Creative Child January 2022 | Page 21

• Channel that energy into something positive and creative . Try dancing , painting , drawing , or writing poetry . Creative expression is a great way to release pent up anger and anxiety .
• Harness that small space between stimulus and response . Ronald Potter-Efron , PhD , coauthor of Letting Go of Anger , says that studies show that the neurological anger response lasts less than 2 seconds . Beyond that , it takes a commitment to stay angry . In other words , if you don ’ t add fuel to the fire , it will burn out really quickly . The problem is that it is so easy to add fuel when we feel wronged in some way , and it ’ s our negative thoughts that fan the flames . Try to just observe the emotion and let it pass by deep breathing as you repeat a mantra like “ I am safe .”
It goes without saying that proper sleep , nutrition , and exercise go a long way in improving your physical and emotional health as well , so please make yourself a priority . The better you feel , the better you show up for your children . Mom rage is a difficult subject to talk about , but rest assured you are not alone . If you can find the courage to open up and ask for help , I feel confident you will find the support you need . •
20