Thinking and feeling are a part of being human, but in our imperfections, we often lose control of our own emotions and thoughts. Anger can be good if it is for a correct cause, being angry isn’t necessarily a bad thing if you tame it, and are mature about it. For example, if you see another adult yelling at your child it is reasonable, understandable, and correct to feel angry. What’s not correct is proceeding to fight the person or do anything out of color. The best thing to do is stay calm, have a conversation, and express your frustration/emotions politely, calmly, educated, and maturely.
First of all, when we let our emotions drive us, we crash, so THINKING FIRST is the best thing to do. I have been angry too before, so I understand just how hard it can be to think in the moment, but please THINK then act. Ask yourself, why has this happened?, How can I find a solution? etc. Take into consideration the other person’s feelings as well, I understand that when someone has hurt you whether it be physically or emotionally are immediate instinct is to hurt them back, but what caused them to react that way? They may have had a bad day or have gone through a lot in their life now that is no excuse to treat someone with disrespect, but when we are hurt we subconsciously hurt others out of our own pain and disappointments. So, try to look at the humanity in other people and this will aid you in letting go along with forgiving.
Retreating and exercising, believe it or not, works wonders! When we are angry we do need to step back and retreat from the chaos to calm down. Time alone allows us to gather our thoughts, think about our actions, and feelings, etc. which is a good thing for a bit. Afterward, it is wise to release our emotions to our loved ones and talk to them about how we feel. Personally, after I’m done talking to my friends I feel 100 times better. Exercise is a great release as well; it releases feel-good chemicals into our brain like dopamine and serotonin that make us feel great as well as accomplished afterward. Sports like boxing and wrestling are great outlets as well.
Entertainment is one of the best healers. Sometimes when I feel angry about something, and I’ve already done all of what I’ve mentioned above, I watch funny videos, watch a movie, or listen to calming or uplifting music it instantly takes my mind off of things and changes my mood. After you’re done venting/talking to your loved ones, you can also try spending time with them afterward. This really helps in taking your mind off things and it brings you joy. I’ve had moments where after I’ve released my emotions to my friends. I decided to go catch a movie with them, go out to eat, or visit a place I’d never been before. This made me forget everything from yesterday to what I was even angry about, and it made me realize that life was too short to feel anything but happy!
