Skill 26
Lower my anger action point
Reneau Peurifoy in Anger: Taming the Beast talks about a moment in time called an “anger action point.” Our anger has a life cycle. Anger can start small and grow, gradually worsening. Think of a timeline which begins when our anger is barely noticeable and then gradually increases like a storm fueled by heated moisture.

Somewhere along this timeline the emotion triggers us to act. For example, during my childhood I had a friend whose mother had a high anger action point. She would get upset with her son; the anger would quickly increase to become more intense. Then she would suddenly erupt in a loud explosion of complaints and threats.
Lowering the action point means acting before anger gets too big. Never wait on anger because its negative potential increases when it's confined. We have to act while our minds can still provide guidance.

My friend's mother should have dealt with problems with her son immediately and well before her explosion point.

Next: Graphing my anger