blocking your path while checking their phone. The sort of moments that make you mutter things you’d never say in therapy (well, not out loud anyway).

In today’s fast, competitive world, that kind of petty anger can flare easily, fuelled by stress, disconnection, and caffeine. But here’s the antidote: compassion. Not the fluffy, halo-polishing kind, but genuine curiosity about what someone else might be carrying. A simple breath and a quiet thought “I wonder what’s going on for them today?” can turn irritation into empathy.

In therapy, we often explore what sits beneath anger: unmet needs, old hurts, or that inner part that feels unseen. Together, we find ways to respond with understanding rather than reactivity.

Anger doesn’t have to define you. With practice, compassion becomes the new habit, and life feels a whole lot lighter.

🌼 A calmer mind is the best revenge.

~ Jumbled Bean