If YOU are becoming angry

STEP 1 RECOGNISE THE SIGNS

Grant tells us that before you can even unpack the reasons behind your frustration and deal with them accordingly, you need to understand the early, often physical signs. “You may be clenching your teeth, tensing your muscles, shaking, feeling flushed and hot in the face, and your ‘self-talk’ has become negative,” says Grant.

STEP 2 UNDERSTAND THE WHY

This is where you can start to analyse your triggers without playing the blame game. “Understand that it is not the other person or the situation that is making you angry but what you are saying to yourself about the situation,” he says.

STEP 3 BE COOL, CALM, COLLECTED

Grant recommends taking a deep breath and putting a small smile on your face to trick your brain into thinking you’re not actually angry. “Changing your self-talk to, ‘I either need to let this go, or work to get a solution to the situation occurring’ [will be a huge help too],” he adds.

STEP 4 TAKE NOTE FOR NEXT TIME

They say practice makes perfect, and the same goes with being able to control your anger. “Start noting what type of situations set you on the road to becoming a ‘hothead’,” says Grant. “Is it when you think things are not fair? When someone has let you down or lied to you? Or perhaps had a go at you or put you down? Work out the situations that you react angrily to and make a pact with yourself to find a more constructive and solution focused way to deal with them – you control you!”