I have been feeling angry for the last 4-5 days. I want to yell at everyone and everything! While I am not exactly sure why this is I can surmise that it is related to my dad’s death and the upcoming life transitions that I am processing. Do you ever feel angry for no obvious reason?

Emotions help us to process events that are happening at the moment. We have a wide range of expressing these feelings, in some ways productive, in other ways not. I try to keep myself busy as I work through the tougher emotions in life. What have you found that works for you? I know many people who like to exercise, run, walk, or play sports to release their energy. I have never been a person who really enjoys focused physical activity for the purpose of stress relief. I prefer quieter things like reading or gardening.

Emotions

When I say we have a range of emotions I want to also mention that for some people expressing themselves comes naturally. These are the people who say what is on their minds regardless of how it might affect another person. While I can express emotions I am almost always careful about what I say because I still want people to like me. Probably the one person who hears it all is my husband. And lately I know I have taken out my anger on him. Feeling angry is not a good way to spend the day. It is like having this extra weight that won’t go away no matter what.

It is so easy to give other people guidance on how to feel better and grieve better, but I am not good at taking my own advice. I don’t know if that is a nursing thing or just me in general.

Feeling the Feelings

There are 10 things that I typically suggest to others when they are feeling angry or upset:

1. Allow yourself to feel your emotions.
2. Have a good cry.
3. Get some fresh air.
4. Drink a cup of hot tea with honey.
5. Curl up on the couch with a warm blanket.
6. Talk with a friend or family member.
7. If you don’t feel like eating make sure you are drinking water.
8. Listen to music (anything but tearjerker music).
9. Watch a TV show or movie that does not require a lot of concentration (I have been watching the trainwrecks of reality TV)
10. Journal

Return to Normal

Today I played outside with my grandson. The sunshine felt warm and comforting on my face. In the late afternoon when my daughter was also outside, I excused myself to go lay down for an hour. I realized I simply needed some alone time. In addition to anger, I am feeling really tired. When will things return to normal? I don’t know. My feelings of loss will be with me forever. I know they will fade in strength but they will always be there in the back of my mind. Life is a continuous cycle of change. I understand that in my head, however, my heart feels otherwise.