Have you ever felt like you were standing in the middle of a raging storm, an emotional storm? How did you find that calm, inner space and step out of the emotional whirlwind?
Do you remember the last time you found yourself caught in an emotional storm? What did you do to get out of it?
How can we better respond to events in life that we can’t control? How do we stop being emotionally reactive to everything?
We are human beings, emotional creatures.
We feel deeply. This is a wonderful thing until those feelings start to control us. Emotions are powerful, which is why learning how to manage and calm emotional storms is equally powerful.
For example, suppose someone cancels a meeting with you at the last minute, or you get rescheduled for an appointment. Do you spiral into frustration? Do you get angry? Maybe you find it a bit amusing, or perhaps you feel indifferent, unaffected by what just happened.
Can you step out of the emotional storm and let it pass? Or do you choose to hold a grudge?
The way we choose to handle emotional challenges directly affects everything we do. Letting emotions get the better of us is like sinking in quicksand, pulling us away from our goals.
Life is unimaginable without overcoming challenges and jumping over obstacles.
When these obstacles arise, we may feel compelled to react emotionally, throw our hands up, and give up.
Next time you find yourself in an emotional storm, take a moment and a deep breath. By doing this, you can pause and reflect rather than react.
Deep Breathing
When you’re in an emotional storm and overwhelmed with stress, you usually start to breathe faster because your body is preparing to fight or flee, or you might hold your breath.
Think of it like a magic spell: controlling your breath when you need it most can make you feel calm.
Science has proven that breathing is an effective strategy for managing daily stress and anxiety. It triggers neurons in the brain that signal the body it’s time to relax.
This means that when you focus on your breathing, you’re actually forcing your entire body to calm down, giving your mind more breathing space too. Best of all, it doesn’t take long, and you can do it anytime, anywhere.
Try this breathing exercise:
- Place one hand on your chest and the other on your abdomen.
- Close your mouth and breathe slowly through your nose.
- As you inhale, push your abdomen toward your hand—feel your stomach and hand rise.
- Hold for two seconds.
- Slowly exhale through your nose—feel your stomach deflate, your hand falling.
- Smile as you exhale (because smiling makes you feel happier); imagine a loved one or a happy place that makes you feel good—anything that brings a smile to your face.
