Anger is a funny thing.

It quietly lingers and grows within. It preys upon the conscience. It weighs heavily on our emotional state, at times nearly crippling our very identity. Sound familiar?

Anger can be all-encompassing, overpowering all logic and control. So learn to harness it. Address it in a healthy way.

After all, anger is the temporary dam between stagnancy and freedom. Read that again. On just the other side awaits resolution and reunion with your free-flowing, fun spirit.

If you’re in a state of lingering anger, no worries. You’re still you. And you’ve finally achieved anger. It’s now time to do something about it—something healthy that will lead to pure goodness. Anger can teach how to love yourself better—and in process, those around you too.

So I say it’s better than okay to be angry. It’s healthy. My belief is God gave us emotions to serve as our indicator, our internal compass to direct us through life. Something’s too hot? That’s too cold? The surroundings just feel wrong? Listen to your emotions. The almighty ‘He’ might be speaking to you.

So why do bad things happen when people are angry? Because anger makes us fumble on the goal line. Get a grip. Force yourself. While anger is healthy, cruelty as a result is never okay. Ever.

Instead, step away. Think deeply. Analyze. Pick and poke on the heavy weight of anger within until you find its true root cause. Not a quick process if done correctly, but the exploration can—and will—better your circumstance and your life.

Anger can be our best friend.

It’s how we realize there’s a problem. The issue may be within you. It may be unresolved conflict. Analyze honestly. Invest in yourself; it costs nothing, just a little time.

Acknowledge this process may necessitate saying good-bye to former aspirations and it may mean turning from those in your life who are not nurturing for your spirit. You must take care of you.

From a young age it seems we’re taught anger is bad. But friends, anger is good. It’s the effects of anger that can be good or bad. Never allow yourself the wickedness of cruelty. Instead, harness the anger. Focus on it. Analyze it with sincerity. Then take intelligent, logical action to change—be it change within yourself, your surroundings or with commitments and actions.

Consider anger an opportunity. It forces acknowledging a need for resolution. Do it for you. Improve your journey. Then rediscover the happy spark within.