Do you ever find that when you are angry that you say things that you regret the next day? Are you afraid of doing things that could make your life better or happier, but you let fear talk you out of it? If you answered yes to either of these things, chances are that you are letting your emotions control you.
Emotions are very strong and the way that you interact with people and the things you do are determined by your emotions. You can see how you handle things by what you let control you and what you take charge of.
When you are in control of your own emotions, you become stronger in your mind and your body. People can learn to control their emotions, and this can be a skill. If you let your emotions control you, you need to practice these steps and be strong in your body and mind.
Uncomfortable Emotions
Having your emotions under control is not the same as hiding them. If you are sad and you pretend that you are happy, the emotion does not go away, it just gets buried and becomes worse over time.
When you hide your feelings, it can lead to other unhealthy behaviors such as drinking, doing drugs or even smaller things like overeating.
You have to learn to understand that everyone has feelings and that you can have feelings, you just can’t let them be in control of you. When you wake up and you are grouchy, take control over how you are feeling and decide that you are going to be calm and in control.
Here are some ways you can control your emotions:
Put a Label on Them
You have to first know what you are feeling before you can change it. Are you upset or sad bout something? Are you angry or depressed? Do you feel embarrassed or mad? Pay attention to what is going on inside of your being.
Once you know what you are feeling, put a name to it. If you feel shame, say it, frustrated? Tell your body that you are having these feelings.
When you can label and put a name on your emotion, it can help you to pay attention to why you are feeling that way.
Change Your Thoughts
Your emotions happen by the way that you see something in your mind. If you are worried about something, it can make you assume the worse. Say for example, you get an email from your teacher that says they need to see you right away. Once you get this, you might think something is wrong or you failed your class. Maybe though, your teacher is really saying that you are being considered for a scholarship.
Our emotions are the way that we look at things and the way that we think things through. We have to learn to reframe our state of mind and to have a realistic point of view.
When you find yourself thinking negative thoughts, take control of this. Look at the situation in a positive light and take back what you were going to say and replace it with something better. Answer questions with positive emotions and it will help you to be more rational.
Find a way to filter out negative thoughts and to replace them with positive thinking. Go for a walk or do something active when you are feeling low, this can help you to stop thinking negatively.
Mood Boosting
If you wake up in a bad mood, find something to do that makes you happy. Do not do other negative things such as sulking over Facebook or indulging in sad movies.
Doing these activities will keep you stuck in your sour mood. You have to do something that makes you happy in order to feel better. When you are in a bad mood and you do something positive, it will completely change your mood. Here are some things you can do:
- Call someone such as a friend and talk about something fun and exciting.
- Workout or go for a walk.
- Take a few minutes to meditate.
- Listen to happy music.
- Watch a funny show.
Practice
You need to learn to practice changing your mood. Sometimes even when you are trying, your bad mood will creep in.
When you spend more time being in control of your emotions, you will find that you get better at it and you get stronger. You will be more confident, and you will learn to make better choices in your life and your emotions.