Kurt Vonnegut said “hate, in the long run, is about as nourishing as cyanide.”
He’s so right.
Are you holding on to repressed anger, bitterness, resentment or hate?
Who are you directing that towards?
Do you know what those kind of emotions do you your physiology, physical body and mental health when you refuse to let them go?
Holding onto anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die. The only person we are really hurting is ourselves.
Toxic emotions can create serious health problems like high blood pressure, anxiety, stress and poor circulation. Research indicates that one 5 minute episode of anger can impair your immune system for 6 hours or more. Eventually this can take its toll and lead to stroke or heart attacks.
So what can you do about it?
- Acknowledge how you’re feeling
We often try to avoid or block out our negative emotions, but they’re our internal thermometer telling us something needs to change so acknowledge that you feel that way.
- Ask yourself why you’re feeling the way you are
Often it isn’t ever about the thing we think we’re angry about.
- Give yourself a time out
Go for a walk in nature, breathe, chat to a friend; whatever it takes to feel better.
Check out my website www.coachcarly.com for a free download called “18 ways to feel better NOW.”
- Deal with it
When we’re stuck in negative emotions we’re often blocking ourselves off from finding the solution to the problem.
I find forgiveness work really helpful in these situations. It takes the edge off the emotions and allows us to look at a person or situation with more compassion – that includes ourselves.
Check out my interview about the power of forgiveness where I explain the forgiveness techniques I use and also teach to my coaching clients:
https://coachcarly.com/blogs/why-forgiveness-is-so-important/
- Talk it through
Do a brain dump of how you’re feeling with a trusted friend or family member. If you’re not keen to chat to someone you know talk things through with a counsellor or even a phone counselling service. Most employers have an employee assistance program where you can get free counselling.
- Let go of limiting thought patterns
Sometimes we hold on to negative feelings because of a need to be right about a situation we feel is unjust.
Would you rather be right or would you rather be happy?
If you’re struggling to overcome negative feelings then get in touch to talk it through with me, and I can let you know how I might be able to help you through it.
Catcha on the flip side,
