How do I keep myself from overreacting?

First, step outside of yourself for five minutes and consider what is upsetting you. Is it something that you can fix on your own? Is it something someone has or has not done? If it is something someone has or has not done, ask yourself if getting upset over it now will matter next week and if you find it won't, don't sweat it.

I always take 10 deep breaths, focusing only on the feeling of air in my lungs. Then I calmly think about the problem at hand and try to rationalize the best possible solution.

Take a breath and a minute to think rationally before acting emotionally. Ask yourself what would your emotional side do about the situation, then what would your logical mind do? When you’ve come to a conclusion for both try to meet in the middle and ask what would your wise mind do? Taking this time to assess the possibilities, pros and cons of reacting means that you achieve the most level headed reaction.

Hmm.. it is often difficult to help yourself from overreacting. Humans seem like they have this inbuilt involuntary mechanism to overreact. Sure there are few who manage it quite well. I guess staying calm is the norm . I have often found myself in the situations where I respond by overreacting and later feeling extremely foolish for being so. When I realise it later , I try to tell myself that 'ok so this is where it went bad. Next time I face something like this I will have to take deep breaths and can myself first. And when I am sure I am calm enough I can ponder over the situations clearly'.

Think about how small the situation actually is compared to other things you've encountered before. Maybe that would give you a better perspective. :)

Rethink your answer before you say it! "Think before you speak" it really helps! Try to think how people would react I'd you said something!

A way to keep yourself from overreacting is by calming yourself down when something pops up and keeping yourself from thinking about consequences.

First you should try breathing and take a step back. When you breathe and think of the situation you can come to better terms with what is going on. Every time you feel you are overreacting just think to yourself about the problem and breathe.

Breath. Then give myself time to think, burst into laughter to calm myself and others, and then after all those precious minutes reached, I try to be kind but strong about my response.

try a grounding exercise if you have the chance - one that gives you a moment to focus your cognitive processes, whilst allowing you physiological and emotional processes to pause a second - this then calms you, prevents you from reacting impulsively, and then allows you to more reasonably think about the situation, how you feel about it and how to address it in a manner that you have thought through and are satisfied with.