Take a moment
When you're flooded, your body can't have this conversation yet. That's biology, not weakness. A short break helps.
Breathe in…
Take a real break
20 minutes away from the argument — no rehearsing it in your head. Leaving this page resets the timer.
When you go back, you could say:
I took a break to calm down, not to walk away. I want to try again, gently.