5 Tips on How to Stop Overreacting
You probably could say that you know a few people in your life that don’t seem to stress over small stuff, you never saw them snap out, yell at you or someone else. Well, even those people have their moments, but not as often like the rest of us.
Overreacting is not healthy, to say the least. It’s perfectly normal to overreact (we are all humans, it’s in our nature), but doing it on a daily basis, not so much. Imagine yourself crying over some really small stuff, every day. Why stress your body and your mind unnecessarily? Don’t get us wrong, don’t mix reaction with overreaction. The reaction is what we absolutely understand and encourage you to do. You have to speak for yourself, don’t hold it in. But when you start to react overly dramatic or give some situation attention more than it deserves, in a sense that you react in a bigger way than justified, it’s time to shout May Day!
We understand that in that particular moment you just can’t help yourself, you have to lash out, and we are giving you time until you finish this article to be that person. Once you read our 5 tips on how to stop that, we want you to acknowledge them, embrace them and implement them in your life.
1. Take Care of Yourself
You heard this so many times. But for a reason. It is, actually, very logical, if you are hungry, you become grumpy, nervous. The same goes with sleeping. When we are tired, we’re more prone to feeling stressed. So, don’t restrain yourself from food, eat healthily, get rest as much as you feel you need and move. Yes, exercise brings a positive mood. And when you’re positive, you won’t allow yourself to be bothered when your spouse forgets to buy groceries.
2. You Have to Discover Your Triggers
This is very important. Do you know in which situations you’re prone to overreact? You have to discover your triggers so that you can prevent the next outburst. Common triggers include envy, rejection, criticism, and control. Be honest with yourself and know that once you find your triggers it’ll be easier to adjust emotional reactions to them.
3. Take a Deep Breath Before Responding
When you feel like your whole body is filled with this negative energy take a deep breath. When you inhale, it’s like you’re pressing that anger down, and when you exhale, that energy diminishes itself. Repeat a couple of times if you feel you need to. The science behind this is that our bodies believe that if our breath is slower, we are calm, and consequently, we are more likely to be able to access rational thought.
4. Managing your perspective
You must’ve numerous times looked back and thought: What made me say that? Why did I do that? You must learn why you did and said some things in the past when you felt provoked. Maybe your expectations regarding certain things are unrealistic. When you understand yourself, you’re more likely to control yourself and lower your expectations. This will reduce chances to get hurt or irritated.
5. 5×5 Rule
Let us put it this way. Have you heard of a saying “If it’s not going to matter in 5 years don’t spend more than 5 minutes being upset about it”? So why waste your energy on that kind of stuff? This is actually a very good way to prevent yourself from bursting out. If for example, somebody cuts you off in traffic, you could curse them, and shout and feel irritable the rest of the day. Don’t do that to yourself, let that thought of being angry come to you and just let it go, don’t hold it. It’s not going to matter in 5 years anyway.
Now you’re ready to shake that negativity off of you. Implement all or at least one of these tips and you’ll notice how much less anger and/or stress you’ll hold. Your family and friends will be thankful.
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