The Split Second

Anger. A dangerous yet useful emotion, anger is one reason for individual civil liberties, but there is a time and place for a delicate emotion like anger. This week, AMC will tackle the split second before your composure cracks.

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Think Before You Speak

A pause before speaking must become a habit for us all, especially in delicate and high-risk situations. We unconsciously pause when contemplating a tricky question but interestingly this pause vanishes when we are in the car as a driver cuts off the path in front of us. The first exercise is to practice patience in the car while driving. The roads invariably introduce a maniacal driver into our lives at least once a week; this particular driver is your opportunity to pause and think. Instead of blurting obscenities and yelling, pause and tighten your grip on the steering wheel and exhale through your mouth. The car has now become your gym, and in a few months, you will grow into an individual with more composure and brevity.

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Physical Excercise

AMC advocates physical exercise because it allows us to step away from our 'monkey mind' and focus on our body and breathing: this is crucial for those who struggle with overthinking or experience any form of anxiety.

The next time we find ourselves in a situation where anger seems to be lurking around the corner, it is essential to switch our physical position. For example, if we find ourselves becoming agitated while standing, we must sit down, and vice versa. The idea is that physical activity is the only thing that will overwhelm the train of anger running through your mind. We can also quell anger with a splash of cold water on our face. The goal is to move instantly when we feel anger threatening to break through the surface, we move away from the situation, or move our body. As long as the mind is focused on one other thing, then the chance of your anger causing regret is minimized.

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To conclude, anger is natural and necessary; however, anger is risky because an angry person dismisses logic and reason. The split second before anger erupts is what we must become attuned to. To increase our sensitivity to this split second, pause to think before you speak more often and move your body in situations where you become angry.