Ventilating

Ventilating

©Allen Merritt (2015)

As a child I didn’t have many outlets for expelling my frustration. I would either escape into a world of creativity-imagination or I’d take off running down the street. I would run until I felt I couldn’t run any further. Then I’d have to turn around and make my way back home. I learned how to regulate my energy and estimate distance, time and energy while discovering how to get back to my happy place.

I love running and on occasion I still do it to alleviate frustration. Things can get the best of us if we’re not careful. Before we get carried away by all the chaos we can take moments to ventilate appropriately. Venting supports my idea of allowing yourself the chance to feel what you are going to feel prior to letting it go. I advocate for this, because I don’t believe in sweeping it under the rug and hoping it will disappear (whatever “it” may be).

I also used to journal write as a means to convey my thoughts and feelings while working through them. There are all sorts of wonderful things that can happen when you journal.

Recently I watched a movie that focused on ventilating techniques (albeit not all were healthy). It was the film WILD. The main character took a sabbatical from her life and went for an incredible journey via hiking. One scene in particular placed her up on a mountain where she loses a hiking boot and everything comes flooding out in a primal guttural scream. Then she moved on.

I have seen a few television sitcoms that play out scenes where people learn to get past their differences by hitting each other with rubber and sponge-like sticks. Usually, (in the program) they end up laughing, which proves therapeutic, allowing both parties to let a situation go.

While ventilating to the extent of violence is never a good thing (as proven my all the recent riots in the news), controlled venting is a form of therapy that aides in bringing us back to a positive point of view and allows us to escape for a moment, think through a situation more thoroughly, find acceptance, embrace it, give ourselves a chance to find understanding or a solution and/or make a healthy decision which benefits everyone.

With these thoughts in mind, I woke up this morning with images of how people vent and venting techniques. Here are some ideas I think are simultaneously helpful and harmless to other persons, places or things. Many may be familiar.

·        Popping individual bubbles on bubble-pack plastic.
·        Blowing up balloons and popping them
·        Punching a pillow or swinging it around at a solid, unbreakable substance.
·        Talk it out with a confidant
·        Journal and write it out
·        Working out (hiking, aerobics, boxing or karate classes, weight training, etc.)
·        Roller skating/blading
·        Paintballing
·        Creative outlets
·        Controlled food fights
·        Silly string or toilet papering fight

Of course some of these ideas may need a little clean up, but if you have friends and confidants that want to share in turning frustration into fun, then it may well be worth it.

There are even online outlets promoting the idea of venting such as blahthereapy.com and muttr.com. 

That’s right! You can vent online with a therapist, individual or group.  While venting may seem like you are yelling or disclosing personal things to strangers may not be for everyone, it may be a viable option when you cannot find anyone to talk with, but you need to let it all out. 

Check out http://mashable.com/2008/03/08/vent-your-anger for a list of other possible websites, if interested.

Here some additional tips I found from an online resource.¹

Benefits of Venting Your Emotions, Feelings, And Thoughts

• Less Bottled Up Anger, Sadness, & Frustration
• Feelings of Relief
• Let’s Others In & In Most Cases They Can Help
• Get Advice From Support
• Express Yourself
• Clear Your Conscience

Tips & Advice To Help You Vent The Correct Way

• Vent When Your Calm
• Think Before You Speak
• Don’t Complain Too Much
• Don’t Vent To A Person Your Angry With
• Vent On Paper First If Possible

Never underestimate the value of controlled venting. We are emotional and human. We feel things. Go ahead and feel it and don’t be afraid to move past it.

Cheers!

http://www.danielbranch.com/vent-your-emotions-feelings-and-thoughts.¹ (Viewed on 5/7/2015)