4 Exercises That Will Help You Manage Your Emotions
Emotions are an extremely important part of life. They help us to connect with others, anticipate events and provide a sense of well-being. When our emotions are controlled and managed, they can bring great benefits. However, if we don’t learn how to manage them, emotions can become destructive. This is why it is so important to understand what triggers your emotions and neutralize them before they take over your thinking process. To manage your emotions and prevent destructive outbursts in the future, it is essential to practice new daily routines that will slowly train you in accepting different situations without going into overdrive or shutting down completely. Here are 4 easy exercises that will help you manage your emotions more effectively:
Be active every day
It is essential to be active every day. This includes going for walks, exercising, or even just getting enough sleep. Exercises like these help improve the way your body reacts to stressful situations and positively affect the way you think and feel.
Related: How To Process Your Emotions in Healthy, Productive Ways
Breathe before you speak
Breathing is a vital skill that we all need to master. By taking deep deliberate breaths, it gives you the ability to control your emotions and think more clearly. If you find yourself getting angry in the morning, take a few minutes to gather your thoughts before you open your mouth. It will give you time to analyze what triggered your anger and how it may have been avoidable. With practice, breathing can help ease tension and allow for better decision-making. If you are angry when meeting with a client or supervisor, take five minutes out of your day to breathe deeply before speaking again. This will give you time to regain control of your thoughts and emotions before responding to any potential question or scenario.
Related: How Can Meditation Help Relieve Depression and Anxiety?
Be aware of your surroundings
It is important to know what triggers your emotions and find ways to prevent them from taking over. The first step is to be aware of your surroundings. For example, when you find yourself in a situation that makes you angry, ask yourself what the situation is about before you act out. Is it a certain person? Is it the place or time? Are there any other factors involved? If you can identify the triggers and have an idea as to how to avoid them, you will be able to prevent your anger from ruining other people’s lives.
Practice self-compassion
A key component to learning to manage your emotions is self-compassion. By practicing self-compassion, you are embracing yourself and offering love and kindness unconditionally. This exercise can be helpful when you feel less than stellar about a situation. To practice self-compassion, try this: 1) Think about something that makes you happy or brings happiness to you in general. 2) Now think about all of the things that are not so great about the situation and how they make you feel. 3) Finally, think of something else that makes you happy or brings happiness to you in general (i.e., a time spent with family members). 4) For the next day, practice being more compassionate towards yourself by repeating step one for at least 10 minutes before going to bed each night.
Related: Why Self Care Isn't Selfish
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