Triggered
It takes two.
All,
As is frequently the case with Lighten Up, the topics we discuss here tend to run parallel to the work I do via my day job with The U.
Specifically, my team and I are currently in our season of corporate wellness initiatives, where we have the opportunity to support people directly in their workplace via 6-week programs designed with a strategic, dedicated focus.
Stress less is the theme we’re running right now.
A mission that’s easier said than done, of course, no doubt.
Yet as I listen as people share the sources of their exhaustion and frustration, I can’t help but notice there is one word that seems to be making a repeat appearance.
And that’s trigger.
Used to describe the person, situation or behavior that tends to detonate some sort of physiological disruption, it seems we’ve been trained to name these things as problems to either avoid or control.
But from where I stand, that logic only represents one half of the equation.
Because in order for a spark to ignite, it needs fuel.
Yes, somewhere in our point-the-finger culture, we’ve lost scope of the fact that it takes two to trigger.
And that by over exposing ourselves to content designed to elicit responses – be it a heart, a comment, or a mere share via a swipe – that we are training ourselves to react.
Literally keeping ourselves in a reflexive state.
Ready to pounce.
So next time you find yourself feeling “triggered,” see if you can recognize that sense as a reflection of your own internal state as opposed to the fault of someone or something else.
And consider that going analog — i.e. stepping away from devices — is the first step to bringing yourself back to earth.
Where rooted nervous systems snuff out sparks.
Here’s to you,
