Today our focus is on identifying the triggers that trip us up and keep us stuck in the habits and patterns of thinking that we want to change. They present in many forms: social, emotional, and physical. As a result, triggers can elicit extreme overwhelm and distress which tends to make this a highly loaded topic.
Unfortunately, taming and troubleshooting our triggers can be a messy job. Our task isn’t to tackle the entire vortex of issues all at once but to increase our awareness of them, how they influence our behavior, and finally how to make a few tactical changes that will help us to overcome them.
For starters, emotional triggers are often a result of toxic thoughts that produce feelings of insecurity, fear, and anxiety. We can also experience physical triggers such as dysfunctional people and unhealthy environments.
Similar to water that seeks the path of least resistance, so do we when it comes to triggers because it’s easier to bend toward the easy wrong choice versus the hard right one when we are activated in this way.
More to the point, once we experience a trigger, our emotional reaction blocks us from moving in the direction we really want to go. We follow the stress response that’s familiar to us: fight, flight, or freeze. Because of this, we need to alter the trigger in some way or eliminate it altogether.
But keep in mind that even little changes are not for the faint of heart. Saying no to a person or situation isn’t easy. Altering the way we think or respond isn’t easy. In truth, it’s hard giving up habits that have helped us endure the pain and frustrations of life.
This process of taming our triggers takes energy, mental fortitude, and prayer. It’s a process. Focus on progress not perfection and let God lead the way.
“And it will be said: “Build up, build up, prepare the road! Remove the obstacles out of the way of my people.“ (Isaiah 57:14)
- Ask God to show you one trigger that keeps tripping you up.
- What purpose has it served and why are you holding on to it?
- How can you tame it, troubleshoot it, or eliminate it altogether?
Prayer is just a conversation with God. Talk to Him today to help you identify a trigger that trips you up consistently and how to navigate it in a new way.
Be bold. Be brave. Be free.
Dori
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