How to Cheer Yourself Up When You're Angry

Anger is a natural emotion, and you can let it overwhelm you with negative feelings toward someone or something in a way that isn't constructive. On the other hand, you can experience anger as something constructive and allow it to motivate you to find solutions to your problems. According to the American Psychological Association, an excess of unmanaged anger can have a negative effect and trigger irrational thoughts as well as an increase in your blood pressure. Many events can trigger anger, including minor things, such as a traffic jam, or more serious issues, such as past traumatic experiences. To manage your anger and cheer yourself up, learn to control it before it controls you.

Things You'll Need

• Music
• Gym membership (optional)
• Chocolate
• Pen
• Paper

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Instructions

• 1

  Keep your anger in check so it cannot control you. Refrain from lashing out in anger or expressing yourself in a destructive way. Instead, practice breathing techniques to help calm you down so you can decide the best way to respond, if at all. Exhale the air from your lungs through your mouth. Inhale through your nose for a mental count of four. Hold your breath for four counts before releasing it through your mouth for four counts. Repeat this breathing technique five times.

• 2

  Focus on something that's pleasant to you or on a constructive way to respond to whatever person or event has led to your anger. Give yourself time to relax and let the anger subside. Take a 5- to 10-minute break when you feel angry. Sit down in a comfortable position and close your eyes. Think about a word, image or item that doesn't stress you out or anger you; maybe the image is of your cat playing or of a colorful sunset. Breathe deeply as you focus on this thought. Afterward, your mind may be clearer and your anger less intense.

• 3

  Listen to music to cheer yourself up. According to Web MD, music, regardless of the type, can improve your mood. Avoid playing music that you associate with traumatic past experiences because this behavior can have the opposite effect.

• 4

  Take your anger out in the gym. Run on the treadmill, hit a punching bag, take a yoga class or lift weights. When you exercise, your body releases endorphins, which can give you an overall feeling of well-being.

• 5

  Eat a piece of dark chocolate when you are angry. Aside from enjoying the taste, chocolate can cheer you up, because it stimulates the release of endorphins and triggers the feel-good hormone serotonin.

• 6

  Write down five things that make you happy and that you are grateful for. Look at the piece of paper during times of anger to remind yourself of them. Realize that your anger is only temporary and that you have many things to be happy about.