Archive for March, 2011

Simple Ways to Effectively Control Anger

Strong emotions like anger can affect your physical well being. Because of anger, you may experience chest pains, upset stomach, heart palpitations, difficulty in breathing, dizziness, high blood pressure, and other health problems. Because of these, you need to find ways to effectively control your anger.

There are ways to deal with anger and here are some of the effective ways:

Determine the source and cause of anger. A strong emotion has to be resolved first. Unresolved anger escalates, and bitterness will show in your interaction with other people. Diffuse anger and it will relieve the stress in your system.

To vent anger, try exercise. Go jogging or head to the gym. One quaint restaurant in the Philippines has a unique feature that provides an opportunity to vent anger. After a meal, customers are led at the back lot lined with walls, and on one side are stacks of inexpensive plates.

This area is for customers who wish to vent their anger by throwing the plates against the wall. They can throw as many plates to their heart’s content just to release negative feelings. Of course, they will have to pay for the plates; but the price they pay compared to the benefit they get is worth it.

Warning: Never vent your anger to outlets when you have health problems. Your blood pressure might rise up abnormally.  

Talk to a friend. One of the best approaches to manage anger is to talk and confide to others. You may talk to a friend, counselor, or selected group with a common purpose to help each other. Talking to somebody about the feelings you have in your heart relieves tension. It is like unloading a heavy burden.

It is not necessary that an advice be given. Just lending a listening ear is enough. Advice may be given if it is sought. It opens your mind to new ideas and perspectives that you may not have thought of due to the anger you have within.

In a group therapy, other people can help you. In the process, you can also help them when it is their turn to talk, and it is your turn to listen and show concern. A listening ear helps dissipate the amber of anger. At the same time, it rekindles gentleness in the heart.

Learn to forgive. By far, the best way to let go of anger is to learn how to forgive. Forgiving may take a lot of effort. You may find it difficult to forget the hurt and anguish you went through. It takes a lot of convincing on your part, but it can be done. Forgiving releases you from the power other people have over you.

One technique you can try is the angry letter technique. Write a letter to the person who has caused you anguish and pain. Write in detail what he did and its effects on you. Feel the pain and anguish as you are doing the letter. In the end, write “I forgive you for all the pain you caused me. I wish you well.”  Burn this letter and feel the release of negative emotions.

Seek guidance from the Almighty. Tell Him the hurt you have inside, as you would do to a friend. Ask fervently for guidance and you shall receive. Ideas will come to you on how to resolve your aches and this will prove that a Higher Power is helping you. Take comfort in thinking, “This, too, shall pass.”

If you care about your physical well being, learn to control your anger. Try these simple steps and enjoy a healthy life!

Take It Easy and Enjoy Life

Can you remember your childhood days? During those times, nothing yet seemed complicated – all we had to think about were crayons, cookies, or Santa Claus. We didn’t care about the things we didn’t know because we were just too oblivious of the things that might bother us.

But as we grow older, we get anxious with the things that surround us – life and death, loving and parting, success and failure, to name a few. We find that almost everyday, we are obliged to be concerned about people or events.

Nevertheless, always keep this in mind: Don’t take things as if they are responsible for the way you feel. Events or situations do not trouble you. How you look at them does.

If you miss those carefree days, you just have to look back at how you used to view things then, and you will know what to do now. Here’s a guide to make sure you won’t lose your way:

Cherish the simple things: Trust in the power of a smile or laughter, a kiss or a hug. Believe in kindness, honesty, dreams, and imagination. Living positively is the first step to becoming happy.

Loosen up. Laugh at your mistakes. You might remember the time when you were delivering your speech and your mind went completely blank right in the middle of delivering it. It’s embarrassing. But most likely, your audience will forget about it in a day or two. We all mess up occasionally. The good thing is that people tend to forget such situations.

Surround yourself with what you love. Get a pet. Retain film moments as keepsakes. Keep away from those that drag you down. If that high-paying job makes you sulk at the thought of having to go to work, find a job you like first before quitting. If some people force you to comply even if you think of doing otherwise, stay away from their company.
 
Don’t put off. Go on that trip. Take your Master’s. You’ll never know the extent of your life. Do something, while you can.

Don’t push yourself too hard trying to please everyone. You just can’t. And it never seems to be worth it anyway. When you want to make somebody’s day, start with your loved ones.

Keep fit. Be that attractive person you always picture yourself to be. Cherish your health. It’s the best way of showing you are putting your best face forward.

Do not assume. Don’t fret about forgetting your speech before you actually do it. Don’t worry about not getting the job you want because you might mess up at the interview. It’s good to expect the worst; but don’t end up expecting only the worst. 

Alter your way of thinking. When you’re being ridiculed, criticized about your family background, or condemned for past mistakes, put on deaf ears. Don’t believe everything you hear. You know yourself better than everybody else does. Never wallow in self-pity.

Remember: Don’t get upset over things just because it’s how most people would react when faced with the same situation. When you find yourself being negative – angry, down, jealous, etc. – you also unknowingly drain your energy and enthusiasm. You just have to try keeping these negative feelings in the low, because giving in to these emotions would sometimes make you unreasonable, and you might end up making bad decisions.

Happiness is always in your grasp. You can attain it, as long as you know how.

Dealing With Sorrow – Depression Management

While the term depression has been commonly used that people tend not to take it seriously anymore, it is a very serious condition that could impair one’s life. Depression is very difficult. It can debilitate one’s normal functions, making even the most mundane tasks such as getting up from bed or eating breakfast seemingly difficult. It is sad to think that a lot of depressed individuals are not treated because of the high costs of therapy. However, coping with depression is still possible without professional help if one knows depression management. Here are a few things that can help people deal with depression, it is important to note however, that professional therapy is still very invaluable with serious depression. These steps are just suggestions for alleviating the condition.

Staying active is one way to take one’s mind off depression. Primarily, activities help distract people from whatever it is that is causing their depression and it also helps channel unspent energies that build up when one is depressed. Keeping active also releases endorphins – natural mood boosters that somehow cheer people up.

It is also important to take a rest. Being depressed can be very exhausting, so it is essential to regain strength and energy if one is to deal with depression. Relaxation techniques can help one be more attuned to the self and be more at peace. When resting, stressors should be kept away from the bedroom so that ample rest can be obtained.

Depressed people should also express their emotions. Depression usually results from suppressed emotions. People who are grieving can be prone to depression if they keep their emotion to themselves. A lot of people avoid crying because they think it might be a sign of weakness. However, it is important to cry because it releases one’s emotions. When expressing feelings, it is important to avoid catharsis – venting up one’s anger by doing something violent like boxing, smashing things, and the like. Catharsis does not release one’s emotion, especially anger. Rather, it makes a person practice violence as an expression of emotion, and thus can be very dangerous.

Hang around with friends and loved ones. Depressed individuals need support very much. Other people can distract one from stressors. People can also remind a depressed individual that there can be more to life, and it is worth living even if it is simply because of the company of wonderful people.

Lastly, it is important to believe in oneself. A lot of people get depressed because they put themselves down. It is important to satisfy oneself and gain a sense of self-worth. It is good to do something that would make one happy. Prioritizing one’s self can help one to believe that one’s own life is important and can be enjoyed. Being kind to oneself is one of the most important steps to get away from a depressive state.

Depression management is possible and entails taking charge of one’s self. When dealing with depression however, it is important not to rush. Sadness does not disappear overnight; it takes time to get back on one’s feet. Little by little, one can get out of depression and have a normal life once more.

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