09/10/2026
Emotional Intelligence Public Offense #1: Someone telling you to "just stay calm" when you're *clearly* having big feelings. 😠
Although it might sound fun to spit back a retort ("Wow, calm down, never thought of that before!"). . . what if there were some actually helpful strategies you could use instead?
This article shares 15 self-regulation strategies backed by evidence, broken into 3 categories based on how much bandwidth you have to access your rational brain.
One quick disclaimer: Like anything real, these tools take practice. They might not be effective the first time you try them. That's okay. The important thing is THAT you try.
Likewise, the same strategy might not be right for every situation. Experiment. Take it as a learning experience.
And whatever you do, don't try to prescribe someone else's emotions—not even your own!
In tough moments, the main thing is to acknowledge what's happening. That way, you can focus on skillful damage control instead of spinning out. 🙏
Evidence-based emotional regulation exercises for adults from DBT, somatic therapy, CBT, and self-compassion research. Try them today.