Making Anger Work for You Everyone has felt angry at one time or another. Maybe you felt angry when a 1 at school teased you, when a boss treated you unfairly, or when a family member said something mean. If you are like most people, your anger may have 2 you to get back at those who made you feel bad. Maybe you wanted to shout at them or even hit them. But this is not a good way to 3 the need to let people know how you feel. Anger is powerful and can be helpful. However, it must be used in a healthy way. If someone makes you angry, you shouldn't yell and accuse the person of hurting you, nor should you give the person the silent treatment. Instead, tell the person exactly what it is that upsets you. Once you do that, you and the person can work together to change things so you both feel better. Here is a real-life example showing how people used their anger in a good way to make their lives better. People living in a city neighborhood were angry. Why? For over a year, they had been promised that a 4 building on the street would be torn down. However, the building was still there and had become home to drug dealers. Instead of sitting around, complaining, and doing nothing but getting even angrier, a group from the neighborhood went to see their mayor. They explained to the mayor how upset they were and how they feared for their children's safety. The mayor listened. And guess what happened! The building was torn down. The neighbors had made good use of their anger and put it to work in the best way possible. So the next time someone makes you angry, don't strike out against or stop talking to the person. Instead, stay calm and explain why you are angry. You may be surprised by how well things turn out.