Your anger can be a terrible master. It will create a lot of problems in your life if not reigned in.
So with that in mind, GenuLines looks at ways to keep the angry tendencies at bay.
Anger Management 101
Anger is a powerful emotion. Learning how to manage it can be difficult.
Yet, not impossible.
The problem isn’t that you get angry; the problem is in the way you express your anger. While anger is a normal and natural emotion, it can be overwhelming if not dealt with in the right way.
When you allow your anger to take over, it has a negative effect on your life. This is a sign that it’s time to make important changes to how you handle your emotions.
Allowing anger to take over can be very unhealthy. You can hurt yourself or someone you care about.
There are certain steps you have to go through to be able to cope with your anger in a healthy and productive way. We rounded up some of these tried-and-true techniques to help you cope with your anger.
You may have heard of some of them, but don’t knock any of them until you’ve tried each one several times.
Remember, the more you practice, the better you’ll get at controlling your anger. So, the next time you’re in a situation that gets your blood boiling, try these tips.
Deep Breathing
This helps you take the time to think about the situation. It gives you time to calm down rather than immediately lashing out.
Taking a few deep breaths also boosts blood flow to your brain. The more oxygen going to your brain, the more rational your thoughts and behavior will be.
Want to take it a step further? Do a slow count.
You can count up to 10 as you breathe in and out. Or you can count backward from 100.
Take the time to think about what number comes next. This effort will shift your focus and distract you from what’s making you angry.
When you disconnect yourself from the event that’s making you flustered, you’re less likely to act out. Taking some time to moderate your anger is a healthy and smart way to manage your anger.
Acknowledge Your Emotions
Start by accepting your anger. Tell yourself that it’s okay to be angry, but it’s not okay to let it out on others in a destructive way.
Be true to yourself. If you feel there are any negative issues from your past holding you back, find a way to deal with them.
There are several things you can do to move past painful memories, like
Reflecting inward can help you see things from a different vantage point. Seeing things from a different viewpoint gives you clarity.
As a result, you can deal with the situation in a calm, relaxed manner.
Also, take a moment to ask yourself if the person who angered you actually meant to harm you. Or was it unintentional?
Looking at the situation from a 3rd person viewpoint is a terrific coping mechanism. You’ll be able to reach an amicable understanding and be respectful of yourself and others.
Learn Your Flashpoints
We all have certain people or places that make us angry. Thinking about them makes your temper soar.
To avoid seething with anger over someone or something learn your flashpoints. Start by figuring out what makes you angry.
Once you’ve identified your triggers, you’ll be better equipped at handling them. For example, let’s say you always take a certain route to work, but it’s always congested and that makes you angry.
Why not look for a different route and spare yourself the aggravation of wasting time in traffic?
Do Something You Love
Anger is a very intense emotion. To balance it out, you need to take up a hobby or activity you enjoy.
Creative activities like drawing, painting, or playing a musical instrument. These can benefit your mental health.
In fact, the more time you spend on creative pastimes, the less angry and stressed you’ll feel.
Other hobbies include physical activities like hiking, kickboxing, and cycling. Even taking a 10-minute stroll in the park can uplift your mental wellbeing.
These activities can help release pent-up negative energy in a healthy and safe way. Not only that, but exercise also stimulates your brain to release more feel-good hormones.
So, you don’t only get better at controlling your anger, you also feel happier and more resilient.
When it comes to decluttering your home, you might decide to put everything you throw
out on eBay. But decluttering your mind is a little trickier.
Here are a few ways to declutter your mind.
#1: Declutter your space
This one is pretty obvious. With fewer things in your field of vision, you have less garbage to stew over and worry about.
This frees up space in your mind.
#2: Declutter your schedule
Another thing that can drive you crazy is the constant rush from one activity to another. Take a look at your schedule and start eliminating things that aren’t necessary.
With fewer ingredients in your stressful stew, you’ll make your day a little calmer.
#3: Unplug from the party
Would you be able to get any rest if you were attending a party of several thousand people? I’m talking, like Times Square on New Year’s Eve.
That’s pretty much what’s going on with your smartphone, tapped in as you no doubt are to social media networks. The pings, dings, and rings from your contacts are all adding small but unhealthy doses of stress to your day.
#4: Practice mindfulness
Mindfulness is all about engaging with the present in a fully, alive way. There are lots of ways to practice mindfulness.
One is meditation. Another could be fixing your stare at an object (like a candle) and noticing your thoughts.
Mindfulness can contribute to increased concentration and a decluttered mind.
#5: Let go
Sometimes it’s best to let old memories die. These can range from broken relationships to diabolical bosses.
We tend to have a whole lot of backstory spinning in the recesses of our minds. Let it all go, and like a faster-operating computer, you’ll find your mind in a much more free and easy state.
Is it possible to be a conscientious citizen of the world and save more money? Our next scheduled Chi For Yourselfguest says yes you can.
Jonathan K DeYoe is a Buddhist and a financial planner. He’ll talk about a unique financial plan that’s guided by your deepest beliefs, and how to save, invest, pay off debt, and fund your retirement and dreams by building a lifetime income stream.
Jonathan K. DeYoe
Jonathan K. DeYoe is the author of Mindful Money: Simple Practices for Reaching Your Financial Goals and Increasing Your Happiness Dividend.
Join us on Thursday, April 25th at 4 pm Eastern, 1 pm Pacific time at chiforyourself.com
Maybe you’re about to tackle your yearly cleaning tasks and the moving out of unnecessary stuff from your space- and maybe you could use a little emotional un-cluttering, too! Today on CHI FOR YOURSELF we welcome back Donald Altman. We’ll be talking about tidying-up our cluttered emotional spaces, the psychological versions of the jam-packed closet or impenetrable garage. Donald Altman is the author of Clearing Emotional Clutter: Mindfulness Practices for Letting Go of What’s Blocking Your Fulfillment and Transformation.
Donald Altman
We get underway at 4pm Eastern, 1pm Pacific time atchiforyourself.com..’talk to you then..