THE FUSE

A few weeks ago, someone really ticked me off via email. I could feel the edge in my own typing as I crafted a reply. I was not fine. I was in what researchers call the agitation phase of the escalation cycle, and I didn’t catch it before sending a reply that was harsher than intended. Later, I reflected on the irony of my response, as this exact topic is what my colleague, Dr. Jessica Koslouski, and I have been presenting on with schools all year. I needed my own reminder to quickly draw on a positive coping strategy before responding.