In the fall, we are attacked by a seasonal blues: I don’t want anything, I don’t have time for anything, everything is annoying. And it’s good if you only carry these sad, evil thoughts in yourself. But more often we break down at our loved ones because the whole world is against us – the alarm did not ring on time, got stuck in a traffic jam on the way to work, the boss is unhappy with the delay, a colleague is sick, and you have to finish a huge project for him … the moment you realize that the boiling point is coming. How to learn to cope with your own emotions and experiences? Olga Sandler, yoga teacher at the Wellness Park fitness club, showed us five simple yoga techniques that will help us to keep ourselves in control and the situation under control.
Yoga and many other eastern practices suggest paying attention to the relationship between the inner state and what surrounds you. Our inner world is always reflected in the external environment, like a mirror. When peace and tranquility reigns within us, we look at everything around us more rationally and make informed decisions. When we are in a state of irritation, then all situations in our life seem to be turned against us.
The solution to this problem is extremely important, since the quality of our life depends on how skillfully we work with our emotions. Let’s take a look at some simple ways to deal with anger.
1. All you have to do is look inward and listen to your breathing. Even a couple of deep breaths and exhales can bring us to our senses, but often we are so absorbed in emotions that we forget even about this little. Technique of execution: sit in any comfortable position, straighten your back, relax your stomach, chest, shoulders and arms. Close your eyes and take a deep breath in and out. Slow your breathing gradually, trying to inhale and exhale for 4-5 counts. Breathing calmly will help normalize blood pressure and body temperature, and your inner state will become more balanced.
2. If slow breathing does not help, and perhaps even produces the opposite effect – even more annoying, try to direct your energy to active action. Anger increases the level of energy in the human body, all processes in the body occur many times faster when you are irritated. Try to redirect this energy so that it does not become destructive, run a few laps in the stadium, walk up to the 10th floor, do a few squats or push-ups, dance to your favorite music. This may not solve your problem, but it will definitely help relieve unnecessary stress.
3. As a rule, anger is accompanied by muscle tension. Close your eyes and walk your mind’s eye over your entire body, relaxing the areas where you feel tension. You can also stretch your shoulders a little by doing a series of circular movements or simple stretches, it will not be superfluous to massage the lower abdomen and thighs – these areas of our body are very fond of accumulating tension. Pay attention to the muscles of the face – relax your forehead, eyelids, cheeks, lips. When the whole body is relaxed, emotional tension will also be noticeably reduced.
4. Self-reflection can also help cope with irritation. Answer yourself the question: what can I not afford? Once you have identified all of your inner inhibitions, you can think about whether you are ready to remove them. For example, you constantly restrain your emotions and cannot afford to enjoy life, so you are annoyed by people who laugh loudly, discuss something violently, etc. Most likely, it is not about the people around you, but about yourself. It may be worth finally letting go of control and allowing yourself to enjoy positive emotions. And when you can afford it, you will no longer be annoyed by other people – after all, what you can afford, you can afford to others.
5. And the final method, perhaps paradoxical to you, is as follows: give in to your anger, live it to the fullest and observe it. Only when you find yourself in the epicenter of your irritation can you come closer to understanding the source of this emotion. What exactly threw you off balance? Perhaps you are just tired and don’t know how to deal with it? Or are you trying to play the wrong part? Perhaps you made too many commitments? Try to observe your emotions and thoughts, and you will find the answer to an exciting question.