Own Your Triggers

If you are like me, there are certain things that piss you off. For me, it’s usually something someone says. Maybe it’s something that someone has said many times before and each time, it seems to cause the same reaction in me.

I have both a physical and emotional response when I’m triggered by something. It feels automatic and my reaction is way out of proportion to the situation. Has this ever happened to you?

Have you ever wondered why?

It’s because there is something in that situation that rings true. The words are a trigger to a hidden cache of resistance. Maybe it touches on a belief that you are not good enough or a fear that is just below the surface.

As you go through your day, pay attention to things that trigger you. When someone or something happens that causes you to over-react, try to stop and calm yourself. Ask yourself if this is the reaction you want.

It’s your reaction to the situation that’s the cause of your discomfort. If the same thing happened to someone else, they might have a very different reaction. Recognizing the trigger and your reaction to it is a major first step.

Over the next few days, if you can catch yourself when you’re triggered, you’ll notice the trigger loses some of its power.

You’ll start to own it instead of it owning you. You’ll find that you are not at the mercy of someone else’s words or actions.

You may still have the same reaction, but it won’t matter as much to you. You might even begin to chuckle at how the situation once had so much power over you, but now you are in charge. It’s a wonderful feeling to make these kinds of shifts in your life!