Do you find yourself struggling to manage your anger? Does it seem like your default emotion? Do you want to change how you perceive your anger and understand it better?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you’re in the right place.
A common misconception about anger is that it’s a negative emotion when in reality, all emotions are equally important, necessary, and normal. Anger is your body’s way of telling you there’s something deeper going on, and without it, you may not be able to identify the issue you’re facing.
Even though anger is a necessary emotion, it’s still crucial to learn how to handle it to further your personal growth. Otherwise, it could negatively affect your relationships, career, self-esteem, and more.
Let’s take a look at a few ways you can try to manage your anger while in the moment.
Learn Your Triggers
When you think about the recurring things that upset you, you might think it’s external factors that cause a reaction. You might replay frustrating situations in your head and overthink about the rude thing someone said to you or how you felt dismissed. But in reality, anger is less about external factors and more about how you interpret them.
That’s why it’s important to identify your triggers and what causes them. Everyone interprets situations differently which is completely normal. But identifying these patterns will help you quit repeating the same mistakes and find a solution instead.
There are many common situations that can trigger your anger:
- Challenged beliefs
- Disapproval and criticism
- Helplessness
- Rejection
- Criticism
- Insecurity
- Lack of independence
Learning what triggers your anger is a game-changer to changing the pattern and building a healthier one. Once you know why you feel it, it’s easier to understand and manage. Many triggers form from childhood based on the relationship you have with your parents and how they taught you to deal with your emotions.
Take a Deep Breath
A quick way to dissolve your anger is to focus on your breathing. This is known as mindful meditation in which you use breathing techniques to calm down and feel your anger without letting it control you.
Meditation is all about staying in the present moment no matter how much your thoughts and feelings wander. The trick is to bring your attention back to the present moment every time you catch yourself thinking about other things. It’s easier to appreciate right now for what it is while you’re living it.
Remember that anger is healthy and you’re not crazy or irrational for feeling what you feel. It’s important to remind yourself that your feelings are valid, no matter what they are. And if someone tries to make you feel undermined or silly for how you feel, then they probably don’t deserve to be in your life.
Find an Outlet
It’s important to have an outlet you can use to filter your anger through so you don’t take your feelings out on others. Creative outlets are essential for a healthy balance and mindset. They’re crucial to your well-being because they give you space to release your anger and turn it into something positive.
Your creative outlet could be writing in a journal, painting, blogging, drawing, cooking, photography, yoga, or anything else that makes you feel good. Whatever it is, it’s supposed to help you work through your emotions and understand them from a different perspective.
To build successful relationships, you need to make a conscious effort to express your anger in healthy ways. Otherwise, you’re likely to take your feelings out on a loved one when you don’t mean to.
Your Turn
If you struggle to control your anger, these are simple steps you can take to overcome it. You might have trouble finishing tasks, maintaining healthy relationships, or simply feeling mentally and emotionally well if you don’t learn to control your anger. Make sure you do what you can to manage your emotions and increase your emotional intelligence.