How to Express Anger
Take some deep breaths., Utilize your senses., Change your environment., Be aware of your triggers., Think differently.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Take some deep breaths.
Before you do anything, give yourself a little time to de-escalate.
Don’t immediately jump into simmering rage or furious yelling.
Calm yourself down by taking some deep breaths from your abdomen, which can relax your body and your mind.Start with three deep breaths and see how you feel.
Notice your breathing becoming less shallow and more relaxed. -
Step 2: Utilize your senses.
Anger can take you to a whole other level and bring out a much different side of you.
It can heighten your senses and put your body on alert.
Use your senses to come back down and back into your body.
Listen to music, smell something calming (such as lavender), or imagine yourself in your favorite place, like on a beach or in a forest., Your immediate surroundings can contribute to a tense or irritating feeling.
If you feel anger coming on, step outside for a minute for some fresh air, play some music, or do something different than what you were in the middle of doing.
A quick change can make the difference between an angry outburst and curbing the feelings productively., You may feel like your anger comes out of nowhere, but there are often signs of rising anger.
When you get angry, think about what was happening immediately beforehand.
Your body, for instance, sends warnings which can include shallow, quickened breathing, “knots” in the stomach, pounding heart or tensed shoulders.Sometimes situations can trigger a stress response, such as weekly work meetings or heavy traffic.
Be aware of how your body reacts to these situations.
Once you become aware of these triggers, you can begin to identify them and prevent them or at least express them more constructively. , Remind yourself that anger doesn’t change your situation at all, and won’t affect an outcome.
Anger doesn’t follow any logic, so use logic to your benefit to cool off.
Nobody is out to get you, your life is not over, and all is not lost.
Avoid polarized statements like “always”and “never”, as in “You always forget to walk the dog” or “you never close the windows when you leave.” Instead, phrase it as a request: “Would you please walk the dog today?” or “I would appreciate you closing the windows when you leave.” Get rid of demand.
Angry people tend to demand things like being appreciated, being treated with respect, and being treated in fairness.
While everyone wants these, it’s different to demand them.
Remind yourself that you can form requests and not demands. -
Step 3: Change your environment.
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Step 4: Be aware of your triggers.
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Step 5: Think differently.
Detailed Guide
Before you do anything, give yourself a little time to de-escalate.
Don’t immediately jump into simmering rage or furious yelling.
Calm yourself down by taking some deep breaths from your abdomen, which can relax your body and your mind.Start with three deep breaths and see how you feel.
Notice your breathing becoming less shallow and more relaxed.
Anger can take you to a whole other level and bring out a much different side of you.
It can heighten your senses and put your body on alert.
Use your senses to come back down and back into your body.
Listen to music, smell something calming (such as lavender), or imagine yourself in your favorite place, like on a beach or in a forest., Your immediate surroundings can contribute to a tense or irritating feeling.
If you feel anger coming on, step outside for a minute for some fresh air, play some music, or do something different than what you were in the middle of doing.
A quick change can make the difference between an angry outburst and curbing the feelings productively., You may feel like your anger comes out of nowhere, but there are often signs of rising anger.
When you get angry, think about what was happening immediately beforehand.
Your body, for instance, sends warnings which can include shallow, quickened breathing, “knots” in the stomach, pounding heart or tensed shoulders.Sometimes situations can trigger a stress response, such as weekly work meetings or heavy traffic.
Be aware of how your body reacts to these situations.
Once you become aware of these triggers, you can begin to identify them and prevent them or at least express them more constructively. , Remind yourself that anger doesn’t change your situation at all, and won’t affect an outcome.
Anger doesn’t follow any logic, so use logic to your benefit to cool off.
Nobody is out to get you, your life is not over, and all is not lost.
Avoid polarized statements like “always”and “never”, as in “You always forget to walk the dog” or “you never close the windows when you leave.” Instead, phrase it as a request: “Would you please walk the dog today?” or “I would appreciate you closing the windows when you leave.” Get rid of demand.
Angry people tend to demand things like being appreciated, being treated with respect, and being treated in fairness.
While everyone wants these, it’s different to demand them.
Remind yourself that you can form requests and not demands.
About the Author
Deborah Williams
Deborah Williams is an experienced writer with over 1 years of expertise in lifestyle and practical guides. Passionate about sharing practical knowledge, Deborah creates easy-to-follow guides that help readers achieve their goals.
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