011: The creative power of anger

Today I'm sharing how to harness the creative power of anger in the hope that it’ll be a strategy you can lean on when you’re feeling stuck for ideas.

Episode transcript:

Hello, Daily Peppers. So I have a book I got for Christmas one year, and every time I even think about it, I get so pissed off. Even just thinking about it now is riling me up. It is about femininity, and while I think it was bought for me with good intentions, the content? Well, I'd think it was regressive even if it was written in the 1950s, which it definitely wasn't. Now, when I don't know what to write about, I can flick to any page of that book, literally any sentence, and it'll just fire me up. The truth is, some of my best work is the work I do when something's pissed me off. My work often takes the form of writing, and when I'm angry, it's like the steam that should be coming out of my ears magically transforms into my hands flying across the keyboard. It's got to the point that when I'm stuck with an idea, I know I can find something to write about in the things that make me angry.

Here is the process that I found helpful, and I'm sharing it today in the hope that it'll be a strategy you can lean on when you're feeling stuck, ride, ease, or simply if you're intrigued about harnessing the power of anger. So Step one Make a note of all the things that make you angry. They can vary from world injustices to pet peeves. Get them all down and make a mind map if it's easier. Step 2 See if you can spot the patterns. See if there's any particular themes that emerge. And this can also be a great exercise for finding your values simply by flipping the things that piss you off upside down. Step 3 Create a list or find places where you can regularly feed your flame.

This might include finding or even remembering the people who stand for those things. Find your source material, like the book I was telling you about the start of the episode, and keep it close to hand and use it. Try it out for you. See if it works. I would be intrigued to know what comes up for you and what ends up being your equivalent of the book that I got for Christmas. You might be wondering why I intentionally look for things that anger me. As I'm sitting here, I can imagine you wondering if I'm actually just this angry person. Or you might be wondering why in a world that frequently feels like it's gone at the shitter, you'd intentionally make yourself pissed off.

I think it's partly because anger can show us so much about ourselves. Women's anger is a huge taboo. As women, our anger is never encouraged, only suppressed. But it needs to be reclaimed because it's in the act of getting angry, you find out what you value. You stand taller in your convictions, fight harder for what you believe in, and it reminds you why you do what you do in the first place. Or if you're searching for your why, it helps you find it. Anger gets right to the point and tears away the layers of bullshit. Taking action on the things that make you angry can sometimes work to make you even more determined to change things and make the world a brighter place.

While I've yet to read the book Rage Becomes Her by Soraya Chemaly, I found this quote from it that I the importance and visibility of women's collective anger can't be overstated. So dare to take a stand, dare to stand in your convictions and dare to get angry and create from that place. You might just find it's the most meaningful and purposeful work you've ever done. Have a wonderful day Daily Peppers, here's to harnessing our anger. And remember, everything changes when you believe you matter.

Episode transcript automatically produced by Castmagic.io

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A short, snappy and sassy daily podcast to keep your internal - and external - dreamshitters at bay!

The Daily Pep! is the rebel-rousing, daily podcast for couragemakers, creative, multi-passionate and unconventional women. If you’re surrounded by people who don’t get who you are or what you do, if you want reminders you’re on the right path (no matter how scary it feels), or you’re sick of being your very own dreamshitter, this is the podcast for you.

Every weekday, your host - writer, coach and professional rebel-rouser - Meg Kissack helps you build a creative and wholehearted life, one day at a time. Through short and snappy insights, reminders and stories, The Daily Pep! is here to remind you you’re not alone, and that everything changes when you believe you matter. Each episode is short and snappy, designed to fit in with (or help you start) your habits and routines

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