7 tips that will help you develop emotional control

Having emotional control in the face of some situations seems quite difficult. However, it is very important not to solve everything impulsively, giving yourself time to think. To help you with the task of working on controlling emotions, check out the tips from psychologist Thalita Cavalcante Freire (CRP 06/117972), from the São Camilo de São Paulo Hospital Network, on this topic.

What is emotional control

According to Thalita, “emotional control is the ability of a person to understand their own emotional reactions and to strive to see the reality of the situation, not allowing them to affect their life in a negative way”. That is, it involves a practice to avoid that whirlwind of feelings, understand what affects you and avoid negative emotions.

How to develop emotional control

The psychologist gave some tips, which can be applied in your daily life, to help you develop emotional control. Check it out below:

1. Respect your limits

For psychologist Thalita, “to have more emotional control, you need to know the limits of each of your actions”.

2. Understand that everyone has problems

The psychologist commented that “it is important to think that everyone has problems and difficulties. Life is a box of surprises, so it is sometimes difficult to control emotions.” The goal is to realize that you are not alone and you are not the only one facing everyday situations.

3. Avoid making decisions in the heat of the moment

Thalita cited that in the heat of the moment you are more likely to act on emotions and put reason aside. “When you feel like you can’t handle a certain situation, look for new possibilities for action and think: what can I do differently?”, recommended the professional.

4. Work on breathing

Breathing techniques are directly related to the previous tip. In order not to make decisions in the heat of the moment, it is better to breathe to calm down. Thalita explained that this involves working on low breathing, filling the lungs completely. “You can breathe in, counting to four and then breathe out, also counting to four,” she indicated.

5. Learning from problems and mistakes

The psychologist commented that mistakes and problems can be seen in a positive way, as a learning experience. For her, “it is possible to experiment, reflect and create new meanings. You have to look at emotions because they provide clues about what is going on and what really matters.”

6. Practice physical exercises

Physical exercises can also help work on emotional control, as they relax the mind. Thalita commented that you can bet on something you like and use the moment of physical activity to reflect. Again, she highlighted the question: “What can you do differently? This simple question can help you find new skills and a better solution to the problem, so you’ll do the best you can.”

7. Seek psychological support

According to Thalita, psychological counseling helps to identify difficulties and what bothers you the most, letting emotions dominate you. She also mentioned that “it is necessary to avoid excessive feelings about events, people or the environment, especially negative emotions. After all, these attitudes will only make the problem difficult to solve and will also lead to emotional imbalance.”

The psychologist explained that “the emotional is important for the survival of an organism, being a direct, useful and short-lived response, which prepares it for action and helps to deal with the situation quickly”. However, unlike other species, you don’t have to be dominated by emotions and can learn to control them.

Videos on emotional control to help you understand your emotions

Check out some videos about emotional control below that will help you understand how not to let emotions dominate you and use them to your advantage:

How to deal with emotions without running away from them

The video explains what emotional control is, as well as reminding you that it is not possible to escape emotions. Among the recommendations are physical exercises, not focusing on negative situations, meditating and breathing. Watch!

The first step to developing emotional control

Focusing on not acting in the heat of the moment, the video cites some situations and possible reactions, helping to differentiate when emotions are in control and when you just ignore them.

Tips for emotional control in relationships

In this video, you check out four tips to work on emotional control in relationships, including the issue of mistakes, stop blaming yourself and learn from them. Also, understand the importance of self-love and taking time for yourself.

As you can see, emotional control is something that needs to be exercised every day. Now, enjoy and also check out the article on emotional maturity.

The information contained on this page is for informational purposes only. They do not replace the advice and follow-up of doctors, nutritionists, psychologists, physical education professionals and other specialists.