7 Surefire Ways to Release Your Pent-Up Anger

Anger is a natural human emotion, but when left unresolved or pent-up, it can have detrimental effects on our mental and physical well-being. Finding healthy outlets to release pent-up anger is essential for maintaining inner peace and emotional balance.

Like a good friend of mine says, “Anger is like rust. It will destroy you from the inside out.”

You have to find a way to get bitterness and resentment out of your system because if you don’t, you risk rotting from your core. You’ll create so much internal damage that you may never be able to fix it.

For that reason, the sooner you get a handle on whatever is gnawing away at you, the better off you are.

Understanding Pent-Up Anger

Pent-up anger refers to the accumulation of unresolved anger over time. It occurs when we suppress or avoid expressing our anger, leading to a build-up of negative emotions. Pent-up anger can manifest as irritability, resentment, and even physical symptoms like headaches or muscle tension. It is important to address and release this anger in order to maintain emotional well-being.

Here are seven surefire ways to help you release your pent-up anger in a way that will almost ensure that you live a life filled with happiness and love:

#1 – Take a breather

When you feel your temper start to flare, you’re better off walking away and taking a breather versus trying to stay in the situation and having it get explosive.

Although you may be working to rectify an issue, when anger gets the best of you, a quality solution is usually nowhere to be found. Instead, you act emotionally and all rationale goes out the window.

So, don’t be afraid to get far away when things get too tense. Yes, it may delay fixing the issues, but you’ll have fewer problems to fix than if you don’t leave when you should and say or do something you’ll regret.

It’s more or less a form of damage control. Besides, you’ll be able to think better once you can get out of the situation and clear your head a little.

#2 – Work it out of your body

When you have a lot of pent up negative emotions, it may be best to work them right out of your body via some exercise. Your body needs to get rid of the negative energy and physical activity is the healthiest way to achieve that goal.

You may be a person who feels instantly better with a long, slow walk or doing yoga. Or, maybe you’re a little more intense and need a hard workout that causes every pore in your body to sweat in order to feel relief.

Either way, you’ll notice the benefits of exercise almost immediately as your body releases feel good endorphins that will help push your negative attitude out of your body.

#3 – Don’t speak before you think

One of the worst things you can do when you’re angry is speak before you think about what you’re going to say.

Although your impulses may tempt you to lash out at whoever is hurting you, you’re much better off biting your tongue until you can prepare a response that works in your favor.

Granted, this can be very hard to do, especially if you’re involved in a heated discussion over something that you’re rather passionate about.

However, if you can exercise a little bit of control and restraint when the issue flares up, you’ll likely be taken more seriously when you finally respond with a well thought out answer.

#4 – Use creativity to get your anger out

Everyone deals with anger in their own way. And, if you have a creative side to you, the options are endless.

You can do just about any art or craft to get your mind off that which ails you. You can express your discomfort or dissatisfaction in a productive and constructive way that has an artistic flair.

Perhaps painting or drawing soothes you and distracts you from whatever is bothering you. Maybe you excel at poetry or writing and find that putting your thoughts and emotions to words is therapeutic.

It doesn’t matter what you do, just do something to help your body release its anger and start to heal.

#5 – Meditate

Sometimes the best way to calm your body is to spend some quality time alone in silence. Clear your mind of the issues that are plaguing you and focus your attention on something as basic as breathing.

You’ll notice that you’re more capable of dealing with whatever comes your way by performing this simple act on a regular basis.

There are many guided meditation videos on YouTube that will assist you if you are new to this anger releasing art.

You can also do it on your own by simply finding a nice quiet place to sit and focusing on the air as it enters and leaves your body. When your mind wanders, just bring it back to your breathing.

#6 – Keep your sense of humor

Admittedly, when tempers are at an all time high, it can be extremely difficult to keep your sense of humor. However, it is even more important at this point because life is only as intense as you allow it to be.

In other words, if you choose to look at whatever is happening as a life or death situation when it truly isn’t, you may wind up making the issue much worse than it needs to be.

Of course, there is a time and a place for humor so you have to keep that in mind. For example, if you’re in the middle of an important work meeting, an untimely one-liner or wisecrack can set off a series of bad events as it may appear that you’re not taking matters seriously.

But, keeping your sense of humor in other types of situations may just break the ice and let everyone else relax a bit as well.

#7 – Know when you’re in over your head

If you have an anger or hatred that you can’t release or shake off no matter how hard you try, then it is imperative that you realize that you’re in over your head.

Maybe it is time to seek professional help so that you can work toward a life that enhances and energizes you as opposed to one that drains the joy out of you and leaves you feeling lethargic and bitter.

There is no shame in seeking counseling or therapy for a little assistance.

Certified professionals can help give you the tools you need to overcome your issues so you can live a productive and happy life. Besides, it’s better than being mad all the time, isn’t it?

Let your anger go and learn to have fun again. Life is too short to do anything else.