<p>It can be hard to keep your cool when things are going wrong. Maybe you fought with your best friend. Maybe you got a bad grade. Maybe you missed a goal and cost your team the soccer game.</p><p>When these things happen, your mind may feel out of control. But with a few tips, you can learn to calm your mind. With a calm mind, you can then focus on solving your problems.&nbsp;</p><h4>How Do My Thoughts Affect How I Feel and Behave?</h4><p>Your thoughts are incredibly powerful. The way you think can control your emotions. It can control your behavior. If you're having angry thoughts, then you'll feel surges of anger. Your body will feel tense. You may shout or say unkind things to people you love.</p><p>When you have positive thoughts, you feel more at peace. You can think clearly. You can think through things before you react. A calm mind can help you fix the issue.</p><h4>How Can I Redirect My Thoughts?</h4><p>You know it's important to calm down when you're upset, but it's hard when you're in the moment. Remember these tips to help you redirect your thoughts.</p><ul><li>Define the situation. Tell yourself what is happening, but try to avoid negative thoughts.<ul><li>For example, you can say, "My team lost the baseball game." Don't say, "My team lost the game because Jason dropped the ball and Abby struck out."</li></ul></li><li>Think of a solution.<ul><li>If you get a bad grade, don't focus on putting yourself down. Instead, look for a solution - "I'll study more next time." Or, "I'll ask Beth to help me study. She's great at math."</li></ul></li><li>Be optimistic.<ul><li>If you get in trouble for having a messy room, don't focus on how angry you are that you're being punished. Instead, look on the bright side. You can take some time to organize your things so your room is easier to keep clean.</li></ul></li></ul><p><br>Once you focus on the actual situation and look for solutions, your negative thoughts have less power over you. You may even begin to see that your big problem wasn't so big after all.</p>