Learn what emotional triggers are, how to recognize them, and simple steps to turn them into powerful tools for healing and self-growth.
If you’ve ever felt like your emotions came out of nowhere—like you were suddenly anxious, defensive, or overwhelmed—you were probably triggered. In this post, we break down what triggers actually are, why they show up the way they do, and how to recognize them when they happen. Most importantly, you’ll learn how to respond with compassion instead of judgment, so you can use your triggers as powerful tools for healing, not sources of shame.
You know that moment when you suddenly feel defensive, teary, or really irritable—and you don’t even know why?
Yeah, me too.
Sometimes it’s a tone in someone’s voice. A look. A memory. A comment that wouldn’t have fazed you yesterday, but today? It lands like a punch in the gut.
That, my friend, is a trigger.
But what if I told you your triggers aren’t the enemy?
What if they’re actually little guides trying to point you back toward healing?
Let’s talk about it.
What is a Trigger, Really?
A trigger is an emotional reaction that feels bigger than the moment you’re in. It’s your body remembering something… even if your brain doesn’t.
It might come out as:
- Snapping at your partner
- Shutting down during a conversation
- Feeling overly anxious, even though “nothing happened”
Triggers show up when an old wound gets poked. They’re not signs that you’re broken. They’re signs that something inside you is still asking to be seen.
How to Know You’ve Been Triggered
Here are a few clues:
- You feel an intense emotional response that seems out of proportion
- Your heart races or your chest tightens
- You want to flee, freeze, fight, or fawn
- You can’t stop thinking about what someone said or did
- You suddenly feel small, unsafe, or like you did when you were younger
The key is to notice, without judgment. Triggers are like internal alarms. The goal isn’t to disable the alarm. The goal is to understand what it’s alerting you to.
Why Your Triggers Are Actually Your Friends
This might sound strange, but I’ve started to treat my triggers like messengers. Like little sticky notes from my nervous system that say:
“Hey, something old is still lingering here. Let’s take a look.”
They’re uncomfortable, yes… but they’re also helpful.
Each trigger is an opportunity to ask:
- What am I really feeling right now?
- When have I felt this before?
- What story is playing in my head?
- What part of me still needs support, safety, or love?
When we lean into those questions (instead of pushing the trigger away), that’s where healing begins.
So What Do You Do With a Trigger?
Here’s what’s helped me (and it’s what I walk through in the BREATHE journal:
- Pause. Don’t try to fix it right away. Just take a breath.
- Notice your body. Are you clenching? Shaking? Shutting down?
- Name the feeling. “I’m feeling rejected,” “I’m feeling dismissed,” “I’m scared.”
- Get curious. Ask: “When have I felt this before?”
- Journal it out. Honestly, this is where so many breakthroughs happen.
I always say: healing doesn’t mean you’ll never get triggered again.
It means you’ll know what to do when you are.
You’re Not Overreacting—You’re Remembering
If you take one thing from this post, let it be this:
You are not too sensitive.
You are not weak.
You are not failing.
You’re remembering.
And with each trigger, you have a choice to go a little deeper. To meet yourself with compassion. To stop running from the old wound, and gently, bravely, begin to tend to it.
You don’t have to do this alone. That’s why I created my journal. That’s why I talk about this in my YouTube video on triggers. And it’s why I’m so glad you’re here.
Keep going. You’re doing the work… even if it’s messy.
I see you and I’m cheering you on,
Jewels 💙