We all get angry sometimes, anger is a normal human emotion, here’s some ways to reset the rage and calm yourself down in 3, 2, 1…
Sometimes, it can be very difficult to keep a cool head. We’ve all lost our temper in the heat of the moment and maybe said or did something we later regretted. Here are 10 top tips to keeping your cool when frustrations and anger are threatening to boil over:
- Breathe. In and out. Take big deep breaths and slow your breathing right d-o-w-n. You can find different breathing exercises here: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/ways-relieve-stress/
- Find a focus. Find something you can touch, hear, smell, taste or see. Focus on an object in the room to calm and streamline your thoughts.
- Make music. Hum a familiar tune in your head or under your breath. The beat or vibrations of the tune will help to ground you. You could also pop your headphones on and blast your favourite music to help you refocus.
- Leave. Take yourself out of the situation and give yourself space to calm down. You’re far less likely to lash out or lose your temper if you remove yourself entirely from the environment.
- Get ‘appy. Read our article How To Wave Bye Bye To Anxiety [INCLUDE LINK] for our top five calm apps. Many apps include a helpful tool to help you slow and focus your breathing.
- Go outdoors. Even a quick walk can do wonders for our mental wellbeing. Soak in the sights and breathe the fresh air to give yourself space to process your frustrations and clear your head.
- Focus on the positives. You might be feeling angry and upset right now, but what about all the good things that are going on in your life? Think of the last thing that made you smile to distract yourself from the negative thoughts in your head.
- Visualise calm. Try to conjure up a picture in your mind that makes you feel calm. A beautiful sunset, a snoozing cat, waves crashing on the shore… whatever works for you. If you struggle to imagine a calming scene, make a folder of calming images on your phone to look at when you’re feeling overwhelmed.
- Count to 10. This seems like an obvious technique but counting or even reciting the alphabet puts your mind to work on something other than focussing on your anger. You could also try remembering the lyrics to a song or lines from your favourite film.
- Close your eyes. Closing your eyes helps to block out everything else and gives you the darkness and a sense of quiet to help you focus on your breathing and thoughts.
BONUS TIP!
Move it! Get moving to shrug off those negative feelings and focus your energy on a more positive activity. You could go for a run, try yoga, dance in your bedroom or do a quick workout.
For more help on managing anger:
