How Do You Mask Your Feelings Without Losing Control?

Masking your feelings is not something that comes highly recommended. That said, there is a time and place for certain things, and if you need to maintain control in specific situations, there are plenty of ways that you can do it. It is easy to let your feelings get the best of you; however, there are preventative measures you can take, as well as things that you can do in the moment to calm yourself down.

Things You'll Need

• Journal
• Water
• Snacks
• Orange
• Pillow

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Instructions

• 1

  Journaling is a key way to handle your feelings.

  Acknowledge your feelings in private, when you don't have to worry about masking them. This is an imperative step to keeping control. Start by keeping a journal. It may help to write in your journal every morning before you leave home; you'll have a tangible outlet for your thoughts and feelings that you can refer back to as needed.

• 2

  Make sure you are getting enough food, water and sleep.

  Be in a clear state of mind as often as possible. This means that you need to get enough food, water and sleep. A deficiency in any one of these things can contribute to losing control. For example, you need food for brain power and energy. Being dehydrated can make you lose energy and concentration. Sleep-deprivation can lead to a loss of concentration, moodiness and other things that could interfere with your sense of stability. When you start to feel out-of-sorts, drink some water, eat an apple, or take a power nap to help get yourself back on track.

• 3

  Splashing some cold water on your face is a good way to calm down.

  Have techniques and objects at your disposal to help you manage your feelings when you are in stressful situations. "Grounding techniques" are simple exercises that are designed to immediately "ground" you in the moment and help you release anxiety. For example, if you start to feel overwhelmed, you can excuse yourself and splash some water on your face. If work is stressful, keep a frozen orange in the freezer of the kitchen area, and hold it in your hands, focusing your energy specifically on the way the orange feels to calm you down whenever you need to let go of tension.

• 4

  A pillow can help you to release stressful energy.

  Deal with your feelings as soon as possible, as they are going to come out at some point in one way or another. The sooner you deal with them, the better. This will help you to stay in control and keep other people out of your business. If you are angry or upset, when you are in the privacy of your home, direct all that energy into a pillow by hitting it or hugging it. Working out, such as doing some push-ups or jumping jacks, can also help relieve stress in the moment.