Have you ever gotten into a ‘mood’ that sparked a full-on tantrum? Even though you are way older than the age of six it is not uncommon to sometimes boil over with anger. In this post, I’m going to share with you eight ways on how you can calm yourself quickly without turning your tantrum into a full-blown episode.
How to Quickly Calm Yourself Down
1. Practice Breathing Exercises
Place your hands on your stomach and take a deep breathe in through your nose and exhale through your mouth. While you feel your stomach rise and fall count to five in your mind with every inhale and exhale that you do then repeat.
2. Meditate
If you are unable to calm yourself down with your own breathing exercises find a meditation podcast on Spotify. Sometimes having another person direct you through meditation is easier and less overwhelming.
3. Wash Your Face
The feeling of the lukewarm water splashing onto your face can hit your ‘reset’ button. This can also cleanse your skin if your tantrum led you to tears.
4. Call or Talk to Someone
Isn’t it interesting how sometimes our problems can become less emotionally heightened when we discuss them with a friend, family member, or therapist? An outsider’s perspective can be helpful when sorting through your issues and can give you new insight.
5. Write Down How You Feel
If you are in a discussion that has turned into an argument remove yourself from the situation and write your feelings down. This will not only help you visualize your feelings but it will also help you move on peacefully. I also recommend not posting your feelings on social media because it invites others’ to share their opinions on personal situations they shouldn’t be involved in.
6. Clean Your Space
A great way to re-organize your thoughts is to re-organize a room.
7. Make a Snack
Could you possibly be mistaking your anger for hunger? Focus your energy on making a healthy snack like carrots and hummus with a hot cup of tea. This might be the cure to your temper tantrum.
8. Distract Yourself
This suggestion may seem vague but there are so many ways different ways to distract yourself. For example, you can go for a run, put on a movie, change your outfit, or do an easy crossword. You have the power to change how you feel by changing your actions.
How do you calm yourself down?
Let me know in the comments!
Thanks for this, Laurel – I’ve been reading and watching videos on this topic over the last few days! There’s a meditation app called “Headspace” as well that I plan on trying out!
You are most welcome Jessica! Headspace is an awesome app! I love how meditation is becoming such a normalized accessible practice because doing it with my mom’s CDs when I was younger was much a hassle.
Yes to all most particularly #6 and #7 . Cleaning and organizing my office or house help me clear my head whenever I feel overwhelmed or angry. Then I get really famished so I eat which makes me feel even better. Thanks for this post. 🙂
Thank you Jas for commenting! I feel like it doesn’t matter if you are angry or not – you can always have a snack!