Explosive anger, rage, red, feeling out of control, spiraling; all of these things have two things in common.
One, they all lead to regrettable decisions, and two these are all things that can be reduced with something very affordable and easy-to-do.
What is that affordable and easy to do activity: journal prompts for anger.
Some of you may wonder, “How in the world do journal prompts actually help someone with an anger problem?”.
Well, I’m going to briefly tell you (scroll down for the longer answer).
Journaling prompts for anger can:
- Help give you a sense of control
- Redirect your feelings
- See your thought process leading up to anger
- Slow you down which will naturally help you calm down
If this is something you’re interested in, then follow along with the best journal prompts for anger!
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How Can Journal Prompts For Anger Help
Journaling in itself has many amazing benefits such as
- Reducing brain fog
- Improving your body
- Helping to cope with emotions and feelings
However, not only does journaling by itself help you out physically and mentally, but using specific prompts, such as anger journal prompts, can also be very beneficial.
This is because it narrows down the intention behind journaling and helps you stay focused on the areas you’re wanting to improve.
1. Helps You Slow Down So You Can Calm Down
When you’re in the heat of the moment and you’re really upset it can feel like one big tsunami of emotion(s).
Everything feels like it’s racing and with each second that goes by you’re losing more and more control.
Using journal prompts for anger can stop that.
It can help you slow down and really think about what you’re feeling right now because let’s be honest here: sometimes you can be angry about one thing and in reality, you’re really angry about something else.
It happens to all of us.
Journaling can help with that, though, because you’re now sitting and thinking about how you want to respond to the question, you are actually slowing down.
This can then lead you to calm down a bit more.
We all could use a chill pill from time to time. Journaling can be your chill pill.
2. Reduces Stress
Another amazing benefit to using journal prompts for anger is that it can help reduce stress.
Remember when I said that journaling can help improve you physically and mentally? Well, a part of that is because journaling and using journal prompts can help reduce stress.
Getting your thoughts out of your head and on paper can help decrease those swirling thoughts and move away from those negative feedback loops.
Journaling can also help you better process and regulate your emotions/feelings in a healthy way.
Sounds crazy but you won’t know what I mean until you try it for yourself (and actually give it a fair shot, don’t just try it one time and be like “It doesn’t work” because that’s not giving it a fair opportunity).
Learn More: 95 Powerful Self Healing Journal Prompts (Game-Changing)
3. Gives You An Outlet
Using journal prompts for anger can also provide you with an outlet to process your emotions.
Sometimes when we’re angry it can be easy to take that anger out on the people we feel the most safe with or objects that have nothing to do with why we’re angry.
As some of you may know, this can cause a tremendous amount of issues down the line and a whole lot of guilt. Journaling can help you avoid all of this.
While you’re in the heat of the moment you want to feel heard, understood, and validated, and the most sure-fire way to feel this way is by actually journaling.
It seems a bit backward because you’re not actually talking to someone, but using your journal can really help you get those thoughts and feelings out without being judged for them.
Which can then in turn help you process them better in the long run. That’s a win-win if you ask me.
4. Offers A Different Way Of Looking At/Approaching Things
Journaling prompts for anger can also give you another way of looking at things. It’s all about the questions that you’re asking yourself. For example, if you ask yourself
- “Why does this keep happening to me”
- “Why are they so dumb?”
- “What’s wrong with me?”
How would you feel? Really, how would you feel?
In comparison to, if you asked yourself:
- “What are my choices right now?”
- “What assumptions am I making right now?”
- “What are the facts?”
- “What can I take away from this”
How would you feel?
Now imagine if you had a bunch of questions right at your fingertips to help you feel that way more often. Welcome to using journal prompts.
If you enjoyed the breakdown of those questions I highly highly recommend this book. It is an absolute game-changer!
5. Helps You Figure Out Your Triggers
Another way that journal prompts for anger can be extremely helpful is because they can help you identify what is triggering you.
Once you’ve done a few prompts you will start to get a better idea of what truly bothers you, and once you can identify that you can then figure out how to reduce that in your life.
This is one of those benefits that kind of comes later because it’s easier to figure out what is triggering you once you’ve come across it a few times.
6. Promotes Personal Growth
The last but not least reason why anger journal prompts can help you is because it promotes a better way of coping with your stress and emotions which then promotes personal growth.
You don’t have to be journaling for a long time to see this growth either.
Sometimes all it takes is that one good journaling session for you to then go on and view things with a different lens and approach things differently next time.
Journaling for me personally has helped me deal with intolerable or uncooperative people.
In the past, I used to allow them to get me really upset and raise my blood pressure, but after I started journaling consistently I started viewing them differently.
I made fewer assumptions about the person (they’re dumb, annoying, etc) and gave them more of the benefit of the doubt (maybe they’re having a bad day, maybe someone treats them badly at home, etc).
And if that didn’t work then I just became more comfortable with disengaging and protecting my peace overall in comparison to the past when I would just keep going back and forth with someone.
Journaling has that type of power to really transform your mind and your habits.
Journal Prompts For Anger
- What is the root cause of your anger in this current moment (if applicable)?
- What is something in the past that you’ve tried that has helped calm you down?
- What does being angry typically look like for you (yelling, screaming, shutting down, etc)? In what way does this help or hinder you in life?
- How long do you normally hold onto anger?
- What are 2 new ways that you could express your anger in a healthy way?
- How would your loved ones describe you when you’re angry?
- What is one small thing you can do today to move in the right direction with your anger?
- Do you tend to hold onto anger or do you tend to immediately let it out? Where do you think this stems from?
- What does letting go of anger look like to you?
- What is something (non-destructive) that makes you feel better when you’re mad?
- One goal I have this year for my anger is _________.
- Who is someone you can freely talk to without judgment?
- Describe a recent time when you expressed your anger. In hindsight, what is one thing you can do better for the next time?
- If applicable, who is someone who moves you to anger a lot? If you could say anything to them right now, what would you say? Write it out in detail.
- One way that my anger holds me back is __________. List as many as you can think of.
- How often do you find yourself being angry with yourself?
- In what ways can you use your anger to help others?
- What instantly raises the feeling of anger in you?
- What is the typical outcome of you being angry? Describe in detail.
- Are there any repetitive thoughts related to your anger? If so, what are they and what is one way you can combat this?
- In what ways does your anger protect you?
- How does the anger of others affect you? Does it tend to rub off on you?
- Is there a past event that contributes to your anger? What is one thing you can do today to come to terms with this past event?
Anger Management Journal Prompts
- How would the future version of you express his/her anger?
- What is something you’ve learned in the last year about your anger?
- What is one anger management technique that you’re willing to try?
- What is one anger management technique that has worked for you?
- What does managing your anger look like to you?
- How long do you typically stay mad? Do you find this to be healthy?
- What are 3 positive affirmations that you can use to calm yourself down?
- What is the difference between an unhealthy vs a healthy expression of anger? Make a T-chart to determine the difference.
- One thing I want to remind myself when I’m angry is ________.
- What is one thing that you can take accountability for that can help you move forward with your anger?
- In the next 5 years, how would you like to be handling your anger?
- One thing I’ve noticed about my anger so far is __________.
- What is one small step you can take today to reach your goals with your anger?
- What is one thing you’re grateful for that you’ve learned with your anger?
- Is there anything you need to forgive yourself for? If so, what is it and what is one small thing you can do to move forward?
- When you are angry, how do you typically communicate?
- How do you feel like your anger is affecting those around you?
- If applicable, where do you feel your pent-up anger is stemming from?
- Are there any needs that are going unmet that are contributing to your anger? If so, what are they?
- When you are angry, what other emotions typically follow? Sadness, hurt, anxiousness, embarrassment, etc?
- How often do you find yourself being angry? How does this affect other areas of your life? Describe in detail.
- What is one thing you can do to honor the emotion of anger? (eg validate your own feelings, go for a walk/run, take deep breaths, etc)
- Does your anger remind you of how someone else handles anger in your life (a parent, grandparent, or sibling)? What is one thing you can do today to break this pattern?
- What is one small achievement you’ve made with your anger, so far?
Read More: 75 Journal Prompts For Loneliness To Instantly Feel Better
Resources For Anger Management
While journal prompts for anger can be very beneficial, there are still other resources that can also be extremely helpful.
One of the biggest resources that can really help reduce your anger is online therapy.
Sometimes the idea of going to therapy can be daunting and overwhelming, trust me I get it.
That’s why online therapy can be so great because you can do it in the comfort of your own home, at whatever time best suits you, and still reap the same benefits of in-person therapy.
With this specific online therapy, you can get live sessions, worksheets, a counselor, and interactive sessions, and the best part is that you can get 20% off your first month by signing up here using the code THERAPY20.
Don’t be afraid to get extra help if you need it.
Conclusion On Journal Prompts For Anger
Being easily angered is not something that has to control you forever.
Using journal prompts for anger is an amazing way to give you a better sense of being in control and help calm down those racing feelings.
You don’t have to use these every single day for them to work either; I personally only journaled a couple of times a week in the beginning and that in itself has shown significant improvement.
If you feel like you need a bit more assistance, then there’s nothing wrong with that too.
Don’t be afraid to reach out for help because there’s nothing wrong with needing help. We all do.
So with that being said, thank you for reading, and thank you for showing up for yourself. Comment down below which journal prompt was your favorite.
Peace
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