Hey guys, I'm looking for different ways to be mindful and control anger? Please share your thoughts ...
Best time to practice is when you’re not angry at all. Getting a good feel for your baseline sense of felt experience and having gratitude for it. I can recognize my anger trigger stories and choose not to wade into them and embarrass myself, and I acknowledge my wrongs on the other side of anger and allow myself to feel the healthy shame. I also try to remember the simple equation that “I perceive injustice then feel anger.” which is true of how most people operate. I commonly believe I have all the relevant information necessary to justify passing judgment on others (and myself) later to find out I missed a chunk of the story. I’ve also chosen not to hold a stressful job (coworkers / people being the most common form of unhealthy stress for me) can wear me down emotionally which can make it more difficult to maintain inner peace. For a while I had to drive to the park daily for the restful state of peace I couldn’t get anywhere else. So find the life where you aren’t as angry and move into it.
The DBT “check the facts” exercise is a great one for keeping your logical mind functioning over your emotional one, and it’s free online. There are a lot of CBT and DBT tips connected to mindfulness online that may help, but some will work better than others. Are you looking to counteract irrational anger? Maybe try memorizing a loving kindness mediation. If you need to let off some physical and mental energy, you could practice mindfully walking or doing a chore. If you need to self-soothe, mindful eating is a great one. The most important tip I’ve been given about using mindfulness in recovery is not to be a perfectionist about it. The process IS the goal, and distractions/frustrations are going to happen. The victory of mindfulness is in noticing when we’re distracted, and gently redirecting our attention where we choose to
Ten Percent Happier is a great resource, and they have a free blog too