Triggers Vs Emotions-Decoding the Mind’s Responses

How to stop getting worked up?
So, let’s try this exercise.
You can do it for the next 8 weeks.
It’s gonna help you understand what triggers your emotions.

Just 5 simple steps.

1. At the end of each week (Saturday, for example) do this:
→    Reflect on any moments that triggered strong emotions for you.

For example it could be:
→    A stressful deadline
→    A disagreement with your partner
→    A frustrating interaction with a colleague
→    …

2.    Now grab your journal and jot down:
→    WHAT happened
→    HOW it made you feel

For example:
→    Missed deadline (what)
→    Felt overwhelmed and anxious (how)
Or:
→    Disagreement with colleague (what)
→    Felt angry and misunderstood (how)

3.    Alright! Now do this:
→    Review your journal
→    and look for patterns or recurring themes.
How?

By asking yourself:
→    Do certain situations consistently trigger similar emotional responses?
→    Do specific types of interactions consistently trigger similar emotional responses?
→    Are there any commonalities in how I react to these triggers?

For example you might discover this:
→    When I feel like I’m being criticized or judged, I often experience anxiety and self-doubt

4.    Now that you’re more aware of your pattern, prepare yourself in advance.
I mean this:
→    Brainstorm coping strategies that you can use when those feelings arise

For example:
→    Exercise
→    Mindfulness
→    Laughter Yoga
→    Going for a walk
→    Talking to my best friend

As we know, the key is not avoiding those feelings.
The key is preparing ourselves in advance.
So we don’t get caught off guard.

5. Now, for the next 7 days, you just need to be disciplined.
Every time that emotion comes up, you’ll use the coping strategy you’ve picked.