On My Mind: Emotions

The second installment of the recurring student-written blog series "On My Mind" was conceived and written by Grace. As part of the in-house marketing ​internship through their High School Bridges class, Seniors Alix and Grace write about things that are on the minds of Stanbridge students and post them on our website's blog. Be sure to check back regularly for new posts!

​Nobody has just three emotions, like, sad, angry, and happy. We all have different types of emotions – simple ones, such as jealousy, and more complicated ones, like feeling down or depressed.

Everyone has emotions, or reactions, depending on the situation. Some people lash out with their response on others when they can’t handle the situation that they’re currently in. Others may cope better with their emotions, and not blame other people.

Today, I sat down to interview James Warren, one of the Stanbridge counselors, who gave me some advice about how people can regulate their emotions when they feel frustrated.

Here’s a brief recap of my interview with James, in my own words:
Q: How do you regulate your emotions? When should you ask for help?

• A: Remind yourself to take slow, deep breaths to help calm you. If you still feel frustrated,  make sure you’re calm before you talk to someone.

Q: What can I do to stop myself from overreacting?

• A: Before you overreact, again take deep breaths. Then ask yourself what is the size of the problem. For example, say you are finishing a test in class. You feel so stressed on the last problem that you want to tear it up to make the problem go away. You can pause and ask yourself, “Is this worth getting angry over?” Maybe think to yourself, is it a HUGE problem or a small, tiny problem? This might help you to be less impulsive, and maybe people feel safer around you. Assessing the situation, and how big of the problem it really is, might help you when you are at a job, college, etc.

I would like to continue the tips from the interview, but I think you all got the main idea. Thanks to JW for letting me interview him today.

Make it a good day or not, the choice is up to you!

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