Sometimes, for whatever reason we wake up feeling angry at the world, without any particular reason. And these moods can make us snap at the people we love, act out in ways we regret later, and completely change the theme of an entire period of our life, if we let it get out of hand.
However, there is a way to smooth things over, and even sooth ourselves down to a point in which we are tolerable, and thus making our day more tolerable as well.
Take a moment to breathe mindfully.
We all breathe, all day every day, every second in the day, and every second of our life, but most of us don’t even pay attention to how we breathe. Take a moment to breathe in to the count of five, and then out. Focus on nothing but your breath, and do this for five minutes.
Splash cool water on your face.
Little sensations, like feeling something refreshing, or even touching something soft is used in various forms of therapy that are designed to help with bouts of anger that are uncontrollable. And they seem to work, as these therapies are quite popular.
Realize what made you angry to begin with, or the reasons.
While you may not consciously realize it, there is a reason why you are angry. When you are able to decipher what is making you angry, you need to ask yourself ‘if you are correctly perceiving the situation. Chances are that the filter in your lens may be inadvertently making you angrier than it needs to be,” According to Data K. McGinn, the Co-founder of Cognitive Behavioral Consultants.
Understand the root of the behaviors of others.
We often assume that people act rude, or upset towards us because they are on the offense. However, oftentimes it is because there is something bothering them.
Try replacing negative thoughts with positive ones.
It may sound easier said than done, but it is possible. For example, you may think, ‘Will this day ever end?’ Replace that with, ‘Soon I will be home, and I can relax.’
Release it.
Go for a run, and listen to angry music. Punch a pillow. Scream into the seat cushion in your car on your lunch break. Sometimes, letting a little of it out is all we need to calm yourself.
Listen to music that makes you happy.
It doesn’t take a scientific explanation for me to tell you that different forms of music have a different effect our moods, and how we react to our day. So, if you are angry, try to listen to calm music.
Force your body to relax.
Through simple, but calming yoga stretches (think the simple ones, like the child’s pose) you can calm your mind and center yourself.
Go get some fresh air.
Take a walk around the park, and breathe in. The fresh air and scenery will put your mind in a different place, thus helping to relieve the negative feelings you have.
Treat yoself.
Seriously, even if it’s just something cheap like a $1 cone at McDonalds, treat yourself to something you enjoy. It can bring your day back into a positive flow.
Use affirmations.
Affirmations have actually been proven to help you to master control over a myriad of issues. Sports stars even use them to help them win the game!
Color something.
Take your mind off your anger, pull out a coloring book and start coloring. I mean, who can be mad with a crayola in their hand?
Just feel the anger.
I know it sounds crazy, but mindfulness masters swear by it. Sometimes, we just NEED to feel the things going through our mind, even the negative feelings.
Write it down.
Sometimes, writing down our feelings can make all the difference in the world. So, instead of letting the feelings rumble around in your mind, write it out. By doing this you will get perspective on the situation.