07-09 Release Frustration

07 Check Your Mental Playlist

‘What are the top five feelings on your emotional playlist?’ asks Oren Jay Sofer, a meditation teacher who appears on the Ten Percent Happier app. Are you frustrated, angry, judgemental? Acknowledging what you are feeling and how often the feelings arise can help you see those emotions for what they are. And that can help you manage them.

08 Hear People Out, Even When It’s Hard

When you’re dealing with someone difficult, tell them, ‘I hear you,’ says Bill Eddy, co-founder of High Conflict Institute.

You don’t have to say that they’re right, but you should sincerely acknowledge their frustration, even if that’s the opposite of what you want to do. Showing that you’re listening can help to calm the situation down.

09 Be Less Predictable

A little change to your daily habits may lead to a happier life, suggests a study in Nature Neuroscience. Novelty drives dopamine release, which makes you feel good. Go small: try reengineering your morning routine or walking a different route on your lunchbreak.