Things to do to Express Anger Safely
Hint: One should feel better, calmer, and more peaceful after expressing anger in one or more of these ways. Sometimes the body feels very tired. Breathing deeply while doing any of these things is recommended. Focus is important.
Punch a pillow.
Hit a mattress with a tennis racket. Pound clay.
Tear magazines.
Have a purposeful temper tantrum. Squash a piece of paper and throw it.
Draw a face of someone you’re mad at and jump on the paper, or tear it up, scrunch it and throw it.
Kick a can. Stomp on aluminum cans. Squeeze a towel.
Throw a wet washcloth against the wall in the bathtub. Talk into a tape recorder about your angry feelings.
Write about your angry feelings.
Write all the bad words you can think of.
Write a letter to the person you are mad at (but don’t mail it). Scream. Scream in the shower. Scream into a pillow.
Sing very loud in an angry way. Beat on a drum.
Do an angry dance to music. Growl into a mirror. Make faces.
Tape the bottom of your shoe with the name of person you are mad at and walk around.
Chew gum—imagine you are biting the person. Or bite a washcloth. Throw rocks into the ocean, or other safe place.
Throw ice cubes at a wall (and yell and scream).
Stuff a pillowcase with grass, draw a face on it, and hit it. Hit a tin trashcan with a baseball bat.
Throw balloons filled with water.
Collect twigs and sticks and break them.
Run or other physical activity while focusing on the anger.
Buy dishes at a thrift show and break them in a safe place. Or put them in a paper bag and hit with a hammer.
Pound nails into something—(watch your fingers.) Eat a carrot or an apple in an angry way.