Episode 45

We all have personal triggers – those little pet peeves, situations or human behaviors that get on our nerves. However, we don’t always know what they are specifically –  until we get uncomfortable or emotional as a result.

A personal trigger can be anything that makes us feel “out-of-sorts”, bring out a very strong negative emotional reaction, or just “pushes our buttons”. They can come in the form of a specific person, type of person, situation, behavior and more.

Triggers also tend to rise much closer to the surface for us when we are stressed, confused, missing consistent physical exercise or mindfulness routine, causing us to act out in a burst of emotion.

But fear not – triggers are our friends, and are here to act as a guide to direct healing and clarity into what we need to release.

On this episode of the Flirting With Enlightenment podcast, we dive into ways to notice and better understand exactly what triggers us, and why the insight they share is an essential part of our overall path. Jamie also recounts a funny story about his time in the monastery, reflecting on the way a fellow monk chose to handle his personal trigger behavior.

We also talk about a few simple ways to work with these emotional actions and reactions as part of our path inward, in order to get to a deeper truth about ourselves. Personal reactions are a big opportunity to see the true root of deeper patterns and shed light on areas of healing, giving us the clarity we need to create a practice that honors ourselves as we heal and release them.

Empaths especially can benefit from spending a little extra time understanding personal triggers, especially when we can sense the emotions of others and carry their emotional state along with us.

When we take the time to know our triggers and honor what we need to manage them, we heal in ways that ripple out to all parts of our lives.

What are some personal triggers that often show up for you?