Get to know the physical signs that indicate you are cognitively hijacked and need to pause. Do you feel your chest collapsing, hands getting sweaty, or feet wanting to run? Does your breath become shallow and your pulse elevate? Or maybe you become cold and numb, completely shut off from the other person? In these moments, have a set phrase that you can use, like, “I feel shut down and am going to pause this conversation, but will reconnect with you in _______ (20 minutes, an hour, etc.).”
