Out Running Lions & Tigers & Bears?
Triggered? A quick reframe
When you are triggered, do you turn to your vices? There is a lot happening in the world right now. If you pause and think, isn’t that always the case…?
You overeat, over-exercise, you shop too much, you drink too much. Again.
You are probably not out running lions and tigers and bears. But, that’s not why you practice healthy habits. Healthy habits are for managing stress. Practice your healthy habits that serve you exactly for moments in time like this. When you get triggered and want to turn to your vices, take a breath, keep your eyes open and turn to your habits instead.
You might see people on social media, your friends or family, maybe even you—get into a negative, knee-jerk reaction. Something you see, hear or feel triggers you. Maybe you turn into the Tasmanian devil and spiral out of control. Perhaps you turtle-up, do nothing and suck your claws. Maybe your vice is to retreat; maybe your vice spurs on your temper and you fight.
Here is a quick reframe for you
Instead of being triggered and turning to your vices, consider reframing your triggers as messages from the universe. When you feel triggered, instead of online shopping, overeating, exercising more, drinking too much and getting high again — whatever vice is your go to—let the corners of your mouth turn up ever so slightly. Decide to let the trigger be a message from the universe to go practice one of your healthy habits.
Whatever it is that you want to do when you are triggered, go to one of your habits that serve you best.
You know when you’re triggered, right?
There is probably no question you know when you are triggered. Those moments are exactly when you need to turn to the healthy habits that you practice. Next time you feel a trigger coming on think, I’m triggered. I can practice sitting quietly for one minute. Or, I’m going to go outside and lie in the grass.
Here are some other ideas for you
- Could you pause and take three conscious breaths?
- Could you do a journaling brain dump?
- Could you go outside and watch the clouds?
- Could you take a walk?
- Could you call a friend?
- Could you go for a drive?
The next time you feel anxious, ticked-off and you want to overexercise, buy something from Amazon, get drunk, fill the hole that is your mouth by over eating, let the corners of your mouth, turn up and think What is the healthy habit I’m working on? lean on the crutch of a healthy habit.
