13 Ways to Keep Your Emotions In Check

Our emotions can get the best of us.

Flippant responses can hurt your relationships and get in your own way. Burying your feelings is not the answer. But there are easy strategies you can follow to keep them in check.

Observe impact of your emotions. See what works and what causes damage. Strong self-assessment is key.

Track your internal traffic light. Green is good. Yellow means slow down, be careful. Red means get out of the situation.

Meditation and mindfulness. These can help increase your awareness and gain control of your response.

Regulation not repression. Keep emotions in check—don't bury them, or else they will build toward eventual eruption.

Seek professional help. Only you know your story, a professional can give advice that works for your situation.

Keep a mood journal. Externalizing your feelings can help you better address them in a healthy way.

Breathing exercise. Deep breaths can help to ground you and give you a calmer perspective on your situation.

Creative outlets. Channel your emotional energy into something creative, externalizing your situation.

Self-reflection. Take the time to observe your past behaviors and reflect on how you can improve.

Find a friend. A good friend can provide insight and relieve stress just by being present with you.

Drink water. Your body and brain function begins to suffer when you are dehydrated. Easy fix—drink more water!

Exercise. Getting the blood flowing will release endorphins which can lessen the impact of emotional pain.

Sleep. When you have a deficit of sleep, it can become quite difficult to keep our emotional outbursts at bay.