4. Get Angry
As adults—especially women who are told they are “bitches” or “shrews” when they get angry—we may often find ourselves bottling up our anger or talking ourselves out of how we really feel. Children, on the other hand, don’t hold back. While their displays of anger can be dramatic (an unforgettable tantrum in the middle of Macy’s, say, or a full-fledged, screaming collapse on the sidewalk), you have to give them credit for allowing themselves to feel what they feel. Ever notice how a child will brighten up mere minutes after a blood-curdling meltdown? Now think about how you had a night’s worth of indigestion after you decided not to address the frustration you were feeling with your partner. Not only does expressing anger allow you to accept your feelings as being perfectly valid, but it gives the object of your irritation the opportunity to resolve things. (Expressing anger appropriately, that is. A kicking-and-screaming tantrum in your boss’s office is not likely to garner you the raise you were looking for, although you may score some mental-health leave.)
