Fred Rogers, best known as Mister Rogers, once wrote:

“The values we care about the deepest, and the movements within society that support those values, command our love. When those things that we care about so deeply become endangered, we become enraged. And what a healthy thing that is! Without it, we would never stand up and speak out for what we believe.”

It is very difficult to imagine Mister Rogers “enraged.” But in reality, he was angry and furious. Yet, he was able to channel these powerful “negative” emotions into a force for change to create a better world. He was able to transform that rage into love, care, and the greater good.

In a similar way, leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi transformed their anger through moral clarity and purpose. They alchemized rage into nonviolent resistance, using it to confront injustice and ignite social and personal change.

Anger protects us, which reminds me of the Hero. The “Hero” literally means the “protector.” The Hero protects our values that command our love and push us to stand for justice and goodness. In my book, I refer to this archetype as the Compassionate Warrior, a union of two essential elements needed to transform anger into love.

First, the Warrior, who stands for justice, protection, and courage. This represents the “why.” The values that are worth preserving. Then comes Compassion, which embodies empathy, respect, and the desire to........

© Psychology Today