7 Anger Management  Exercises to Help you Remain Calm

Mastering anger management is about being in charge of your emotions and taking the time to stop and think prior to speaking out. If you fail to control your anger you may very well destroy important relationships with those around you leading possibly to physical and certainly emotional damage and you will undoubtedly, harm yourself in the process.

Firstly though lets take a loook at anger and what is represents.  Always reported to be a “bad” or “wrong” emotion we need to understand that anger does in fact serve a purpose, and is there to tell us that something is really wrong. Anger really is a failure to express one’s emotions in a appropriate and productive manner and outlined below are some anger management exercises designed to help you keep a cool head.

1. Don’t React. Take the time to think about any previous situations that have gotten you into trouble in the past. At the time you probably reacted immediately to the issue in an angry manner.  Remember that whenever you are presented with a situation that is stressful to you, do not react.  Stop and think through what is really happening, decide how you feel about it and then decide how you are going to act.

2. Breathe. If you are in a situation where you have let your emotions gain control and you are feeling extremely angry, then take the time to stop and breathe, slow breaths in and out until you are able to regain control and get back into this mindset of emotional control.

Try this “at home” study course – “Regaining Control of Your Anger“.

3. Don’t Worry quite so much about other people. Sometimes we get very caught up in how other people perceive us and what opinion they have of us. When this happens and we try to please everyone and make everyone happy, we tend to forget about ourselves which can in turn leave us feeling angry and resentful.

4. Include Exercise in your Life. A consistent and regular exercise routine can help you to release pent up emotions and frustrations. If you feel anger welling up inside, you can always take yourself for a walk or a run, or a game of golf, anything that is an avenue for releasing that anger in a healthy way.

5. Never Hold a Grudge. Holding a grudge against someone, even it is truly warranted, only ends up hurting you at the end of the day.  Try to practise the art of forgiving and forgetting. In some instances this may be very difficult to do, but will actually bring peace into your life.

6. Learn the Art of Relaxation. If you are tired and stressed, anger has a tendency to arise more often. Relaxation techniques such as meditation or yoga, soaking in a bath, deep breathing exercies, listening to music – are all strategies to help you to relax.

Pick up your copy of Deep Zen Meditation CD here..and begin learning the art of relaxation.

7. Learn How to Appropriately Express your Anger. When you feel anger, the trick is to try to identify why you are feeling it, what does it really mean?  Then you must quickly try to express this anger appropriately, causing minimal damage to yourself and to others. Remember suppressing your anger is not the answer, and this could over time, make things much worse and can lead to issues with depression and more.

I find that generally speaking, when I’m angry its more to do with fear than anything else.  So next time you feel angry STOP and try to identify with what the real issue is.

Children and Anger

I am sure we all from time to time have watched in horror at the degree to which our children young and old can display their anger.  I know my own children could get extremely angry and upset and throw tantrums when they were litte.  It is very difficult to try to talk to and reason with a very young child and we have to rely upon their body language to try and assess the situation and determine what is causing the leve of anger they are experiencing.  Really easy to do isnt it when you have a 2 year old SCREAMING THE HOUSE DOWN!

Likewise the same can be said of teenagers and young adults.  It is often very difficult to determine what is causing their anger and it could be any one of a thousand things.

The most important thing though is to teach our children appropriateness in terms of expressing their anger.  Yes it is perfectly normal healthy to experience anger as an emotion however it is not acceptable if that anger involves inflicting physical or emotional pain on another.

A really good resource that you can listen to in the comfort of your own home is a 75-minute audio recording by Parenting Expert Toni Schutta where she talks about the typical anger triggers for children, calming techniques to use and really understanding what anger is all about.  I would recommend you give it a try – “Children’s Anger: Triggers and Solutions for Coping.”-grab your copy here.

By MaryAnn Roche.

What’s Up with Yoga?

Here are my ‘Yoga for Beginners‘ tips
If you have been wanting to start Yoga or maybe you’re a Yoga beginner, there are some great tips below to help you!

So, how do you get started with Yoga? What are the different types of Yoga? In this article, you’ll learn the answers to these questions so that you can start enjoying the benefits of Yoga in your life.

Getting started with Yoga is not as hard as you might expect and can be fun! You can start yoga with the basics and progress to different types of Yoga to discover which style fits your needs the best.

Here are a few things to consider for yoga beginners:

1. Be open-minded about Yoga. Yoga is not only about exercising your body but also helping your mind become in tune with your body. It also focuses on using every muscle and joint to improve flexibility and awareness

2. Wear the proper clothing. Wear comfortable and loose fitting clothes, but steer clear of overly baggy ones. Leggings and a T-shirt are good for women. Men can wear sporty, jogging-type pants.

3. Do you prefer to exercise alone or do you enjoy group interaction? Think about whether you prefer a group environment or if you feel more comfortable buying a DVD to work out at home.

4. Buy a good Yoga mat. If you’re unsure which mat is a good one, ask your local sports equipment store for help. You may also need some other supplies, like Yoga straps or blocks, as your routine grows more intense.

5. Check what’s available in your area. If you decide to seek out a Yoga class, call your local fitness and community centers. Many such places include Yoga classes that are perfect for beginners.

What are some different types of Yoga?
This is what I’ve found so far….

There are several types of Yoga. Let’s take a look at just a few of them and what they entail. You can learn more about the different types by doing some research on the ones you feel you’d most enjoy.

* Bikram (Hot) Yoga is practiced in a 95-100 degree room so you can sweat and loosen tight muscles.

* Ashtanga and Power Yoga are faster paced variants.

* Kundalini – While all Yoga includes good breathing techniques, Kundalini focuses a lot on breathing with movement.

* Vinyasa includes the basics, but follows a more vigorous routine.

* Hatha classes will teach you the basics of Yoga.

* Iyengar is more focused on body alignment and specific areas of the body.

Important info for yoga beginners……

1. Keep a regular routine. Yoga works best when performed at regular intervals. Keep up with your workouts to reap the benefits. Consistency is the key when it comes to Yoga or any workout.

2. Don’t push yourself too hard. Your instructor should tell you this, so pay attention to their message. You shouldn’t feel pain when doing Yoga. Take caution to avoid overdoing it.

3. Use a buddy system. If you find it hard to stick to a good Yoga plan, enlist the help of a friend who may be looking at Yoga as well. Having a buddy join you at your Yoga classes can be much more fun.

4. Focus, focus, focus! Breathing is an integral part of any Yoga workout. Although it might be hard at first, focus your efforts on the breathing techniques.

5. Intimidation isn’t a factor. Don’t feel intimidated if you can’t do all the poses correctly. In time, you’ll begin to strengthen the muscles you need. Just like anything else, it takes practice to master Yoga.

When you decide it’s time to start Yoga, stick to the basics, start slowly and don’t fret if you can’t do everything correctly from the get-go. Yoga is a rewarding and helpful way to turn your body, mind, and spirit into one healthy and happy unit.

So, if you are a Yoga beginner or just want to start Yoga soon – these “Yoga for Beginners Tips’ should help!