What are we talking about today?
I know you love your kids, mama… and I also know that, sometimes, they drive you crazy. That’s just real life!
And those feelings of impatience, frustration, and anger make sense. The question is, how do you handle those emotions in the moment?
Yes, in an ideal world you’d be able to take a break, get away for a bit, and do something calming and relaxing. You’d get a manicure, take a bubble bath, or take a nap to calm yourself down.
But in real life, we typically need to continue the interaction. We have to stay in the moment, and we have to find ways to deal with those hard emotions quickly and calmly.
That’s why today, I’m sharing 10 ideas for what you can do in the hot-button moment to calm yourself down in 60 seconds or less.
Ready? Let’s dive in.
Listen to Episode 97:
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More resources for you!
If today’s topic is meaningful to you, these resources will give some additional support:
- The 40 Day Devotional on Anger and Emotional Controlwill lead you deep into God’s Word for his wisdom and help in these issues.
- The free Conflict Resolution Checklist might be helpful for you.
[This post may contain affiliate links. If a purchase is made, I may receive a small commission at no extra charge to you.]
Today's Episode Highlights
Emotions are tough. Sure, we love the joy and purpose and happiness of motherhood. But what about the frustrations? The mom anger that bubbles over? The impatience, doubt, and second-guessing?
Trust me – I’ve been a family counselor for over 10 years. If you struggle with anger and frustration sometimes with your kids, you are not alone!
We’ve all been there.
And I’ve found over the years that these quick little actions can help things calm down faster than you’d think.
10 Actions to Calm Down Fast
- Pause and take some slow, deep breaths. Send your body the message that everything is okay and no escalation is needed.
- Redirect your attention… distract yourself! It works with our kids (sometimes) and it can help us too.
- Make a gratitude list in the moment. Maybe even say it out loud to the person – you’ll definitely change the tone of the interaction!
- Pray. It can be quick or long. But if our emotions are about to get the best of us, we need the Holy Spirit’s help as soon as possible.
- Read a verse of Scripture. This works best if you have it memorized or in a home decoration, but you can grab your Bible too. Maybe you can memorize some verses specifically about anger.
- Turn on some music – hopefully, upbeat, Christ-centered music! This greatly influences our emotions.
- Eat a snack. It’s true, we get hangry and the simple act of a bite to eat can calm our emotions.
- Get out some physical energy. Squeeze a wet washcloth, do some jumping jacks, or tighten muscles in your body one at a time and then let go really quickly to release the tension.
- Do something random or funny to make yourself or others laugh. Whether the response is “what?!” or laughter, you’re changing the dynamic and breaking the tension.
- Do something to purposefully fill someone else’s love tank at that moment. Smile at them, hug them, say a kind word, do something for them, or send a text.
Want more encouragement on this topic?
Check out these other episodes for more biblical encouragement and practical tips on this topic:
- Episode 38 // One simple strategy that will reduce your kids’ temper tantrums and help them (and you!) manage emotions better and develop good coping skills: less anger, less yelling, and MORE bonding
- Episode 31 // Keep your cool, mama! Here’s my quick 4-step process for handling frustration and impatience with my kids… no yelling, door slamming, or anger management necessary.
- Episode 47 // 7 powerful Bible passages to help you manage impatience, anger, and emotional control
- Episode 77 // Don’t let stress trigger your mom anger: Use my 6 step process to stay calm and keep a peaceful home even during stressful seasons
And don’t forget to grab a resource or two that will help you LOVE Christian family life!
Friday Faith Follow-up
God cares deeply about our relationships. That’s one of the reasons why He addresses our emotions so often – because they have a huge impact on our relationships!
A great section of Scripture to help us understand what God wants for our anger and our response to it can be found in Ephesians 4. Let’s dive in for a short devotional and God’s wisdom in handling our mom anger as quickly as possible.
Hey, before you go!
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Hugs & blessings to you, my friend! I’ll talk to you soon.
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A reminder of the Disclaimers & Disclosures Policy: I am an affiliate with many of the resources I recommend, which means I may receive a small commission if you make a purchase through my provided links. I never recommend products I don’t love! Also, I am a licensed therapist but this podcast is not therapy. It is not professional or personal advice to your specific situation. Get info about professional counseling here.