Stress and anger are common emotions that can affect your health, happiness, and relationships. If you want to improve your interpersonal skills, you need to learn how to manage them effectively. In this article, you will discover some practical tips and strategies to cope with stress and anger, communicate better, and build positive connections with others.
The first step to managing stress and anger is to recognize what triggers them in the first place. Triggers can be external, such as a stressful situation, a rude person, or a loud noise, or internal, such as your thoughts, feelings, or expectations. By identifying your triggers, you can prepare yourself for them, avoid them if possible, or change your reaction to them. You can also use a journal, a tracker app, or a trusted friend to help you monitor your triggers and patterns.
The first thing is to recognize the trigger and in doing so, it often times creates a shift and brings me into present time. Because a trigger takes one out of present time and transport one back into the past. Once I'm present to the trigger I can then make a clear and wiser choice on how to respond in the moment to what is going on around me.
I manage my anger through self awareness. I have learned to be aware of what's happening around me, each time I realize something is not adding up in my life. My next step is to identify the stressor after which, I remind myself about the consequences of the choice I want to make in response to the stressor. I have learned to create peace within myself by making right choices. My choices have been my great strength in handling stress.
I do find that as I’ve got older I’ve learned to pick my battles wisely! Of course there will be situations that will trigger your anger but try to take a few minutes before you act- if the situation actually directly at you? Is it your fault, can you rectify the situation? If the answer is yes, do your best to apologise and accept responsibility- if no- calmly explain why and don’t add fuel to the fire- 9 times out of 10, someone just wants to vent so listen, acknowledge that you understand their problem and see if you can resolve it together
I really appreciate insights shared in this article. It's so true that understanding what triggers stress and anger, is the first step towards managing them effectively. In the workplace there should be suitable and sufficient risk assessments in place, however, sometimes it's external factors like a hectic situation or an unpleasant encounter that can set us off. It's equally important to recognise internal triggers, stemming from our own thoughts and feelings. It's almost like unraveling a puzzle to figure out what makes us tick! Talking to a close friend to keep track of these triggers is a great method, self realisation is the way forward. Once you are aware, your own control measures will result in better success. Its ok not to be ok
The second step to managing stress and anger is to practice relaxation techniques that can calm your mind and body. Relaxation techniques can include breathing exercises, meditation, yoga, progressive muscle relaxation, or any activity that makes you feel relaxed and happy. You can practice relaxation techniques regularly as a preventive measure, or use them when you feel stressed or angry. Relaxation techniques can help you lower your blood pressure, heart rate, and cortisol levels, and improve your mood and focus.
With experience , I have learnt to assertively communicate my feelings and needs to others in ways that help prevent conflict and help to resolve issues. We can all agree that, being angry and not being able to communicate it leads to build-up tension and frustrations. Listening to music is a very helpful way of releasing built-up tension to boost mood. Listening to the songs we love the most helps us stay calm and composed during stressful situations. Secondly, habits like talking to loved ones, going for a walk, yoga, and other physical excercises are helpful in reducing stress and tension.
The third step to managing stress and anger is to express your feelings constructively, rather than suppressing them or exploding at others. Expressing your feelings constructively means using assertive communication skills, such as stating your needs and wants clearly, respectfully, and confidently, listening actively and empathetically, and using "I" statements rather than blaming or accusing. Expressing your feelings constructively can help you resolve conflicts, build trust, and strengthen your relationships.
The fourth step to managing stress and anger is to seek support and feedback from others who can help you cope and improve. Support can come from your family, friends, colleagues, mentors, or professionals, such as therapists, coaches, or counselors. Support can provide you with emotional comfort, practical advice, or different perspectives. Feedback can help you identify your strengths and weaknesses, learn from your mistakes, and set realistic goals. Seeking support and feedback can help you feel less isolated, more motivated, and more confident.
The fifth step to managing stress and anger is to learn from others who have good interpersonal skills and can handle stress and anger well. You can observe how they react to challenging situations, how they communicate with others, and how they cope with their emotions. You can also ask them for tips, advice, or guidance, or model their behavior and attitude. Learning from others can help you develop new skills, habits, and mindsets that can enhance your interpersonal skills.
The sixth step to managing stress and anger is to practice gratitude and forgiveness, both for yourself and for others. Gratitude means appreciating what you have, rather than focusing on what you lack. Forgiveness means letting go of resentment, bitterness, or revenge, rather than holding on to them. Practicing gratitude and forgiveness can help you reduce stress and anger, increase happiness and satisfaction, and improve your interpersonal skills.
Such great points! Managing stress and anger is crucial for improving interpersonal skills which is an ongoing process. Here are some points I will like to add: 1) It's important to take responsibility of our own triggers and use "I" statements when discussing issues with others to express our feelings without blaming or accusing. For example, say "I feel frustrated when..." instead of "You always make me angry when..." 2) It's important to question ourselves, if the person did anything purposefully? We must try to see the situation from the other person's point of view. 3) When in a heated conversation and we feel triggered, know thay it's okay to take a break and return to it when we are calmer and more collected. Hope this helps!
Taking accountability. Whether you do therapy, counseling, coaching, or self reflection, taking stock in your life and taking accountability in your own life and experiences helps reframe those experiences and allows you to see the power you DO haver in your life. Not only that, it will help see things and people from a different perspective which can help you let go of stress and anger in those situations. We can't change that already happened yet we CAN change how we think and feel about it.