The last blog entry talked about the feelings you could have while being bullied. For this entry, I want to talk about how to get rid of anger, which is a common feeling when you're being bullied. These exercises can work with anger caused by anything, not just bullying. Of course, the same things might not work for everyone and you might discover others on your own too. However, here are some suggestions:

One way of getting rid of anger is to release it from your body using physical activity. This could, for example, be hitting a pillow, or shadow-boxing, or running on the spot. Anything that moves your arms a lot, and your legs if possible. Another way of calming you down if you're angry is box breathing. This involves breathing in for 5 seconds, holding the breath for 5 seconds, releasing it for 5 seconds, then resting for 5 seconds before repeating the sequence. Repeat it as often as you need to. I've included a video about it below.

Another way of calming yourself down when you're angry is the 54321 method. First, look around you and name, out-loud or in your head, 5 things you can see. Then, name 4 things you can hear. Again, you can do this silently if necessary. Then, 3 things you can currently feel, like your clothes or the chair you are sitting on. Then, 2 things you can currently taste. Your teeth could be something you taste for example. It doesn't have to be food, just any sensation your mouth is experiencing at the moment. Finally, name 1 thing you can smell. Another thing you can try is slowly breathing in, then slowly breathing out 10 times in a row.

There's one more thing that's important to remember: anger is ok, as long as you don't act on it by hurting others. When I was a child I was scared of my anger. I thought my anger made me a bad person. The truth is anger is a normal human emotion. It isn't positive or negative, as long as you don't hurt others. There might be times when it's less appropriate to show your anger, and you have to wait until you're alone to express it. However, don't bottle it up or make yourself feel guilty because of it. Being angry is a natural response to being bullied.