Our emotions are what drive us and keep us going. But when we’re controlled by our emotions, it can cause more harm than good.
The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically affected our emotions as a whole. We’ve seen an increase in anxiety, depression, and anger.
But how do we control our emotions so we don’t end up doing or saying things we’ll regret?
Keep calm and read on for 5 practical strategies to help you control your emotions and keep your cool no matter what.
1. Slow Down To Reduce Emotional Overwhelm
Slowing down to reduce overwhelm is a great strategy to help you keep calm and control your emotions. Take a few deep breaths. It can help to take deep breaths and focus on your breathing to center and calm your mind.
Practice self-care. Self-care activities can be anything from going for a walk with your favorite music, watching a movie, or taking a hot bath.
Practice positive self-talk. Talking to yourself in a positive and encouraging way can help to reduce emotional overwhelm and keep your emotions in check.
Connect with others. Social connection with others can increase our sense of well-being.
Finally, learn calming techniques such as progressive muscle relaxation. These techniques can help to bring your emotional state back into balance. By implementing these five practical strategies, you can learn to keep calm and control your emotions.
2. Focus On Solutions Instead Of Problems
It is difficult to keep calm in the face of an emotional situation. To maintain control of your emotions and stay focused, apply practical strategies. Start by focusing on solutions instead of the problem.
Be mindful of your thoughts and their impact on your emotions. Identify any triggers and be proactive to avoid them. Develop mindfulness skills to help you stay in control.
Visualize yourself in situations where you don’t feel overwhelmed, and practice calming statements. Find a way to divert or channel anxious energy. Spend time with people who are emotionally supportive and practice self-care.
Keeping your emotions in check requires effort and commitment, but with focus and the use of practical strategies, it is possible.
3. Identify & Accept Your Emotions In The Moment
Identifying and accepting your emotions at the moment is an important part of keeping your emotions under control. One practical strategy to control your emotions is to recognize the emotion you are feeling and use the power of your mind to try to move away from the emotion.
You should be mindful of the patterns of behavior that are causing the emotion and actively strive to replace these with more positive, productive thoughts and behavior. Meditation and visualization are all great tools for helping to manage your emotions.
On another level, it can help to take a step back and objectively observe your emotions, questioning whether the emotion is valid in the context of the current situation and what other options may exist for the given circumstance.
Taking time to contemplate and lessening the intensity of your emotions helps you to take a more practical approach and can help to diffuse the situation.
4. Practicing Self-Compassion
With enough practice, self-compassion can help us to keep calm and control our emotions in difficult situations. When we are feeling overwhelmed, it is important to take a step back and remember that difficult feelings often come and go.
We can practice self-compassion by taking a few breaths, repeating mantras such as “I am doing my best,” and reminding ourselves that we are not bad people just because we feel emotions. We can also focus on the present moment and notice how our bodies are feeling.
Taking a step back from the situation and listening to our inner wisdom can be incredibly powerful. We can also practice gratitude and high levels of self-mastery for our resilience and for the things that are going right in our lives.
It is important to remember that self-compassion does not diminish our sense of responsibility or our accountability for our mistakes. Rather, it can help us to manage our emotions and keep ourselves emotionally healthy.
5. Utilize Stress Management Techniques To Manage Reactions
Stress management techniques are a great way to help keep emotions in check. Relaxation techniques such as yoga can be effective in controlling physical and emotional balance. Setting realistic goals and developing healthy daily habits can reduce stress while allowing more control of emotional reactions.
Incorporating physical activity into daily routines can help to reduce stress and negative feelings. Taking regular breaks away from stressful situations can also help to reduce emotional reactions. Learning how to handle difficult conversations and situations can provide effective techniques to prevent emotional outbursts.
Taking time for self-care activities can also be beneficial in maintaining positive emotions and managing reactions. Practicing positive self-talk and challenging dysfunctional thoughts can also be beneficial in controlling emotions and reactions. By applying different stress management techniques, reactions can be managed in order to keep emotions under control.
Learning to Control Your Emotions
It is important to remember that learning to manage and control your emotions is a skill that can be developed over time. By using the strategies outlined in this article, we can control our emotions and create peace of mind.
Practicing mindfulness, being physically active, and having an outlet for our emotions are all helpful tools in regulating uncontrollable emotions. Try these strategies today and take control of your emotions!
Looking for some more help with managing your mental health? Check the rest of our site for more articles like this!