Handling Your Emotional Triggers Effectively
Take control of your emotional triggers by increasing your awareness and developing new ways of responding.
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Understanding Your Emotional Triggers
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Learn what a trigger is: it's an experience that draws you back into the past and causes old feelings and behaviors to arise
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Realize we all have triggers and they're different with each person
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Identify internal causes that interfere with your ability to live in the present moment
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Spot external prompts, like situations or certain people that always "push your buttons"
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Managing Your Emotional Triggers
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Keep a journal. Tracking your triggers is often the first step in mastering them
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Make time to relax. Reducing daily stress makes it easier to handle intense emotions
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Eat right, sleep well, and exercise regularly
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Take advantage of quiet times to brainstorm new strategies you can use when you're under pressure
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Know your capacity and proceed at your own pace
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Place yourself in difficult positions. Be open to doing something new and more constructive
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Develop a strong support network
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Show compassion. Strive to be a little more patient and forgiving and people will be more likely to do the same for you
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If you're having trouble making progress on your own, seek professional help