Fight Short Temperedness

• “Patience is not the ability to wait, but the ability to keep a good attitude while waiting.” – Joyce Meyer
• “Anger is an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it is stored than to anything on which it is poured.” – Mark Twain
• “Anger is a wind which blows out the lamp of the mind.” – Robert G. Ingersoll
• “Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned.” – Buddha
• “The greatest remedy for anger is delay.” – Seneca
• “Anger is a brief madness.” – Horace
• “Speak when you are angry and you will make the best speech you will ever regret.” – Ambrose Bierce
• “Anger is never without a reason, but seldom with a good one.” – Benjamin Franklin

It can be difficult to manage a short temper and impulse control is a skill many of us strive to develop, especially in our personal relationships. We may recognize that we have a short temper, but self-reflection and self-honesty are the first steps to controlling it. There are some tactics we can use to work on building patience to fight our short-temperedness.

First, practice mindfulness. It can be helpful to take a few minutes to be in the present moment, take deep breaths, and recognize any physical sensations, thoughts, or feelings in order to develop awareness. This is a useful tool to halt an impulsive reaction and give us time to reflect before responding. Another useful tool is to acknowledge our feelings and accept them instead of avoiding or pushing them away. Notice how our feelings progress and change once they are acknowledged, which can allow us to move through our emotions in a healthy and constructive way.

Even when it is hard, try to take a step back from a difficult situation for a few minutes. This gives us space to gain perspective and recognize our reactions rather than be overwhelmed by them. It is okay to move away and create a break before we address a situation. In addition to self-reflection, try to modify your environment by being prepared for potential triggers. If you know certain situations can set off a short temper, plan ahead to anticipate and reduce any potential stressors.

Develop Growth Mindset

We should try and develop a growth mindset. A growth mindset is a way of approaching challenges and challenges that are not seen as obstacles, but instead as opportunities to learn and develop. This mindset allows us to be more open to different points of view and more accepting of constructive feedback. It also increases our ability to be flexible and resilient in difficult situations.

We also need to curtail unrealistic expectations. We are all human, and we will make mistakes. There is no need to be hard on ourselves or expect perfection. Aim to practice self-compassion and be gentle with ourselves when we make a mistake or fall short of expectations. We should focus on the process and how far we have come, rather than how close we are to perfection.

A positive attitude is important when it comes to managing our short-temperedness. Avoid negative self-talk and impulsive reactions, and instead focus on developing healthy habits and a stronger emotional regulation. With practice and dedication, we can control our emotional responses and create healthier relationships.

Consider Professional Help

In some cases, short-temperedness can be more serious and require professional help. If the strategies discussed above are not managing the level of short-temperedness, it may be worthwhile to seek professional advice from a licensed mental health practitioner. Do not be afraid to ask for help if your short-temperedness is uncontrollable and having serious implications for your relationships, career, or wellbeing.

It can be difficult to work out the cause of our short-temperedness. Speaking to a mental health professional can help to explore the potential root causes and develop strategies to help manage and reduce our short temper. With specialist assistance, we can further develop our tools to manage our feelings in a healthy and constructive way.

Evaluate Triggers

It can be helpful to identify our triggers. Situations, people, and emotions that evoke a strong reaction can provide insight into when and how we react. This allows us to become aware of our emotions and gain a better understanding of ourselves. It is important to recognize what sets off our short-temperedness and work on ways to stop our negative reactions.

By noticing our reactions, we can stop them from spiralling and further disrupting our emotional state. Once we take some time to evaluate our triggers, we can work on our strategies to manage them. This will create healthier relationships, provide better emotional stability, and increase our resilience when dealing with difficult situations.

Recognise Unhelpful Thoughts

Our thoughts can have a major impact on our emotional state. It is important to recognize unhelpful thoughts and take the time to challenge them. We may not be able to turn off our thoughts completely, but we can change their impact by challenging their accuracy and validity. This can reduce the intensity of our negative emotions, which will in turn reduce our short temper.

By using healthy coping strategies and challenging our unhelpful thoughts, we can manage our emotional reactions in a constructive way and develop stronger impulse control. This takes practice, but by being persistent and patient, we can achieve positive results and learn to better manage our short-temperedness.

We should also practice positive self-talk. We should speak to ourselves in the same way we would speak to a friend. Be kind and compassionate to yourself, and focus on the positive aspects of a situation. This will help us to take a more balanced and healthier approach to our emotions.