Pages

Tuesday, June 03, 2008

An Antidote For Anger


I have discovered an antidote for anger recently-- quite by accident, I will admit. (You can probably guess how I discovered it after you read my idea.)

Here's what you do:

Write an email to the person who hurt you. Get all your feelings for them out. Tell them exactly what you think and how you feel. Tell them everything. Don't hold back.

Then put the email in your "to be sent" file. (DO NOT make the mistake of sending it-- and if you do that by accident, well, it is not my fault-- so don't send me angry emails about it!!)

Then get up, walk away, and go on with your life. You can have that sense of "Humph, I told her (or him)!" Even though technically, you never did.

Finally, wait a few days or a few weeks, then go back and read what you wrote. Be glad you didn't send it. Be glad that you didn't say those angry words that were in your heart to say. Press "Discard draft" and then get up and walk away, going on with your life, this time with a spring in your step. Praise God that you didn't tell him or her off. Praise God that, because of His unfailing love for us, we can learn to forgive each other, extending the grace that we so desperately need for ourselves.
Pin It!

4 comments:

Bonita said...

Yep, that's what I do too. Only I write it out by hand because I don't trust myself electronically. I'd probably accidently send it to everyone in my address book and become totally friendless. It works wonders to get all those feelings out and move on, doesn't it? Of course, then when you blog about it all of your friends think, "Gosh, I hope that email wasn't directed at me!" LOL!

elaine said...

Do not, I repeat DO NOT, put the recipient's email address in the To: Cc: or Bcc: fields!!! I had a draft saved that was NOT this type of email, BUT I meant to click [Delete] and instead clicked [Send] to all of the recipients. I had about 20 people in the Bcc: field because it was a draft for an organization. It wasn't BAD but it was certainly a draft, and wasn't for public consumption!

Paige said...

I do this too, except I write them out and place them in my top drawer in my room. If anything ever happens to me everyone will be shocked at the contents of those letters. Oh Well, atleast they will be hours of fun for someone down the road
Paige

Kelly said...

Very good advice. My current daughter-in-law sent a scathing email to her husband's ex-wife and sent me a copy of it. They used to be friends but aren't now because of current daughter-in-law's angry words, which she later regretted and tried to apologize for to no avail. Best to type it all out and leave it in draft and you will be glad later you did!
Blessings,
Kelly