Image by Steve Buissinne
InnerSelf's Daily Inspiration
April 4, 2024
The focus for today is:
I am able to “turn down” my angry feelings and aggressive impulses.
Today's inspiration was written by Sophie L. Kjaervik and Brad Bushman:
Some commonly recommended tactics for managing anger, including hitting a punching bag, jogging and cycling, aren’t effective at helping people cool off. That’s the key takeaway of our new review of 154 studies that looked at how activities that increase versus decrease physiological arousal affect anger and aggression.
This research helps dispel the myth that it is good to blow off steam and “let it out” or “get it off your chest.” Skip screaming into your pillow or pounding on a punching bag. Save your money rather than going to a rage room to break stuff with baseball bats. Such activities are not therapeutic. Conversely, engaging in ball sports and physical education classes decreased anger, possibly because they are playful group activities that evoke positive emotions.
By engaging in activities that decrease arousal, such as deep breathing, muscle relaxation, yoga, meditation and mindfulness, you can control, or “turn down,” your angry feelings and aggressive impulses.
CONTINUE READING:
Today's inspiration was adapted from the InnerSelf.com article:
Effective Anger Management Tactics: They're Not What You Think
Written by Sophie L. Kjaervik and Brad Bushman.
Read the complete article here.
About the
About The Author
Sophie L. Kjaervik, Postdoctoral Fellow at The Injury and Violence Prevention Program, Virginia Commonwealth University and Brad Bushman, Professor of Communication, The Ohio State University
This is Marie T. Russell, co-publisher of InnerSelf.com, wishing you a day of inner and outer peace (today and every day)
Comment from Marie: Our biggest failure is not realizing that we are in control of our our being. We choose our actions. And we also choose to be angry -- or not. No one can "make you" angry. They simply so what they do, and then we are the ones that choose anger as our response. Realizing that it is our choice is very empowering!
Our focus for today: I am able to “turn down” my angry feelings and aggressive impulses.
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