You know those moments where you snap, shut down, freeze, or say something you regret—before you even realise what’s happening? That’s often a sign you’ve been triggered.
Your body usually knows before your mind does. Maybe your heart races, your jaw tightens, or heat rises in your face. These red flag signals can warn you that something deeper is going on.
💭 Introduction: You know those interactions where you react in ways that you don’t want to, but don’t know how to stop? That’s usually a sign that you’ve been triggered.
💭 Main Tip: Being triggered means that something in the interaction has probably touched on one of your underlying needs—often one of your fingerprint needs. A first step to managing it is learning to recognise your physiological signs before you react, so you can interrupt your behaviour more easily. These might include feeling hot or cold, your heart racing, or a sudden tightness in your chest.
💭 Example: Imagine you’re in a meeting, and a colleague challenges your idea. Without realizing it, you start gripping your pen tightly, your shoulders tense, or you feel heat rising in your face. These could be your red flag physiological signs that you’re being triggered. Catching these signals early gives you the chance to pause, take a breath, step away for a moment, and—on a good day—choose how you want to respond instead of reacting automatically.
💭 Over to You: This week, an invitation to pay attention to your own red flag signs—do you feel heat, cold, tightness, or tension when conversations get difficult? Simply noticing these patterns is a great first step in stepping out of reactivity before it starts.
💭 Closing: Triggers can create strong reactions, so please don’t worry if you need more of the steps, and more time and support before you can fully transform them. Recognising them is the first step.
Want to learn more about fingerprint needs? Get my free guide here.
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