The feeling of frustration forces some to seek inspiration.- Sara Wellington
We all hate it to be frustrated. We can't do what we want, our day is ruined. Well, we must adhere to this Top 10 Ways to Coping with Daily Frustrations!
1. Meditate
The first step to dealing with frustration is to notice that
you’re feeling. Believe it or not, but it’s not always easy to notice
frustration arising. Sometimes, we blow up at loved ones not realizing that we
were pent up with frustration. Fortunately, there is a way to get better at
noticing frustration: meditation. With meditation, you simply become more
attuned to feelings and sensations in your body. That way, when you notice that
frustration is coming up for you, you can take action to lower it instead of
taking it out on those you care about. One of the benefits of meditation is
that it helps you become more self-aware in the present moment. If you find
that you regularly have fits of rage or if you’ve gotten in trouble at work
over anger issues, you may find that meditation is helpful to prevent the
buildup of frustration within you.
2. Get some fresh air
While some parks, stores, and public places may be closed in
specific cities around the world, in most countries, no one is stopping you
from getting some fresh air. Whether you spend some time in your backyard or on
your balcony, getting some of that fresh air can do your body good. If you own
a pet, you might enjoy taking some time to walk it a few more times a day than
usual to get some of that warm sunshine glowing upon you. While outdoors, be
sure to mindfully breathe. Being out in nature is one of the best places you
can ever be. While you shouldn’t be hitting up your local beach, going for a
casual stroll by the water or in a forest can be a relaxing activity. But
remember to practice social distancing at this time. You never know who may be
contagious.
3. Exercise
Exercise is one of the healthiest ways to deal with
frustration. Instead of carrying all that pent up energy inside of you, you can
release it through your physical movements. During your most frustrated
moments, go for a run. If you’re feel really angry, you can gently punch the
air as you move forward. You’ll notice that it actually feels good. Even those
who don’t like running will find relief in a run when it comes to their
frustration. You can also do other cardio such as dance if you want to
transition from a mood of frustration to one of happiness. And if you’ve really
built up a ton of pent up frustration, maybe you’ll find some solace in weight
lifting. You can grunt every time you lift your weight up. And in all of these
cases, you’re improving your physical health and dealing with frustration in a
way that makes you stronger.
4. Practice nonviolent communication
Raise your hand if you’ve ever said something you shouldn’t
have when frustrated. Okay, don’t worry, me too. When we’re frustrated, we
sometimes use our words to hurt people we care about to get back at them for
causing the frustration. However, verbally attacking someone doesn’t solve the
problem, it only magnifies it. There’s an actionable book by Marshall Rosenberg
called Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life that
breaks down how to communicate your needs to other people. A cause of
frustration may stem from not having our needs met. However, if we fail to know
how to communicate those needs to others, we end up having to deal with
frustration for years. If you can invest some time to reading, this book may
help push you in the right direction.
5. Focus on positive visualization
Now we don’t want to be woo-woo about positive
visualization. Imagining yourself as a billionaire on a beach with zero cares
in the world can be a wild dream but deep down you know it’s not possible. Most
billionaires have more stress, not less. Kidding aside, positive visualization
can help calm your frustrations. You can use Declutter The Mind’s Visualization
for Anxiety meditation on the app to help you visualize a ball of
light flowing through you to help you ease the tension in your body. The aim of
the visualization is to shift your focus on something else to help you deal
with frustration.
6. Change the tone of your thoughts
Positive thinking alone won’t cure your frustration.
However, it can help you transition your thought process to a new path. Have
you ever found yourself thinking a negative thought and going down a rabbit
hole. And somehow this one thought magnifies into something so big you can’t
control it? How frustrating! Now you can recite every positive mantra in the
world but that’s not going to help you.
When a negative thought enters your mind, think of a piece
of evidence that counters it. For example, you might think to yourself, “I
forgot to buy eggs at the grocery store, I’m so forgetful.” However, telling
yourself that you’re a forgetful person is a permanent way to describe yourself
for making a tiny mistake. Instead, think to yourself, “I forgot to buy eggs because
I didn’t include it on the grocery list due to being busier than usual today. I
can pick some up tomorrow.” That way, you include a reason for not buying eggs
and you also include a solution proving that the problem is fixable.
7. Look for solutions, not problems
When we deal with frustration, we often put all of our focus
on the problem instead of the solution. When you find that a problem is growing
bigger, create a list of all the solutions. That way, you remind yourself that
the problem is fixable. Frustration is fixable too.
However, frustration goes away when we block the negativity
in our thoughts so that they don’t take something that makes us feel bad and
turn it into something that makes us raging mad, upset, or hurt. For instance,
say you feel frustrated being stuck at home. Right now, you might not be
allowed to leave your house so that won’t work as a solution. However, what can
you do to turn your home into a place you want to be? Maybe you can sign-up for
an online fitness class to release the tension. Or you can play an online game
to help entertain you. Or you can write ‘thinking of you’ cards to friends and
family to help make other people happy when they get a surprise in their
mailbox.
8. This too shall pass
Experiencing frustration is part of being human. However,
here’s some good news for you: frustration passes. When you find that burning
ball is in your chest, taking a deep breath, and remembering that this isn’t a
permanent state can help you deal with frustration. Obstacles and challenges
don’t last forever. They can be a huge pain in the butt as you deal with the
problem. However, nothing is permanent. Eventually, as time passes, you’ll
notice your frustrations do. Avoid making permanent decisions to solve
temporary problems. In this present moment, you’re in full control of how you
feel and react to your frustration. Choose your next step wisely.
9. Distract yourself
There are two types of frustrated people in the world: those
who ruminate on their thoughts and those who take action. Those who ruminate on
their thoughts tend to make a small problem an impossible one. And those who
take action usually by distracting themselves eventually move on. If you find
that something is frustrating you, it’s important to distract yourself with a
different task. Maybe you play anxiety relief games, exercise, or
watch a show. Avoid calling a friend to talk about your problem because that
may cause the rumination to escalate. You don’t need someone to agree with your
frustrations, you need someone who will help you let go of your frustrations.
Not every problem deserves a battle. And that doesn’t just include a battle
with other people, but also a battle in your mind.
10. Add a journal entry about it
Sometimes when you’re dealing with frustration, you want to
get a million things off of your chest. But the problem is, once the words come
out, they stay out. It can add tension to relationships and make bad situations
worse. Now, you probably don’t want to write your negative thoughts about
people or situations on paper. Paper can be found and accidentally read by
others. The best strategy is to type it all out and immediately deleting it
without sending it. If you think sharing your thoughts needs to be heard to
help you come to a solution, give yourself a few hours to cool down. And when
you do write something out be sure to include actions that you and others can
take to help resolve your frustrations.
