Riding the Wave

It's happened to the best of us. Something upsetting has happened and we go off—we're pulled with our wave of emotions. We say things we don't mean and do things we'd never do with a level head. In these situations, you aren't a level head—and that's okay. I'm not saying it's necessarily a good thing, but as mentioned, it happens. The problem is, sometimes, we go too far. So how can we stop from going overboard? It's not an easy process to admit you're wrong and it's even harder when you're in a moment of passion. It takes dedication and years of working towards a healthy goal. But it's worth it.

First, take a breath. A grievance has happened and you're upset. As soon as you feel your blood rise and your face go red, sit down. You may need to sit down somewhere unfamiliar, like the floor. Something that will get you away from your normal routine of upset. Once you have taken a few breaths, think about the 5 stages of grief (or accepting a grievance). Know that you'll go through the stages and note them when they happen and when they pass. This will help sort your thoughts with ones that may not be as healthy. Depending on the situation, you may go through steps so fast you don't notice, and that's okay—you're just getting to the end faster. Beware, you may go through the process more than once. But it'll be faster each time, allowing you to one day fully accept what has happened. Thinking this way helps take your mind off of thinking about how you want to rectify the situation until you can do so with level thinking.

If you have a mental illness that may reshape your thoughts into unhealthy ones, stopping bad ideas is very hard. The first step is to know you have a problem and be ready to sort through ideas. As someone that suffers from bipolar disorder, I constantly play my "favorite" game. Queue the theme show music: are you ready to play GOOD THOUGHT, BAD THOUGHT? Sorting your thoughts is important. To play this "game" you need to think of any ideas you've had concerning the incident at hand and sort them. Ask yourself if they're a good idea or a bad idea? Will this idea hurt someone? Will it make things harder in the long run? Maybe even ask if Jesus would do it! Whatever you need to do to make sure you're not making a big mistake. Meditation, writing, talking it out, these are helpful tools that will lead you towards making the correct choice. The best way to tackle emotions is with a tool belt full of options.

In this day and age, emotions seem to come out more raw. Things are less thought out and lives are ruined easily. If we stopped and thought more, I truly think the world would be a better place. I don't expect my little tips to make you a changed person, but I truly do hope they helped.

Thank you for reading,

AB

*Disclaimer: I am not a doctor. I do not have any license to practice medicine or therapy of any kind. Any ideas listed above are my own and not that of a professional.