When you experience anger, it’s important to manage it in a healthy way. Anger unaddressed can lead to stress, anxiety, and depression. When we don’t let our emotions out in a healthy way, they get bottled up inside and can end up hurting us in the long run. Read on to discover four ways you can manage your anger so that it doesn’t take control of your life.
Talk to Someone You Trust
People in healthy relationships talk about their problems, fears, and concerns. They don’t keep their feelings tucked away inside, but rather find someone they can trust who is willing to listen. If you find yourself feeling angry, take the time to talk about it with a loved one. Whether that person is a family member, friend, or even a therapist, talking about your feelings is the first step towards managing them.
Exercise
Many people don’t want to hear about anger management strategies because they think it’s about controlling your emotions. That’s not the case at all. Anger management is about learning how to channel your emotions in a healthy way so that they don’t negatively impact your daily life. Exercise is a great way to get your emotions out. When you exercise, you are releasing endorphins that help to regulate your emotions. Anger doesn’t have to rule your life. You have the power to control it. Start an exercise routine that you enjoy, so that you are more likely to continue with it. Exercises like yoga, tai chi, or even walking at a brisk pace are great low impact exercises that will help you to calm down when you’re feeling angry. Something as simple as taking a walk in nature has been shown to reduce anger, anxiety, and stress.
Meditate
We often think of meditation as sitting still and focusing on your breath. While this type of meditation is effective, there are many other ways to meditate as well. One way to meditate and manage your anger is to write down all of the things that make you angry. Try to keep your language as neutral as possible. For example, instead of writing “My boss is an idiot,” try to write “My boss’s decision to cancel the project caused me a lot of stress.” This will help you to get your anger out on paper without hurting anyone or anything. Plus, you’ll feel like you’ve accomplished something, even if it’s only written down on paper.
Write Your Feelings Out
Many people find it helpful to write down their feelings. It’s a great way to get your emotions out on paper without harming anyone or anything. It’s also a great way to process your emotions and make sense of them. Writing can help you to figure out what is causing your anger and how you can manage it. When you write out your emotions, you are less likely to act on them in a way that will harm you or others around you.
Discover the Root Cause of Your Anger
Sometimes, anger can be caused by something that is buried deep inside of us. For example, you might be angry at your father for not being there for you when you were a child. But you’re not aware of this, so you aren’t sure what to do about it. Anger is often caused by unresolved issues, so if this is something that you struggle with, it’s important to try to figure out the root cause of your anger. If you can’t figure out what’s causing it, you may want to visit a therapist to help you work through these buried emotions.
Take an online anger management class
Whether you have decided you could benefit from taking an online anger management course, or you have been ordered by the court to take a class, Advent eLearning has the resources you need. Our online anger management classes teach students to understand their unhealthy approach to anger and learn techniques to change their response to frustrating situations. The coursework is appropriate for a number of misdemeanor aggression offenses, family violence and abuse cases, and common sanction applications.
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