12 WAYS TO OVERCOME YOUR EMOTIONAL TRIGGERS

12 WAYS TO OVERCOME YOUR EMOTIONAL TRIGGERS

"Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom." Viktor E. Frankl

We’ve all experienced something that caused us to react in a way not consistent with our normal behavior. Your reaction was likely a clue that you were triggered. A trigger is a word, person, event, or experience that ignites an immediate emotional reaction. When you are triggered, your body engages the survival response: fight, flight, or freeze. Your sympathetic nervous system is activated to save you from harm, thus the reason your reaction is so passionate. Triggered reactions are destructive to your relationships with others. One of many reasons to work on your triggers is that God asks us to love one another and to live in peace. You do not have to live the rest of your life subject to possible triggered reactions and the consequences that can follow them. Being self-aware is the first step to being a better you! Are you ready to take control of your triggers?  

12 WAYS TO TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR EMOTIONAL TRIGGERS

1. Identify the trigger-  When you find yourself overreacting or feeling great discomfort in response to something, ask yourself what just happened to cause this feeling.

2. Seek the source-  Once you’ve identified what caused the reaction, take a moment to think about where this feeling may have originated.  It may take peeling a few layers or decades back. This may turn out to be an ah-ha moment.

3. Is your reaction one attached to old stories?- For instance, an outdated belief that this experience means something it doesn’t or no longer means.

4. Have methods for self-regulation- Prepare ahead of time by coming up with ways to self-regulate when you are triggered next.  

5. Adjust your inner critique’s dialog- When you notice negative dialog in your head, don’t fight it, rather gently correct it with accuracy and truthfulness.

6. Practice healthy/appropriate responses- Predetermine how you are going to respond when triggers provoke you going forward.

7. Take a moment to breathe- Get in the habit of not reacting right away when something upsets you. Instead, breathe slowly and deeply while you recall your better response.

8. Have rational expectations beforehand- If you know that a particular person, event, or experience often triggers you, expect it and be prepared so that you are not caught off guard.

9. Maintain boundaries- Set and maintain healthy boundaries that preserve your peace and standards.

10. Practice acceptance. Don’t beat yourself up when you fall into a trigger trap. You are only human and the process of growth takes time and practice. A trigger is a wonderful clue that something inside needs tending to. "I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 12:10

11. Ask God for help- This should actually be the first thing you do anytime you are challenged in life. God wants us to ask for help, it nurtures our relationship with Him and allows Him to show you how powerful His love is for you. He can help you understand why you are being triggered and He can help you overcome your triggers.

12. Seek help from a professional- Personal development is most successful when you hire a coach to help you, especially if you feel stuck.  Click here to book a free discovery call with me. If your triggers cause you emotional pain so deep that you are not able to maintain your daily responsibilities, you may want to see a therapist to resolve deep-rooted issues.

The Bible states that you are created in the likeness of God. That likeness is found in your gift of free will and your desire for connection.  You have free will to choose everything you think, say, and do.  Those choices mold your life.  You are also created for connection, so working on your weaknesses is important because this will allow you to develop and maintain better relationships both with others and with God.  Foster your relationship with God by talking to Him about your trouble areas. “He heals the broken-hearted and bandages their wounds.” Psalm 147:3 We build better connections with others by increasing our inner peace. “The peace that Christ gives is to guide you in the decisions you make; for it is to this peace that God has called you together in the one body.” Colossians 3:15 

Life is best when you are in a good relationship with God and with others. Unhappiness will always come when you are not fostering these two key components to your design. That is why it is vital that you consciously nurture your relationship with God and others by seeking the peace He already offered you. Peace be with you!