The Rule of 24 Hours
When you feel angry, remember to give yourself 24 hours before you react. As the saying goes, ‘Think twice before you act.’ 24 hours allow sufficient time for you to think twice, or even more. It is easy to say something you will regret later when you are overwhelmed by anger. These words may not be appropriate or they may even hurt others. In the heat of the moment, it is better for you to stay calm and keep those words in mind, at least for 24 hours. During that 24 hours, you can take a timeout for yourself. Give yourself a short break to make yourself feel better and to stay out of what makes you feel annoyed. Watch a movie, go for a walk, read some books, play sports, or even take a nap. It depends. Just simply do anything that makes you feel relaxed. After taking a break, if you still find the problem bothers you, voice your opinion or react maturely. Think of how you express yourself without harming others. It may not be about who is right or wrong, but it is about how you feel. You need not put others in an embarrassing situation. What you only need to do is to show others what you have in mind honestly in a positive way. Everything takes time. But if you keep practicing in such direction to manage your anger, you will be surprised at how many relationships you will save. Featured photo credit: Grumpy Cat via twitter.com
