You know what anger feels like: Your heart is pounding, mind racing, blood pressure is rising and if you’re not careful, you’ve raised your voice and now you’re saying things you might regret later. Anger is powerful. Used in the right way it can spur you take action. But let it get the better of you, and your health and wellbeing suffers. Rather than let anger take the reins, here are ways to tame it in a minute:
Breathe Deeply. You’ve heard it before but there’s a scientific reason why it works. When you breathe deeply, the vagus nerve in the brain conveys the message to your body to relax. The most effective method is to take a deep breath in, count to ten, then release out. Repeat five to ten times.
Give Yourself A Time Out. High tail it out of the situation. If possible, go for a walk in the fresh air. Both exercise and fresh air will make you feel better. But if you can’t do that, just going into another room and closing the door will help you calm down.
Look At The Big Picture. Simply ask yourself this question: “How does this issue rank on my scale of top ten priorities?” There’s a big chance just putting the argument in perspective will ease your anger.
Think About Your Goal. Consider what you really want to accomplish by having the discussion that made you so angry. Anger will usually put your goal further out of reach rather than bringing it closer to you.
Write It Down. Write about what has happened and how you feel about it. After you write it down, shred it and throw it away. It's symbolic of getting rid of those toxic feelings.
