Reframe Your Brain - Part 1: Understanding Triggers

We’ve all experienced a triggered reaction at some point in our lives. It's that automatic, defensive response to someone’s behavior, words, or actions that makes us feel as if we’re under attack. These feelings are real and shouldn’t be ignored. Often, these reactions feel uncontrollable and can be intense. Maybe your trigger makes you want to retreat and hide, or perhaps it prompts an explosive reaction like yelling so loud the whole neighborhood can hear. Sometimes, it takes every ounce of control not to lash out physically—whether that’s throwing something, punching a wall, or breaking a chair.

When humans go through trauma, whether physical or emotional, our bodies react by entering survival mode—either fight or flight. The body's automatic response is to protect itself. When we feel threatened, adrenaline floods our system, and in an instant, we either prepare to fight or flee.

This trauma doesn't simply vanish once the event is over. Even as we try to move on with our lives, the experience lingers within us. You might have heard the saying, "Time heals all wounds," but that’s not quite true. The trauma we’ve experienced is a form of energy, and it remains within our body's energetic pathways until we actively clear it. These pathways, known as chakras, are tied to our nervous system. So, the unprocessed trauma energy can manifest later as a triggered reaction, often without us realizing it.

Sometimes, these responses are more subtle. Instead of a loud outburst, we might feel a heavy sensation in our gut that travels up to our stomach, heart, and throat, silencing us and causing us to shut down.

When this happens, it’s often because of a conditioned response—our body recalling something from our past. It could stem from childhood, a past relationship, an accident, or some other form of trauma. Our energy senses the memory first, and when we haven’t healed from it, we respond emotionally rather than from a place of calm awareness.

Only you can uncover the reason behind your triggered reactions.

I know you’ve felt it, too. We all have. You are not alone.

When the adrenaline surges—starting in your gut and moving up to your heart—it triggers an automatic response. It happens so quickly that we feel like we have no control over our reactions, or even over ourselves.

Will you flee or will you fight?

“Why did they do that to me?!” “Why did they say that? It hurt my feelings!”

But what if I told you that no one, literally no one, does anything because of you?

Each of us lives in our own reality, shaped by past conditioning and programming. The only way to stop being triggered is to heal those past wounds and traumas.

Exercise:

1. Recognize the trigger – Acknowledge your trigger for what it is, and take responsibility for your reaction. Your trigger is yours to manage, not anyone else’s.

2. Understand that it’s not about you – No one is acting in response to you personally. Everyone is projecting from their own reality, shaped by their own traumas and wounds.

3. Recognize your own projections – Just as others project onto you, you also project your unresolved wounds onto others.

4. Awareness is the first step – Becoming aware of your own triggers, wounds, and past traumas is the first step to reframing your brain.

I am not a licensed professional. The content shared on this blog reflects my personal experiences with self-healing, spirituality, and my psychic journey. My intention is to hold space for those also navigating healing from trauma, addiction, CPTSD, and the effects of childhood or religious conditioning. This blog is not a substitute for psychological therapy or professional treatment. Rather, it is a space for sharing my journey, in the hope that it may resonate with and support others on their own paths to healing and freedom.