Triggers

Are you intimately connected and aware of your TRIGGERS?

There is a great quote that says that "triggers are the guides."

Most people assume that triggers are bad, however, they are opportunities to stay sharp and on top of your healing.

When you are triggered, you have a choice. You can either react, respond, or numb out.

Reaction is usually knee jerk. There is not much thought behind it, it is automatic, it is impulsive, and usually destructive.

Responses are more thoughtful, intentional, wise, learned behavior, and practiced. They take time to develop, and usually lead to long term happiness and success.

Numbing out is basically shutting down and not having a response at all. This can feel very helpless, hopeless, and put you into victim mode.

Tips for handling triggers:
*Identify your top 3 triggers. Are they people, places, behavior, media messages, noises, scents, etc.
*Temper your emotional reaction to your triggers. [I am sure your initial reaction is to get pissed that you have triggers, however, if we can learn to experience triggers without judgement, we can learn from them.]
*Identify how these triggers affect you? [What is your typical reaction/response to these triggers -- how do they make you feel about yourself, what do they lead you to do?]
*Identify if there are negative consequences to these thoughts/behaviors.
*Identify your preferred response to such triggers.
*Ask yourself what version of yourself would you need to be when responding to this trigger? [What characteristics do you need to embody to be able to respond with grace, power, and patience.]
*Identify ways that you can practice these responses. [Break down the steps into incremental changes and practice/play].

Comment below and let me know what you will be practicing today with your triggers/responses!

I will be practicing deep breathing when feeling anxious, and mindfulness when on social media. I will also limit my social media use, as I typically tend to have subconscious triggers if I am on there too long. I also notice that too much social media (more than 30 min a day) can affect my mood in a negative way.

Good luck to you all!!!