How to Stop Overreacting to Everything

This way, you can learn to be more in control of your reactions:

• Identify the things that bother you the most (rejection, criticism, or even something that has nothing to do with you).
• Think about basic contributing factors like lack of sleep, being hungry or thirsty, or being overworked.

Take a deep breath. It will slow down your fight or flight response and allows you to choose a more thoughtful and productive response. 

• Freeze: Notice the changes within you (tension, temperature, heart rate). Keep breathing and cool down.
• Analyze: Think about what just happened rationally. Find a way to be compassionate and avoid personalizing what happened to you.
• Act: Express yourself with "I" statements or remove yourself from the situation. If you're still upset, find a way to rechannel how you feel.

• Separate yourself from the event to gain an outside perspective.
• Don't punish yourself for overreacting.
• Ask yourself: Why did I do that? What could I have done differently? Did it even matter?

Address the past if possible and resolve any emotional leftovers you might have: vent to a friend or keep a journal.

Emotional baggage becomes more fuel when your bomb goes off.