Deep breathing can be an easy yet effective way to reduce stress. Through regular practice, this practice may also improve overall health.
Alongside Becky and white tears tropes, Karen has become one of the most commonly used terms to denote an ignorant white woman unaware of her privilege. If an angry Karens needs assistance breathing deeply then practicing deep breathing techniques could be of great assistance to them.
1. Deep Breathing
“Just take a deep breath” has long been used as an ineffective mantra, yet people often don’t recognize its immense wisdom and effectiveness. Deep breathing (also referred to as pranayama in yoga) has long been used as an effective means to soothe nerves; indeed, ancient traditions used this practice and more recent research confirm its success.
Whenever we feel stressed or anxious, our breathing tends to shorten and become shallower as our automatic nervous system regulates involuntary activities like heart rate and digestion involuntary responses – including heart rate and digestion – via two systems of response: sympathetic (flight-or-flight) and parasympathetic (rest-and-relax). Deep breathing can help calm this type of response by regulating cortisol production while slowing heart rates down, ultimately helping lower blood pressure.
To practice deep breathing effectively, find a comfortable place to sit or lie down with your back straight and feet flat on the floor (or chair arms support if sitting) – taking in normal breath through nose, then slowly lengthening inhalations and exhalation length until chest, ribs and belly expand while breathing out and in. Try counting length of inhale/exhale cycles for added focus on breathwork.
There are various techniques for incorporating deep breathing into your daily routine; experiment and find one that feels comfortable for you. Combine the practice with imagery or mantra to further relax both mind and body. However, for maximum effect it is best to practice regularly until it becomes part of your regular routine and becomes second nature; that way your ability to use deep breathing in stressful or anxiety-inducing situations increases dramatically over time. Deep breathing has many other benefits beyond stress relief such as improved sleep quality, mental wellbeing and controlling eating patterns and emotional reactions like anger reduction.
2. Relaxation Techniques
Relaxation techniques have proven helpful for many in reducing emotional arousal, including anger. In addition to deep breathing, these relaxation strategies may include mindfulness and meditation practices that involve focusing on the present moment without judgment; and yoga as a form of self-calming for mind and body. Other relaxation strategies may include progressive muscle relaxation involving contracting and relaxing each muscle group separately and guided visualization, where mental images provide a journey that promotes relaxation.
Relaxation techniques are typically inexpensive or free, with minimal risks involved and can be done anywhere. But to experience their full effect, regular practice must be adhered to so as to reap maximum results from these practices.
Breathing exercises are an effective way to manage anger without needing to find a quiet space and set aside time for them. Instead, simply begin with the 4-7-8 breathing exercise: inhale through your nose for four counts before holding for seven seconds before slowly exhaling through your mouth while counting to eight. This technique, which is frequently employed in yoga and meditation practices, activates the parasympathetic nervous system which reduces heart rate while slowing breathing rate.
Other breathing exercises involve changing from chest-only breaths to deep abdominal breathing, so be sure you’re in an area without interruptions for this exercise. Or try guided visualization meditation practice – visualizing a peaceful scene to relieve tension and decrease stress levels!
When you notice yourself becoming upset or distressed, take a step back and focus on your breathing for at least 20-30 minutes to help soothe yourself back down. This will allow you to return to a state of normalcy while improving impulse control.
As well as practicing breathing exercises, you can also release tension in your neck and shoulders by deliberately rolling your head gently from side to side as you inhale, then back again upon exhale. In case other areas of tension exist in your body, make note of any physical sensations with which you experience discomfort – recording them in an anger diary is also helpful in this regard.
3. Self-Compassion
Karen struggles to show empathy for others who do not share her perspective. She can be self-indulgent and arrogant, and completely immersed in her own world of “Karen.” Karen disdains dogs, cats, her friend’s cat, trees outside their home and the neighbors’ tree as well as people working at Starbucks, non-Americans living on the other side of the street as well as authority figures such as tax collectors as she sees things her way.
Individuals who practice self-compassion are better at accepting themselves without becoming self-critical; rather, they’re able to acknowledge their shortcomings with kindness when they arise and treat themselves accordingly. Self-compassion allows an individual to build connection with other humans and has been found effective against defensive strategies like self-criticism (Neff 2003b).
Researchers have identified multiple components of self-compassion, including common humanity – which refers to the notion that all people experience difficulties and hardships. Common humanity helps reduce feelings of isolation when experiencing challenges and fosters an accepting mindset for personal shortcomings (Neff 2003a). Additionally, this component encourages individuals to see missteps as part of life rather than unique incidents that define them uniquely (Neff 2003b).
Self-compassion has been found to have significant positive effects on many aspects of internal experience, and can be enhanced through various exercises. One practice recommended by Neff involves writing yourself letters each day from the viewpoint of a kind friend for one week – this can increase mindfulness while likely having positive ramifications on one’s self-compassion (Neff 2009).
Some individuals may find practicing self-compassion daunting, especially teens who fear they won’t remain motivated to complete homework and study for tests. A counselor can be invaluable when it comes to helping someone become more self-compassionate; providing supportive environments, teaching coping techniques, and helping individuals identify reasons why they may be critical of themselves.
4. Empathy
Emotionally healthy people and individuals who rely on empathy as the basis for their behaviors tend to enjoy better emotional wellbeing and demonstrate more prosocial traits. Empathy can be developed through practice and self-reflection; surrounding yourself with positive and uplifting people, engaging in activities that foster compassion and empathy, and seeking to understand other perspectives may all help cultivate it.
As soon as someone experiences something negative, their empathy skills may deteriorate to such an extent that it becomes impossible for them to empathize with others and thus leads to emotional distancing which in turn creates feelings of resentment, anger, frustration and depression. Furthermore, this emotional distance may interfere with interpersonal relationships. To avoid this happening again in future relationships and prevent difficulties among them; an Angry Karen must learn how to retrain their empathy skills.
One effective method of cultivating and strengthening empathy responses is through active listening techniques. Active listening involves giving complete and undivided attention to another person while taking note of what they say, reflecting back, and seeking to understand their perspective – this can be accomplished by asking questions and listening carefully for answers; mindfulness techniques also aid this practice as they allow one to be aware of emotions and triggers that might cause one to act negatively.
Learn the Root Causes of Issues To enhance empathetic responses, study the roots causes of various social issues. This will open your eyes to different perspectives and teach you how to approach difficult situations more easily – for instance prison violence can help make empathizing with those incarcerated easier; additionally it provides greater insight into homelessness, poverty and other social problems that exist today.
An essential aspect of developing empathy is forgiving others who have done wrong to us, rather than holding onto anger and resentment. Doing this will allow us to move on with life more peacefully.
Forgiveness is an individual choice and may be difficult for some. But choosing to forgive can have profound positive ramifications for both yourself and those around you, helping avoid Empathy Deficit Disorder which has gained widespread attention online; though not scientifically validated yet it could be linked with mental disorders like depression or anxiety.
