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Sunday Check-In: Why Your Anger Can’t Cook Yams
Happy Sunday, friends.
Welcome back to our weekly Mental Health Check-In. I hope you are finding a moment of stillness today—just like the peace in today's image. Close your eyes for a second, take a deep breath, and let’s center ourselves before the week begins.
Today, I want to share a bit of wisdom that stopped me in my tracks. It’s a proverb from Nigeria (Yoruba/Igbo origins) that says:
"No matter how hot your anger is, it cannot cook yams."
Let that sink in for a minute.
We have all been there. Someone crosses a boundary, a plan falls apart, or life just feels unfair. The heat rises in your chest. You feel ready to explode. That anger feels powerful, right? It feels like energy.
But here is the reality check this proverb offers us: Heat alone doesn’t make a meal.
You can be the angriest person in the room. You can fume, you can vent, and you can radiate heat for hours. But at the end of the day, that raw emotion isn’t going to peel the vegetables, start the fire, or put dinner on the table.
Feelings vs. Function
This quote isn’t saying you aren't allowed to be angry. Your feelings are valid. Anger is a natural signal that something is wrong. But anger is just the alarm—it is not the solution.
When we stay stuck in the "heat" of the emotion, we exhaust ourselves without actually moving forward. We burn up all our energy fuming, and we have nothing left to actually fix the problem.
The Takeaway for This Week
As you move into this new week, you might encounter situations that turn up the heat. When that happens, remember the yams.
Ask yourself:
"Is this emotion helping me solve the problem?"
"Am I just radiating heat, or am I taking action?"
Feel the feeling, acknowledge it, and then let it pass so you can get back to the practical business of living your life. Don't let the heat consume you; use your energy to nourish yourself instead.
Wishing you a peaceful, productive week where you cook plenty of yams—and leave the unnecessary heat behind.
Tell me in the comments: What is one thing you are choosing not to stress about this coming week?
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