Counting Cool Heads

Mom always said, "Who does that anger (or hate) hurt?"  I should think about this more when I'm fuming over a technical problem, or on the phone with some Customer Service Representative trying to resolve a problem or dispute.  Booker T. Washington said, "I shall allow no man to belittle my soul by making me hate him".  How true - the wasted energy of kicking a brick wall only to break your big toe!

So what is the key to rechanneling the energy of anger into the virtue of joy and unlimited love?   Is it as simple as counting to 10 slowly?  Sir John Templeton writes that most of the expression of hate is the result of fear.  If this is true, then controlling the fear eliminates the hate.  It is our choice to control our thoughts - this is our ultimate Godly endowed freedom.  When someone or something generates emotional energy of anger and hate inside of us, then we are out of control - in fact we have chosen to allow that person or thing to control us.

Self control is one of the 24 strengths within the six virtues of the CVS (Character, Values, Strengths) theory.  Building your self control is a way of showing the vitue of Temperance.  So counting to 10 slowly may be one technique to remind yourself of self control - redirecting your mind away from the emotion to the logic of numbers. 

"Heads are wisest when they are cool and hearts are strongest when they beat in response to noble ideas"  Ralph J. Bunche

One Beat, Two Beat, Three Beat ......