Alternative ways of managing anger without yelling or hitting
“When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.”
Well, it isn’t as easy as they make it to be.
We experience pain, anger, jealousy as much as we experience joy, if not less. We must purge our systems of those negative emotions so that they do not fester and manifest themselves unhealthily. Even for those who can express themselves very well (which is great), clearing their systems of whatever negativity they experience, is essential.
Every individual has their emotional thresholds and reactions.
“Venting” is good for letting something heavy and discomforting off your chest but it is often associated with the idea of violence. You do not need to have a punching bag to vent your anger, pain or frustration. Some of the healthy ways of venting are:
1. CRY: Most of us have been told to not shed tears, when we were little. This conditioning does not even let some of us be comfortable with crying, but in reality, tears come from the strongest emotions (be it happy or sad) and it works beautifully in emptying bottled up emotions.
2. Make ART: Famous Hollywood Actress, Meryl Streep had once said “take your broken heart and make it into art”. Channelling the pain into art and creating something is a creative and beautiful process. You’ll not only have a refreshed self, but a piece of art incredibly personal and dear to you. You can do whatever you’re the most comfortable with—painting, writing, dancing, singing, doodling. It does not have to be perfect. The goal is to get your mind off the topic evoking the negative emotions.
3. Talking: If you have a friend, partner or a close confidante with whom you are comfortable, then try to talk your emotions out. It is hard at the outset but get into your comfortable space and express what has been troubling you. Sometimes, having a person who listens to you, without judgement, can be the greatest blessing.
4. Exercise: For some of us, our pent-up emotions are expressed best through some physical activity. They feel they can “sweat out” the negativity. It is a very healthy form of venting because it allows you to focus on yourself and flush out the cumbersome emotions. You can hit the gym, go for a run or rock climbing, whatever interests you the most.
5. Vent Out in a Journal - Journaling is a healthy way to empty your mind off negative thoughts and think, feel and act clearly. Over some time you will be able to see a pattern of your thoughts, break the negativity loop and come up with solutions yourself. An online journal which can be accessed on your phone and laptop is even better to channelize the negative feelings right away.
6. We experience a lot of emotions as we go through time and we react to them in our idiosyncratic ways. Venting or letting something off your chest by no means mean “escaping”. It is a very positive and healthy thing to do. So, whenever you feel overwhelmed or feel like you have had enough, take a break and vent it out.