These days getting angry is all the rage!
We’ve got road rage, air rage, phone rage, supermarket rage …

Here’s what’s interesting about rage: it’s usually not what happens to us that makes us angry. It’s when we expect one thing to happen – but something else happens …

EXAMPLE:
You are driving on the highway and you decide to change lanes.
You EXPECT the guy in the next lane to make room for you – but he doesn’t!

You EXPECT him to be considerate – but he isn’t. So you get mad.

The problem here is not the other driver.
It is your expectation that he should be nice!
Expectation sets us up for disappointment and anger.

Most people in the world won’t think like you and your plans will often go wrong.

So the less expectations you have about the world – and even the weather – the better life gets!

Three more tips for keeping your cool:

1. HUMILITY HELPS! Angry people tend to believe that:
a) they are more important than everyone else, and
b) that they are always right. When they don’t get what they want, they get angry!

Relax a little. Allow for others to sometimes get what they want.

2. DECIDE WHAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
Rank events in your life, say, on a scale from one to ten:
You might rank having enough food to eat at 9 out of 10.
You might rank having a job at 7 out of 10, idiot drivers at 2 out of 10, and slow elevators at zero.

When you have things in perspective, you don’t get upset over details.

3. ACCEPT WHAT IS.
Angry people love to argue with reality!
They say things like, “It shouldn’t be raining!” or “Thieves shouldn’t steal!”
It is a waste of energy.
When you argue with reality, reality wins!

IN A NUTSHELL

There are six and a half billion other people on planet earth.
For them to sometimes get what they want, we sometimes need to go without.

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