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Anger management was bound to be discussed on social media after Will Smith’s slap was seen and heard around the world.
After Academy Award winner Will Smith slapped comedian Chris Rock during the Oscars Sunday night in response to a joke about Smith’s wife, a worldwide discussion has started. It’s all about how to manage anger before it escalates to violence.
Anger is defined as “an emotional state that varies in intensity from mild irritation to intense fury and rage,” according to Dr. Charles Spielberger, a psychologist who specializes in the study of anger.
It reminded me of the road rage incident that inspired this post years ago and the need to raise our threshold level. It becomes relevant if you’re trying to demonstrate Gravitas and composure is an issue for you.
This guy needs anger management training- like yesterday
I witnessed an amazing anger scene yesterday afternoon while driving home. There I was driving peacefully when the vehicles in front of me slowed down to a crawl thanks to a truck which was blocking the way.
A short while later, I saw an angry young man in a red tee shirt charging towards the truck.
Before I knew it, he had managed to climb up the wheel and was engaged in a fist cuff fight with the truck driver. That too while hanging precariously from the door of the truck!
The man’s anger had made him blind to the immediate consequences of his action.
No thought that this was a busy arterial road where cars were driving by fast. What if the truck driver got it into his head to drive off? He could fall down and get injured. Perhaps fatally?
I don’t know what happened next as I drove on but I did see a policeman walking in that direction. So I’m guessing the angry man would have found a place to cool his heels.
Anger in itself is neither good nor bad. It depends upon the type of anger.
If the anger leads to constructive actions, then it serves a purpose but if anger is destructive, then it has to be managed.
A powerful tip to raise your threshold level
There are many ways to manage anger but the best ones are those that help to raise our threshold to anger.
One technique is to use the color blue to help raise our resilience to anger.
Blue is cooling and relaxing in nature. A calming color, it is considered well for reducing anger.
Blue is also associated with the throat chakra, which deals with willpower and communication. The color blue can be used for throat problems, asthma, stress, and migraine.
This week, why not try using the colour blue and see how it affects your mood and anger levels?
I recommend 3 easy ways to test whether blue works for you without anybody even knowing it!
- Try wearing clothes which are predominantly blue –say a blue shirt, blue tie, blue scarf, blue dress and even blue accessories. You don’t have to go completely blue – just an item of clothing or accessory.
- If you feel angry and are practicing breathing methods to calm yourself, enhance your chosen method by visualizing blue colored scenes or objects– a blue sky, a blue ocean, a blue flower while practicing your calming technique.
- Use a blue colored bulb in your lamp. When you want to relax, sit in a room which is otherwise completely dark and switch on your blue light lamp. You will notice a difference in the relaxation level achieved.
Using colors to manage anger may not be everyone’s cup of tea.
But wouldn’t it be fun to test the color blue for anger management? It might just work for you!
Written By: Vatsala Shukla
Blue Flower by Jon Sullivan
This post was originally published in April 2013 and has been updated.
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This so interesting, Vatsala. It’s amazing how different colors can be used to control our moods. In today’s society, we want everything…right now….and we refuse to wait. Thanks for the insight on some ways we can prepare for calming down.
My pleasure Livvie. Color is known to enhance or subdue mood and quite often the color we wear is a reflection of our state of mind. If we aren’t happy with that, the best remedy is to use crystals or clothes of the color that will help us achieve our goal.
Amazing how people will allow themselves to lose total control so that they even forget about the dangers that could come to them personally.
I too find blue to be a calming color and usually start in the blues when selecting paint for my bedrooms. Hanging over my desk is a beautiful artwork with various shades of blue, from the ocean to the sky to splashes all around the scenery.
Thanks, Vatsala!
I’m a Purple fan, Yvonne, but when I want to stay cool during the Summer, the blue comes out in full bloom! It used to be a favorite color to wear when I used to visit difficult audit clients. 🙂
Nice post Vatsala. I now realise why it feels great to order a blue line juice!!!!
Thanks Nayeem! I guess you’ll be enjoying more blue lime juice from now. 🙂
Great post Vatsala! BTW, Blue also happens to be my favourite colour:) Looking forward to your next one!!
Thanks Sunil! No wonder you’re always cool! 🙂
I found it interesting that blue can also help with throat ailments. I will definitely try it out for this purpose. I wore blue for my annual appraisal meeting some time back, and I think it did help me keep calm. In fact, the meeting went well! Thanks for this post, Vatsala.
Blue helps correct deficiencies in the Throat Chakra, Vanita, and is good when we need support to speak our truth in a manner that will be heard and understood. I’m not surprised blue worked for your annual appraisal meeting. In fact, blue is a good color to wear for job interviews too!
I love how your blog dances between mysticism and corporate strategy. You are one of a kind, and a treasure, dear Vatsala!
Thank you for the compliment, Reba. When I set up The Karmic Ally Coaching Experience Blog, the intention was to bring my spiritual and practical sides together in 1 place. Mission accomplished!
Karmic Ally, I love the idea of using the color blue to manage your anger. It makes perfect sense because it is the opposite of RED which is the color for anger and war. The next time I wake up on the wrong side of the bed and see RED, I’ll wear BLUE. GREAT blog!
Thanks Kathleen. In my early days of applying color, crystals and chakra therapy, I used to consciously select clothes and accessories to ‘create a mood’. With practice, I instinctively select colors to energize me and sometimes to help me counteract an emotion or feeling. It’s been very hot in New Delhi the last week and guess what I was picking out to wear? Blue! Thank God I’ve got tons of clothes with shades of blue. 🙂
I love this blog. Colours do really affect our emotions greatly. I can easily resonate with the blue colour tips for anger that you have shared. I have always been a calm person attracted to ocean and blue colours .. it makes sense now.. I even wore a blue gown for my wedding 😉
A blue wedding gown shows you are a True Blue Lady, Jonita. I’ve always been attracted to Maroon, Black and Purple – the colors of first and seventh chakras. 🙂
Blue is also a good color to wear in the summers. It helps keep us cool. Would that have anything to do with water and emotions?
Blue is really a great color to wear in the summers. Keeps us cool and hopefully the people around us too! Blue is the color of the 5th Chakra – the Throat or Vishuddha Chakra which deals with communication. The 2nd Chakra – the Sacral or Swadhisthana Chakra’s element is water and it deals with emotions. One of the exercises for balancing this Chakra is drinking water which we can visualize as blue in color. I would say, if our emotions are balanced, then the danger of harsh words dissipates. So yes, blue works both ways!
Blue has always been my favorite color, but funny thing is I don’t wear much of it. Grateful that I haven’t been feeling much anger lately, but I’ll remember blue’s calming qualities next time that emotion rears its head.
Thanks.
Debra
Hi Debra. Thanks for visiting! Blue is a great color and I am delighted that it is your favorite. Colors do make an impact. One of my client’s was telling me about a stressful project and I advised her to avoid red and wear blue. It seems that tempers were flaring last week and most people were wearing red! A blue scarf or brooch would do nicely! Regards Vatsala