Many things push our buttons everyday. And it’s tempting to simply blame whoever is pushing our button – believing our life would be better if we could just get them to stop. But our triggers are generally less about the other and more about revealing the issues in our own heart and story. And in this way our triggers serve us better as reminders than points of blame.
We often assume others make us frustrated, anxious, or sad. And, to be fair, they contribute to the atmosphere of our soul. But pushing our buttons is not the same as installing them. And chances are good that our button was installed long before this latest incident.
As such, it’s usually insufficient to simply focus on getting others to stop “triggering” us. In most cases, it’s neither intentional nor malicious on their part. And while certainly we can let them know to avoid even unintentionally stepping on our toes, we should still spend more time and energy understanding our own triggers.
For instance, what is it about this situation that’s making us feel disrespected, insecure, or rejected? Where else in our story have we experienced this? And what is the healing work we need to do so that these experiences no longer have the power to take us out?
Whatever the case, triggers expose the deep movements of our heart. And we miss the peace and life available when we just blame others for pushing our buttons. The better approach is letting the trigger remind us of the important matters in our story.
In the end, it’s okay to be triggered. But don’t make others ultimately responsible for this. Let your triggers remind you of the important matters in your story and where you need to continue your own healing journey.
Photo by Ulises Guareschi Corvetto on Unsplash
