Or trigger sad? This saying used to apply to gunman in gangster movies. That’s not what I am talking about at all. “Are you trigger happy?” is all about self care, creating healthy habits to manage your behavior upwards. Triggers are used all the time to activate habit loops in our brain. Sometimes this is conscious activation, but so much of the time it is unconscious.
Habit Components.
Habits have three main components the trigger, the habit and the reward. The 3 parts form a tight association and create a habit loop. Change a bad habit to a healthy habit by addressing the trigger and or the benefit. We hit a trigger and before we know it we are responding quickly and without much thought. I want to be much more conscious in my choices and responses
Be trigger happy, not trigger sad or frustrated. What I mean by that is establish triggers that motivate in alignment with goals. Triggers get us into a place of flow. We want the direction of flow to consistently enhance our lives.
Triggers are often activated by routines, time of day, specific places situations or people. You read emails in the morning; you brush your teeth in the bathroom you don’t think much about it. Unhappy triggers often promote destructive behavior. Here are some common examples of behaviors and triggers that are activated unconsciously.
Convert Unhealthy Habits to Healthy Habits
Smoking – Smokers often have set triggers on when to light up. Breaks at work, in the car or after a meal or a drink are regular times when tobacco calls. When trying to quit, it is so helpful to identify smoking triggers and take a different path. Stay away from things that trigger you. Add a new reward to replace the tobacco, go for a walk during your break, play an audio book in the car and build new default rewards that help you rather than hurt or limit you.
Coffee -Drinking coffee is very similar. You have coffee in the morning, you can’t imagine your day without it. People use coffee to wake up, for a morning laxative or to make it through their 4:00 pm slump. If you want to drink coffee enjoy the experience on a conscious level. Get really good coffee and enjoy the smell and taste.
Anger – Anger is often triggered unconsciously. This might be happening when your anger is out of the proportion to the situation and even you can tell. Many people have an easy anger response. They have a hair trigger. Reacting in anger can be defensive and protective. It often comes from deep frustration and a sense of powerlessness. To preempt responding in anger, you need to take the time and have the space to look inward at what is triggering your anger. What is the benefit? Address that and notice if your response shifts.
Compulsive Eating – What are your eating triggers besides real (physical) hunger? Do you eat to deflect emotions, loneliness or eat to satisfy cultural norms? Mouth Hunger or the need for taste is also a big cause of compulsive eating. There are so many triggers people have that drive them to eat. Start to identify them and find a way to defuse the trigger or use a reward that supports your goals. Get some help to put healthy eating habits in place. There are many support groups and online options.
How do you become aware of your unhappy triggers?
You have to do some self assessment. Check in and look objectively at your behavior. Go lite on the self criticism and judgment go heavy on learning and playing.
Do a simple daily review. Start to identify opportunities situations where you didn’t like a habitual response. Dive in and identify what triggered the behavior you want to change. Begin to observe yourself, pay attention to find opportunities for change.
Ways to get Trigger Happy
Build a treasure chest of rewards that you find deeply pleasurable. Reach for a healthy benefit when triggered. You may need multiple reward options to replace the old unhealthful standbys. Rewards are personal, go for a walk rent a movie, or spritz rose water on your face. Head in the right direction to benefits and habits that support you and the people you love. Seek to be more comfortable experiencing situations without needing a reward or make the reward learning in each moment. Look at times where your expectations and preferences are not met as learning opportunities.
Examine your triggers and build new ones to promote healthy behaviors and responses that support your growth. Place the new triggers in front of the ones that called for old rewards. For example if seeing the fridge, makes you want to eat put a picture of you at your ideal weight out in nature to trigger you to go take a walk. Add new healthy benefits to shift the results of habitual behaviors.
Our brains help us with triggers and habits that free our minds to explore and play. Take an active role in shaping your healthy habits. Be trigger happy and design your autopilot sequences and set up benefits to move you steadily forward.
The information provided on this website and blog is not a substitute for professional medical care, treatment or advice. All the material here is for information purposes only. Always share strategy and work with your health care team.