Do your emotions feel like they’re driving you crazy, bouncing all over the place with no motivation to calm down? Sounds to us like you’re going through a difficult time, struggling with balance and control.
That’s ok, because everyone needs to learn how to recognize, manage, and respond appropriately to their emotions at some point. Your point is now – and we’re happily here to help.
Check out these emotional regulation tips to help you work through your stuff.
Create Space Between Yourself and the Emotion
Emotions are BIG; they come in hot and do not dissipate quickly. So before you say or do something you might regret, you should think about distancing yourself from the situation.
The key takeaway here is to regulate difficult emotions by kindly hitting the pause button. Step away, slow down, and breathe. Get your rational thoughts together before you respond. Those few moments you have to pump the breaks on your emotional response will be a saving grace.
Decipher and Identify Your Feelings
Sounds easy, but the process is pretty complex. Why? Because when you feel angry or happy, your first instinct isn’t to identify what’s pointing you towards that emotion. Your first instinct is to ride it out and respond.
Instead of jumping and making a quick judgment call, take some time to decipher what you’re really feeling. Pay attention to your body – Is your tummy swirling around? Do you have tightness in your chest? Buzzing in your head? A raspy feeling in your throat?
Oftentimes, we don’t notice that our body is responding to our emotions. We’re the ones that have to identify triggers and really, truly experience our anger or happiness. Writing info down while it’s happening may help.
Calm Your Nervous System When Emotions Run High
Though it’s hard to rationalize and bring yourself down to earth in the midst of an emotional crisis (our previous suggestion, if you can muster up the strength), it is still possible. If you haven’t mastered the art yet, you’re likely still facing emotion overload. This is when the sensations overtake your mind and body, leading you to react without thinking.
To calm down, keep these skills in your back pocket to soothe your limbic system:
- Take a cold shower
- Hold an ice cube in your palm
- Listen to familiar, soothing music
- Feel your pet’s heartbeat
Try to Be Active Every Day
This is a cheat code we love to suggest. Participating in physical activity naturally releases mood-lifting chemicals into the body, allowing you to stand tall with a clear, open mind. If you feel good, you’ll be in a better place to handle and weave through any emotion that comes your way.
To hop aboard this train, just get more active through walking, yoga, zumba, weight lifting, and sports. A little bit everyday will go a long way.
Prioritize Sleeping and Eating
Have you ever heard of the expression “being hangry”? Of course you have, everybody has; it’s the unwanted combination of anger and hunger… and it’s very unpleasant.
Something similar happens when you’re exhausted. The tipping line from a positive emotion to a negative emotion is very slim if you’re running on fumes.
No one will want to mess with you if you’re lacking either proper sleep or beneficial nutrition.
That’s why it’s crucial to reduce insomnia and practice good sleeping habits. It’s also crucial to feed your body when you’re hungry.