12/17/2025
Anger usually means you’ve left your window of tolerance.
In real life, that can look like this:
You’re fine… until you’re not.
A comment lands wrong.
Your partner asks a simple question.
A family member pushes an old button.
Now add the holidays.
Long days.
Crowded houses.
Old family roles.
Unspoken expectations.
Financial stress.
Too much noise.
Not enough rest.
Your nervous system gets overloaded.
Some people go into fight mode — snapping, arguing, controlling.
Others go quiet — withdrawing, shutting down, disappearing emotionally.
Both are signs you’re outside your window of tolerance.
Inside the window, you can pause, think, and stay connected.
Outside of it, protection takes over.
This is why family gatherings and holidays bring old patterns back so fast.
It’s not because you haven’t “healed enough.”
It’s because your system is under pressure.
Slowing things down, taking breaks, and knowing when to step away isn’t weakness — it’s regulation.
If anger keeps showing up during family time or holidays in ways you don’t like, support can help you widen this window.
