Shifting negative feelings to positive feelings

Learn about: Shifting negative feelings to positive feelings from Marcy Axness, PhD,...
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Shifting negative feelings to positive feelings

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If you find yourself in the middle of an angry feeling or you are upset, there are a few go to tips that I have that you can do. Number one, breathe. Just take a few deep breaths, focus on your breath, hold it for a little bit of time. That helps oxygenate the blood that is running in your head, and that will help shift things. Notice and name. Sometimes it feels like we want to push away the bad feeling, but it helps if you say to yourself, "I'm really feeling angry," or "I'm really upset." Really just notice it, and that's mindfulness. Focus on appreciation. Pull up something that pulls up the appreciation from your emotional file cabinet, and then just steep yourself in it. It can be the thought of someone you love or something that someone did for you that was so kind. Steep yourself in that emotion. Our brain is pretty primitive and it can only really be in one thing at a time. Smile, even if you feel like you are in a bit of a funk. It will change your biochemistry. Then do something. I love a saying from "Constructive Living," which says, "Accept your emotions for what they are and then do what needs to be done." If the dishes are dirty, do them. If the floor is nasty, sweep. It is good to just do something physical.

Learn about: Shifting negative feelings to positive feelings from Marcy Axness, PhD,...

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Marcy Axness, PhD

Childhood Development Specialist

Marcy Axness, PhD, is an early development specialist, popular international speaker, and author of Parenting for Peace: Raising the Next Generation of Peacemakers. She is a top blogger at Mothering.com and a member of their expert panel. Featured in several documentary films as an expert in adoption, prenatal development and Waldorf education, Dr. Axness has a private practice coaching parents-in-progress. She considers as one of her most important credentials that she raised two peacemakers to share with the world -- Ian and Eve, both in their 20s. 

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