Page 18 - Relationships101 A Guide To Building Healthy Relationships Final 1

How do I know what my emotional triggers are? It may look different for each person, but here are a
series of questions that can help you discover what your emotional triggers are:

1. In relationships, talking about commitment makes you anxious and you are uncomfortable
expressing it. You shut down or ghost.

2. A close friend or relative shares some exciting news about themselves. You're happy for them
but can't help feeling envious.

What's the news about? Is it a job promotion? A new car? Is she getting married? Does he have
a new relationship? Are they expecting a child?
3. Have you noticed there's someone you follow on social media to whom you constantly compare
yourself?

What's the thing that bothers you the most about their posts? How do you handle it?
4. Have you noticed there is a topic of conversation that triggers you when hanging out with friends
and/or family?

"Yes, when they talk about _________."
Answering these questions can bring you closer to spotting your emotional triggers.

What can you do?

First, we need to be clear that there are some situations/people/conversations that we can consciously
limit our exposure to, while others are completely out of our control.

The important thing about spotting and identifying your emotional triggers is that it can alert us about
our own mental health and help us become more aware. When we are more aware, we can begin to take
responsibility for the way we manage our emotions, as opposed to letting them control us. When we
cannot manage or process our emotions appropriately, we end up simply reacting to others.

It's extremely difficult when someone opens a conversation that's linked to an emotional trigger. It is
difficult for us to distance ourselves from our emotions and think clearly. But we must keep two things
in mind:

1. The other person's intention. The friend or relative who is hitting that emotional scar might be
blissfully unaware of the pain you are experiencing. And while you might not feel comfortable
enough to talk about this with them (yet), it is important to keep a fresh perspective about the
other person's intention. When it is someone who truly loves us and cares about us, their

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