Triggers and Building Resilience

<p>Are we obsessed with trigger warnings and being too sensitive? This is an active debate, and one we explore on this episode. </p><p> </p><p>A few weeks ago on the Rebel Buddhist podcast, we chatted about Shadows and how we can identify our shadows by noticing when we’re activated by someone before we even really know them. And more recently than that, we jammed on the word “trauma” and whether that word has been overused. Both of these definitely relate to today’s topic, triggers. </p><p> </p><p>While we tend to be more aware of triggers and what they may be for us, they also give us insight into our internal process and what’s going on inside us.</p><p> </p><p>Because we all come with our own stories, experiences, and self-image, we can all get triggered. It’s the nature of our existence. And many of the things that contribute to those triggers are hidden from us, especially when we’re living life on autopilot, doing things we aren’t even fully conscious of.</p><p> </p><p>So, what exactly happens when we’re triggered (I like to say “activated” as I think it’s more accurate) and we feel that energy surge, agitation, or confusion? Well, it’s different for everyone, but all in all it’s an activation of our nervous system, our trauma response, and it’s often scary or really uncomfortable.</p><p> </p><p>But what’s <i>also</i> actually happening is that our inner healing wisdom is saying, “Hey - wake the f*ck up and notice this. There’s something here that we need to pay attention to and heal.”</p><p> </p><p>Here’s an analogy to help us understand and properly address when we feel this activation: the physical trigger of a weapon. That trigger is a small piece of a larger weapon, like a loaded gun. The more dangerous part is the bullet and the explosive inside the weapon, right? So, we could focus on that little trigger…or we could put our attention on the whole mechanism. </p><p> </p><p>In the same way, if we get triggered, it’s because we are a gun ready to fire. There this explosive material in us that we’ve car