Some excellent advice on how to lower anxiety, anger, and all that
My biopsychology professor gave us an amazing tip at the beginning of the semester and it stuck with me. The reason I am just now posting it for the rest of you to use is because I realized I wasn’t using the advice myself, and I need to.
“Turn your anger in to wonder.”
This simple advice has actually been so helpful. Here’s an example:
You are driving and someone cuts you off. Normally, you’d yell inside your car at them, flip them the bird, honk ferociously, or even just internally think profanities in their general direction. No matter the severity or level of your response, it physiologically raises your heart rate, makes you sweat, dilates your pupils, and decreases or stops your bodies metabolism, aka fight or flight response, which thereby increases your likely already present anxiety or anger at it being a Monday again. Instead, turn your anger to wonder. Wonder, be amazed. “I am amazed that person hasn’t been in a car accident from doing that” “I wonder if a police officer will pull them over” “I wonder if they are having an emergency and are in a hurry to get to the hospital” “I am amazed that this person is so inconsiderate of others”
Of course this is only one example, but apply this to any aspect of your life. Try this, as I have, and you will most likely notice a difference in your anxiety, optimism, and overall mood.
