Your anger does not help

There is a lot of anger going around. Not surprising maybe, since there is a lot to be angry about.

But does spreading your anger to others help?

Does the world get better when you take that piece of news that upsets you, add an angry comment with many exclamations marks after it and share it?

Do you improve the world when you talk over lunch with colleagues about all the things that are wrong in the world and how angry it makes you?

If that is all the action you take, the answer is, in my opinion, no.

Anger and frustration can be great fuel, a kick-start to action that makes a difference. (When I say action I mean something else than tapping on an angry emoji in social media...) You can take action everyday. Help someone. Smile at those around you, greet them. Make a positive difference in someone´s life.

The first time I read about what Stephen Covey calls "the circle of influence" I found it a bit too careful.Why focus only on the circle of influence, when so much of what needs to change in the world happens outside of it? That was before I read the second part of his reasoning.

 If you focus on changing what you can within your circle of influence,your circle of influence expands. 

Of course. If you are the person who takes action, who helps others, who gets things done, people will notice. Your influence will increase.

If you are the annoying, whining, always angry person who seems to do nothing but complain, your influence will shrink.

I hope you will focus your efforts and have the courage to change what you can within your circle of influence. Maybe one day we will both have increased our circles of influence so much that together we can actually change the things that make so many so angry and upset today.