10 Ways to Deal With Frustration
In life, things don’t always go according to plan. Sometimes, things go wrong. Other times, people frustrate or annoy us. And when you’re forced to deal with all of these feelings while isolated from the world around you, the challenge of frustration grows. Today, most of the world is being asked to stay home and avoid going out
Exercise
Release pent up energy through physical movements
- Go for a run or other form of exercise to release pent-up energy
- Strength training: grunt every time you lift your weight up
- Other forms of exercise: dance, weight lifting, etc.
Different experiences
We all see the world through our own unique lens
- Two people can go through a similar event and perceive the event in completely different ways
- You can’t blame someone else for making you become a certain way
- There’s so much that shapes who we become
- And that can lead to frustration
Dealing with frustration
Frustration is a temporary emotion. Using some of the strategies above you can take actions to deal with frustration.
- Using meditation, you can become more aware of the feelings before they fully surface
- Releasing your frustration through exercise can also be beneficial to help you cope with it
Practice nonviolent communication
When we’re frustrated, we sometimes use our words to hurt people we care about to get back at them for causing the frustration. But, verbally attacking someone doesn’t solve the problem, it only magnifies it.
- An actionable book by Marshall Rosenberg called Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life that breaks down how to communicate your needs to other people may help you in this regard.
Change the tone of your thoughts
When a negative thought enters your mind, think of a piece of evidence that counters it.
- For example, you might think to yourself, “I forgot to buy eggs at the grocery store, I’m so forgetful.”
- Include a reason for not buying eggs and a solution proving that the problem is fixable.
Poor communication
Often, we fail to communicate in a way that other people understand
- You need to be more explicit when describing your needs to another person
- Most people underperform at communicating their thoughts, so you’ll need to try to pick up the subtext and explicitly call it out
Lack of progress
We want to grow, change, and evolve.
Get some fresh air
Being out in nature is one of the best places you can ever be.
- A stroll by the water or in a forest can be a relaxing activity. Remember to practice social distancing at this time. You never know who may be contagious.
Look for solutions, not problems
Block the negativity in your thoughts so that you don’t let it build up.
- Create a list of all the solutions to a problem so you can stay focused on the solution instead of the problem itself
- For instance, if you are frustrated at being stuck at home, try signing up for an online fitness class to release tension.
This too shall pass
When you find that burning ball is in your chest, taking a deep breath, and remembering that this isn’t a permanent state can help you deal with frustration.
- Nothing is permanent, and as time passes, frustrations will ease. Avoid making permanent decisions to solve temporary problems.
Focus on positive visualization
Visualize a ball of light flowing through you to help you ease the tension in your body.
- The aim of the visualization is to shift your focus away from your frustration and focus on something else to help deal with that same amount of tension.
Distract yourself
There are two types of frustrated people: those who ruminate on their thoughts and those who take action
- If you find something frustrating you, distract yourself with a different task to clear your mind
- Avoid calling a friend to talk about your problem because that may cause the rumination to escalate
Add a journal entry about it
Once the words come out, they can add tension to relationships and make bad situations worse
- Do not write your negative thoughts down on paper – it can be read by others
- Give yourself a few hours to cool down before writing, and include actions you and others can take to resolve your frustrations
Meditate
Meditation helps you become more attuned to feelings and sensations in your body.
- When you notice that frustration is coming up, you can take action to lower it instead of taking it out on those you care about
- It helps you be more self-aware in the present moment, and prevent frustration from building up.