Understanding Your Triggers

“Your strongest emotional triggers aren’t roadblocks—they’re mirrors revealing precisely what needs healing within. The intensity of your reaction marks the exact location of your greatest potential for transformation. When you embrace what triggers you, you reclaim the power you once gave away through denial.”

Have you ever found yourself spiralling into rage, shame, or anxiety after something seemingly small – a comment, a look, a tone of voice?

Maybe someone cut you off mid-sentence, and suddenly your chest tightens and you’re flooded with emotion.
Or a friend shares a big win, and instead of feeling happy for them, you feel a sinking sensation in your stomach.
It happens so fast, doesn’t it?

These moments are what we often call “triggers” but what if they’re more than emotional overreactions?
What if they’re signposts, pointing us toward something deeper… something unresolved?

What Are Triggers Really?

Psychologically speaking, a trigger is an intense emotional response that feels bigger than the moment.
And more often than not, it’s not about the current situation at all – it’s about something your nervous system remembers… even if you don’t.

Triggers are like little flashlights, shining directly on the parts of ourselves that we’ve tucked away, rejected, or never had the safety to process.

Carl Jung called this part of us “the shadow.”

Meet Your Shadow Self

Your shadow isn’t evil, and it’s not something to fear.

It’s simply made up of all the parts of yourself that you’ve pushed down over the years – often because the world around you told you they were “too much,” “not enough,” or “unacceptable.”

Think back…
Were you shamed for crying or being sensitive?
Taught that anger was dangerous?
Made to feel like you always had to be “the good one” or “the strong one”?

Those disowned pieces didn’t disappear. They just went underground.

And now, they show up in powerful ways — through your triggers.

What Your Triggers Might Be Trying to Tell You

Let’s take a closer look:

• Do you feel deep frustration when others are lazy or unmotivated?
  Maybe your shadow holds the part of you that’s exhausted — the part craving rest, but never allowed to slow down.
• Does someone’s success spark jealousy in you?
  Perhaps there’s a part of you that’s felt left behind, unseen, or believes you’re unworthy of the same joy.
• Do you snap when someone interrupts you?
  Could it be echoing old wounds of feeling ignored, silenced, or like your voice didn’t matter?

These aren’t just emotional flare-ups. They’re clues.

They’re showing you where love, compassion, and attention are still needed within you.

A Gentle Practice: Turning Triggers into Teachers

The next time you’re triggered, instead of rushing to “calm down” or shame yourself for overreacting, try this:

1. Pause. Take a breath. Slow the moment down.
2. Name it. What exactly are you feeling? Rage? Shame? Fear? Envy?
3. Ask: What about this feels threatening or painful to me?
4. Trace it back: When have I felt this way before? What does it remind me of?
5. Be curious: Is there something in this person or situation that mirrors a part of myself I’ve disowned?

Shadow work is about compassionate awareness, not blame.
The goal isn’t to get rid of your triggers, but to understand what they’re revealing about your inner world.

Why This Work Matters

When you begin to see triggers not as burdens but invitations, something shifts.

Instead of being hijacked by emotion, you begin to respond with curiosity.

You stop running from discomfort and start reclaiming the parts of yourself that you left behind.

The truth is: You’re not too sensitive.

You’re just learning how to be with yourself more fully, and that’s incredibly brave.

Ready to Go Deeper?

If this resonates, you may be ready to begin your own shadow work journey.

Source: enlight10path.com.au