Must-Read: How to Overcome Anger in Seconds

How many times have you gotten upset about something, only to realize once you've cooled off that it wasn't worth getting so worked up over?

We've all been there.

Human beings are highly emotional, volatile creatures. When we're having a bad day, it doesn't take much for us to fly off the handle. Even the slightest inconvenience or annoyance can set us off.

Today I want to share with you a quick and easy way to squelch that anger in a matter of seconds.

Ready?

Here it goes...

When you find yourself up in arms about you, take a deep breath and ask yourself a simple question:

Is this something that I'll be upset about a week from now? A month from now? A year from now? Five years from now?

I guarantee you that in nearly all cases, the answer will be no. You're merely caught in the moment and only thinking of the present, not the future.

Your spouse accidentally dropped and broke your favorite mug. Your co-worker spilled coffee on your desk. Your car isn't starting up. The neighbor's dog doesn't stop barking.

These are all things that can surely aggravate any person, but they're not, as people say, the end of the world. (However, if your partner breaks up with you or you get injured in a car accident, those are more serious circumstances whose effects you may still be reeling from years from now.)

The issue may be resolved in an hour if not a matter of seconds (e.g., clean desk, dog stops barking) but we don't always think clearly when we're so fired up. Anger gets in the way of rationalization.

If we simply stop to ask ourselves whether we're making mountains out of molehills, that alone can help us calm down and focus on resolving the issue rather than magnifying it.

So, next time you find yourself seething over something that seems a big deal at first, try this strategy out. You may just find you were giving it way too much importance.

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