Looking Forward in 2025 using the Opposite Action Technique

As the new semester arises, so do new stressors and emotions. Our emotions are response to our biological responses. Intensive emotions can often be overwhelming and deliberating; affecting our personal, educational, and professional lives. As mental health can take a toll on our physical wellness, identifying strategies that actually work is essential.

One of these tools is the Opposite Action Technique. The idea is that our emotions can be mindfully crafted into helpful actions. By choosing the “Opposite Action”, we can recognize our actions will disrupt the negative neural pathways that are activating. Our fight or flight response is characterized by increased heart rate and/or muscle tension. We can rewire it to reduce our turbulent emotions.

The Opposite Action Technique helps build this resilience in a scaling-manner.

First, identify your emotion or action – ex. Anger activates confrontation or aggression.

Then, choose the opposite action. Instead of acting out an aggressive behavior or thought, opt for a mindful reflection of your current situation. Figure out ways to calm yourself.

Here is a small table showcasing some typical Emotions, their associated Action, and the Opposite Action you can take:

Emotion	Action	Opposite Action
Anger	Yelling, lashing out, confrontation	Listen calmly to the other person, try to understand them from their point-of-view.
Sadness	Social withdrawal, isolation	Find hobbies or social activities, identify and reach out to your support network
Fear	Avoidance	(If possible) Gradually expose yourself to the fear, find others or methods to conquer your fear. The 54321 grounding technique.
Guilt	Avoidance	Apologize, figure out ways to repair the situation. Understand why you feel guilty and challenge if it’s self-inflicted or not.
Jealousy	Mistrust, possessiveness	Practice trust, express gratitude, set boundaries with yourself
Envy	Comparison of self to others	Celebrate your and others achievements simultaneously, Recognize that two people can be successful at the same time, Focus on your goals
Happiness	Overspending, impulsivity, recklessness	Reflect before making decisions, practice mindfulness
Embarrassment	Hiding, over-apologizing	Understand everyone makes mistakes, use humor to defuse situations, try coping mechanisms
Confusion	Reluctance to make decisions	Focus on small decisions that will build confidence to make bigger decisions, keep focused on your goals

By implementing the Opposite Action technique, we can help self-regulate our emotions and start building mindful routines. These everyday decisions will help reshape our mindsets regarding overwhelming feelings.