7 Ways to Stay Mad

I wasn't in a bad mood when I woke up this morning, but somehow I am now. There are plenty of great articles written about how to get out of these kinds of moods, but very little written for those who choose to stay angry and ruin their day.

Here is my list:

1. Look for someone to blame for your problems. Unless you are totally alone in this world, (and choosing to stay angry for long periods increases the likelihood of this possibility) you have someone in your life who is more responsible for your unhappiness than yourself. Assure yourself that their actions are chronic and deliberate. Blame can be ascribed indiscriminately and without any logical connection to the problem.

2. Dwell on the problem. Think about how bad it is and resist any temptation to look for solutions. Then, try to make the problem worse than it really is. You will know when you've completed this step when the problem is in fact now as bad as you willed it to be.

3. Fill your head with negative thoughts and repeat negative phrases. Now is the time to beat yourself up and remove the emotional tools used to solve problems. Make sure negative phrases are not chanted as this may be soothing and defeats the purpose.

4. Get in the proper physical state. Sitting in one place for long periods of time works well. Basements are the ideal place in the home at this time, but caves or sewers are good alternatives. Pacing can be used between periods of sitting, but any more than that resembles exercise and is to be avoided. Frowning, scowling and sighing work well while sitting, pacing or cave dwelling.

5. Pile it on. Surely this is not the only problem you have going on in your life right now, so use this time to try to tackle all of your problems at once. Writing a list of all earthly problems (yours and those which don't apply, but someday could) can be a good idea, but avoid this step if writing or list making is therapeutic in any way.

6. Avoid talking to people who want to help with the problem. They serve no purpose here unless they can be added to the list of people to blame.

7. Take no action. The process of thinking about the problem and emphasizing its impact on your day is the only way to really build up to a boil. Any action could lead to a better frame of mind or, worst of all, a solution to the problem and therefore is never worth the risk.

I trust this article has been helpful.