Dealing with a situation that makes you angry.
Before we do this exercise just take a moment to ground yourself.
Make sure that you are seated or standing in a way,
Such a way that you are supported.
Bend your attention down to your feet.
Be aware of the soles of your feet,
The tops of your feet,
Your ankles.
How do they feel?
How relaxed are they?
How firmly planted are they?
Which bits of your feet are touching the ground?
From this grounded state bring to mind that situation which frustrates or angers you.
If there is a picture in your mind's eye,
What is it?
Where in your mind's field of vision is it?
Are there any sounds associated with it?
Is there any soundtrack in your head,
Any monologue,
Anything you are saying to yourself?
How do you feel about this situation?
Are there any other emotions?
Whereabouts in your body do these emotions reside?
Now that you have clearly defined the situation in your mind,
Imagine what it would be like if you could shrink that image.
If you could make it look far away.
How would it be if you could turn down the volume?
What if you were to change the things you were saying to yourself?
Breathe into that part of you where you are holding the emotions and sensations attached to the situation.
Notice whether that emotion lessens.
What would it be like if you could move it outside of your body?
What would you have instead?
Now shrink the image even further so it's so small that you can't even see it properly.
Drain it of any colour.
Turn the volume down on the sounds.
What's your favourite piece of music?
What if you were to play that in your head instead?
Notice whether the emotion has left your body.
Notice how it has changed.
Notice now in this space,
Without that emotion,
Without that unhelpful image,
With the volume turned down in the words that you say to yourself different,
How that is.
How would you like to feel instead?
Where would that feeling be in your body?
What would you be saying?
What would you tell yourself?
How would you hold yourself?
How would it be if you could maximise this preferred feeling?
Try it now.
Just be with yourself for a moment.
Notice your breathing before you bring your attention back down to your feet.
Notice how they're feeling.
Notice your connection with the earth and give yourself a little smile and a thank you for taking the time to look after yourself.
