Other helpful tips in controlling our emotions in addition to the ones I shared earlier include;
1. Smile
There is something absolutely magical about a smile. Try this for yourself – next time you are feeling blue, or red-hot with anger, smile. Some people say we laugh too much, yeah, but then there's a reason for smiling and laughing at times....It just has a way of calming you down.
Did you know that it is physiologically impossible to have bad feelings if you are smiling? It sounds silly; but seriously, try it. It really works. If you wake up sad, stressed, or angry, smile at yourself in the mirror first thing in the morning.
Just stand there and smile at yourself. Make yourself do it even if you don’t want to. Hold that smile until it’s genuine. Hold that smile until… You know what will happen? You’re going to burst out laughing whether you want to or not! Any time you feel bad, just smile. A smile that is genuine lights you up. It’s a physical action so in harmony with Love that it can’t help but make you feel better.
2. Meditate
Meditation changes your relationship to your emotions. It’s not denial – it’s a shift of focus.
Sometimes the best way to accomplish something is to do nothing. In this case, just ‘being’ is enough to shift your mood. You can do a quick meditation anytime you need to calm yourself and gain a bit of self control.
Close your eyes and focus on your breathing for as long as it takes you to calm down. Feel the inhale and exhale; count your breaths if you like. Do whatever it takes to keep your focus on your breath and off the situation at hand. That’s all there is to it!
This little time out will give you time to gather your thoughts and perhaps see the situation in a different light. It is a great step in learning how to control your emotions.
3. Give it a minute and a half
When a negative emotion hits you, be aware that it takes just 90 seconds for it to pass through your system. From the time your limbic system generates the emotion to the time that chemical reaction dissipates, is a minute and a half.
If you simply feel the emotion – and don’t get involved in the thought that generated it by repeating “I feel (angry, sad, etc.)” – it will pass and you’ll regain your equilibrium. Be wary of identifying with your emotions using the words, “I am.” You are not your emotions!
Try this tip next time you have a sad or upsetting thought. Repeat to yourself how you are feeling, but don’t allow yourself to stray from that focus. Don’t think about what made you upset. Feel the feeling and let it go; your self control will intensify!
