Recognize an emotion by noticing your body's signals such as
heart beating faster
breathing faster or becoming out of breath
feeling hot or cold
feeling the stomach or back tighten up
face getting red or feeling hot
hands or muscles tightening up
Identify the emotion and what happened to make you feel it
Find a word to label your emotion or feelings
Share the feeling with someone who can be objective
Use an "I message" in describing your feelings
Listen to what the other person has to say
Consider ways to control strong feelings before acting out. These could include some of the following:
using a pillow or punching bad
going for a walk
getting a drink of water
counting to 25
visualizing a favorite place or activity
using some relaxation techniques
reading or playing a game
Remember that the feeling will eventually go away. If it stays with you for too long, seek help.
