Anger is a common emotion experienced by all human beings. When we get angry, our blood pressure starts to rise, our hearts beat faster, and sometimes we feel the rush of blood in our head. Although it is a perfectly normal human reaction, anger could get out of hand if we don’t know how to control it. Should this happen, it would trigger a series of things that we may regret in the end. The list is endless, from saying unpleasant words to displaying untoward physical actions that may hurt or harm others. Some people easily get angry or find it hard to recover from their state of anger altogether. If you are one of either, or you only want to control your tendency to get angry, then this article is right for you. Here are ten ways that you could do:
Your mind should be faster than your mouth
Before you speak, think about what you’ll say and how your angry words could affect the receiver. Words spoken are hard, if not impossible to take back, even if you can always say sorry in the end. Words can make or break people, so be cautious about expressing in words while angry.
Calm down first before saying anything
One way to relax is by taking deep breaths and controlling the urge to say something unpleasant. It may be hard for some people to stop themselves from blurting hurtful words (unless they want to do this deliberately to antagonize a person). However, with practice, you can learn to keep calm before reacting to an anger-triggering situation. You can also repeat yourself words to pacify you such as, “Be cool,” Keep calm,” or “Don’t get mad.”
Channel your energy through physical activity
You can look for another outlet to blow off your steam like an exercise. Go for a physical activity that is worthwhile like jogging. You would be surprised at how quickly your negative energy will dissipate, and how a clearer mind will prevail.
Take a breather
If you don’t feel like exercising, then you can leave the situation that’s making you angry and take a break. Go out for a walk, listen to some music, get a cup of coffee, or do something to take your mind off the trigger. In this way, you can calm your nerves and think straight before going back to the situation that made you angry.
Focus on solutions
Once you have calmed down, be objective in the way you assess the situation and identify what made you angry. Afterward, determine how you can resolve the issue and focus on arriving at a solution. It is a waste of your energy if you would dwell on your anger, no matter how justifiable your reaction is. You can no longer take back what has been done, but you have the power to do something positive to remedy the situation.
When communicating with another person about your anger, always assume responsibility for everything that you’re saying by using “I” and not “you.” By taking this approach, you accept responsibility for your angry behavior by not blaming others for your words or actions.
Don’t harbor ill feelings
Holding a grudge clouds your judgment and makes you stay stuck in a negative state of mind. Learn to forgive and reconcile with people who hurt you so that you can move on and grow in your relationships. Remember that you cannot make people see things that way you do. Neither can you get them to think according to your way of thinking. Accept the fact that unfavorable situations have occurred, and that you need to allow yourself to let go of your ill feelings.
It pays to lighten up
Without being sarcastic, try to see the humor in any given situation. While there is a time to be serious and a time to be casual, it pays to resort to humor to help release tension. By trying to lighten up, you can face the reason for your anger in a calm manner and perhaps better realize how unreasonable your expectations are.
Learn to practice relaxation techniques
Besides taking deep breaths, you can practice other things to relax such as meditation and yoga. Some people go for a nice long massage to soothe their nerves or sink in a warm bath in the comforts of home. Whatever your pleasure is, utilize ways to relax your mind, body, and feelings to enable the anger to fade away.
Ask for help when all else fails
When you still find it difficult to control your temper despite trying to practice our helpful tips, then it is time to ask for help. Warning bells should sound off when you find yourself doing things to hurt yourself or other people out of anger. Counseling and therapy done by psychologists or other anger management experts would help you deal with your situation more effectively.
We should control our emotions instead of letting them control us. Anger is one emotion that can be managed to help us lead a happier life.