2. ANGER IS NOT AN ALL-OR-NOTHING PHENOMENON.

Anger typically occurs in degrees, ranging from mild annoyance to intense rage. Some people have a problem labeling negative feelings. They consider any experience of hostility as an intense, urgent crisis, even if it’s just a momentary frustration. Such people tend to have an over-active “inner brat” that makes mountains out of molehills.

3. IT IS NOT ALWAYS NECESSARY TO LET YOUR ANGER OUT.

Anger does not work like steam in a teakettle. It is not necessary to release it in order to avoid explosion. While it’s true your stress level does increase when you dwell on angry thoughts, you can reduce stress without having to resort to an outburst or tirade.

4. NOT ALL ANGRY PEOPLE YELL OR SCREAM

In fact, many people keep their anger to themselves, or so they think. Even though they don’t come right out and say, “I’m mad at you,” they show it in their behavior -- by being “passive aggressive.” They sulk; they have a “tone” to their voice; they slam doors, etc. Such people have an inner brat that I call “The Smolderer.” You kind of know they’re angry, but you don’t know exactly what they’re angry about.

5. ANGER MANAGEMENT DOES NOT MEAN KEEPING YOUR MOUTH SHUT.

Anger management involves keeping your inner brat from saying or doing something that you’ll later regret. It involves calming yourself, making cool-headed assessments of situation, and finally taking sensible action. With practice, this can be accomplished in a matter of seconds.

Effective anger management means learning to differentiate what is truly a situation worth getting angry about, and what is just your inner brat over-reacting. It also means learning to express your anger directly and constructively, without losing emotional control. Not only will you be less stressed by your anger, but you will also get better results.

Pauline Wallin, Ph.D. is a psychologist in Camp Hill, PA, and author of "Taming Your Inner Brat: A Guide for Transforming Self-defeating Behavior" (Beyond Words Publishing, 2001)

Visit http://www.innerbrat.com for more information, and subscribe to her free, monthly Inner Brat Newsletter.

The power of a positive attitude is always within your reach. You simply have to extend your hand and grab it.

Now I can give you an example out of my own life. I have been out of work for three weeks now. Today I was offered a job. It is a night shift and it is with a hospice patient. It also does not pay what I want for a wage. But I agreed to do work. Why did I agree because I can't see another alternative right now. Now my mind says I have to do this. My attitude is not so good. Now I applied at this agency and I dressed up and went there all confident that I would be given work. When they did that I was not so pleased. What changed my attitude. So what can I do about it. I can change way I think about this assignment and be grateful I have work now. I can also be grateful it is nights giving me my daytime hours to look for other work or to work on my internet business. If I keep thinking what a good opportunity this is and that I probably will meet more people who can help me find another job then within thirty days my attitude will change. I have a choice how I react to life. I am where I am now because of my thinking and I can change my thinking. No one else thinks for me.