Get Over It: Five Steps to Quickly Dissipate Anger
Tuesday, October 20, 2009 at 04:19PM My son lost an entire school uniform today --- shirt and pants! I was pissed. Of course, I saw it coming and had lectured him to slow down to put his clothes in his backpack during P.E. instead of laying them on top and leaving them out in the open. This careless misuse of my money is not OK. I was furious! But at the moment, I needed to calm down so we could get through homework without drama. After letting him know how I felt about his cavalier attitude and what it will cost him (because I can't be the only one paying for this error), I excused myself from his presence to calm down. It needed to happen immediately, so I executed my five steps to quickly dissipate anger. The best thing about this process is that it does not require a confrontation with the other person.
- Take three deep breaths and give some thought to the true gravity of the issue. Most of the time, anger is an inappropriate emotion. It's usually the result of mounting minor irritations that have been left unattended for too long. But when you really think about the seriousness of most situations, it ain't that deep.
- Use knee-jerk aromatherapy. Inhale calming essential oils like lavender or chamomile. I don't even bother burning it or putting it on a cloth or cotton ball when I'm really angry; I just inhale it straight from the bottle.
- Take a brisk walk. When I'm home and too tired to walk around the block, I pace around the yard. This releases endorphins that lighten and lift your mood. It doesn't take long - three to five minutes is enough.
- Play and/or sing your favorite song. Click here to read my article about the many benefits of singing.
- Clap your hands to the beat with an intent to be happy and joyous. Hand clapping loosens negative energy in the space around you when done with intention.
The next time you find yourself ready to explode in anger and want to get over it quickly, use these five steps. The entire process will take less than 15 minutes and your head and spirit will be clear and ready to move forward.
Reader Comments (2)
An 'aha' moment, just in time. Your five (5) points are so well received and will be excercised the next time 'anger' looks me in the face...:-)
Thank you!
JuicedBeauty from the Inside Out...
Quick. Simple. Effective. Non-confrontational. From anger to healing. Love it!