If you’re dealing with stress, anxiety, anger, irritability, or over-stimulation, these techniques will help you gain control of your emotions and calm down fast. The bonus of being able to manage your emotions well is that you teach your children to manage theirs in the process. You can even share this list with your child and perhaps do some of the techniques together.

1. Place your hand over your heart, close your eyes, and take slow, deep breaths.

2. Pretend you are being watched or recorded.

3. Laminate a baby photo of your child and carry it in your pocket. Look at it when you feel anger rising.

4. Move your body. Do 10 jumping jacks or pushups.

5. Step outside and get a breath of fresh air.

6. Pull out your favorite book and read a few paragraphs.

7. Keep a notepad of inspirational quotes in your purse. Read them to reset.

8. Close your eyes and visualize your happy place. A beach? A forest? A concert?

9. Repeat a mantra such as “I am safe” or “I choose love.”

10. Smell something calming, like lavender oil, your favorite perfume, or baby shampoo.

11. Focus on your five senses. Notice what you see, hear, smell, taste, and feel in that moment.

12. Press the pressure point between your eyebrows to relieve stress.

13. Give yourself a hand massage. Use the thumb of one hand to press around the palm of your other hand and then switch.

14. Wear something that reminds you to choose love, like this bracelet. Touch it when you begin to feel angry and twirl it around your wrist.

15. Close your eyes and just be still. Author Elaine Aron says that 80 percent of our sensory stimulation comes in through our eyes, so for those of us who are highly sensitive, shutting that out can give our brain a much needed break.

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