Feelings don’t come out of the blue, some are triggered by our thoughts, and many of the triggers were set into our neurology in childhood. To change the triggers we start by getting the information so you know which part of the mind is triggering the reaction. Once you know where the triggers are coming from you can choose tools to change the unwanted ones.
Two types of triggers:
1. Conscious mind triggers – the scary thoughts and images that we create about something that might happen in the future or worries about things that happened in the past.
2. Unconscious mind triggers – the ones that run in the background of the mind. These unconscious programs trigger reactions and we are not aware of on the conscious level.
There is a way to change both types of unwanted triggers.
Four secrets to changing unwanted triggers:
Secret 1: Know which part of the mind is triggering the emotion.
The mind is made up of two different parts.
1. The conscious part: The images and thoughts you are aware of.
2. The unconscious part: The stored programs and repressed memories
that are stored in the unconscious (subconscious) part of the mind.
Secret 2: Use body sensations to find triggers.
1. Notice where you feel the emotion in your body.
2. The next time you feel sad, angry, worry, depressed or anxious:
a. Close your eyes and take a deep breath and release. Do this three times.
b. Take a moment and scan your body – from the top of your head to the bottom of your feet.
c. As you scan your body simply notice where you feel tension, anger, dread or what ever emotion you are feeling.
This step is really important because your emotions will give vital information needed to change the triggers. Knowing where you hold each emotion gives you a way of using your body as a dictionary that you can go to when triggered so you can start the process of changing old programs.
Secret 3: Become aware of thoughts and images that trigger reactions.
1. Many times our thoughts move so quickly that we aren’t aware of them.
2. When you feel an emotion, it’s helpful to stop, close your eyes and think back to an what was going on up to an hour before you had the reaction. Its important to stop when you feel an emotion and look for the thoughts that might have triggered the feeling.
3. Once you find the thought you can move to the next step and track it back to earlier events that caused similar feelings. This is a more advanced skill, where you are using a present emotion to uncover memories that are adding to the emotion.
Secret 4: Changing internal triggers.
The unconscious part of the mind reacts to your thoughts, responding as if the terrible thing you imagined is actually happening in the present moment. The brain then sends out the chemicals you’d need to either fight or flee.
The unconscious part of the mind is constantly working in the background to keep you safe. It manages all the information coming in from all of your senses and sends the chemicals needed to get you ready to fight or flee in the imagined situation. The body chemistry changes and you feel the jittery, nervous, depressed, worried or anxious feeling.
TIP: How to change unwanted thoughts and images:
When the unwanted image is about something that might happen in the future and it’s adding to your stress, anxiety, worry or feeling depressed experiment with this little trick.
First remember it is your own mind and the future hasn’t happened yet.
And second you can use the your imagination in a positive, life enhancing way. to create a positive future image.
How to create a positive future image.
Instead of seeing something you don’t want – change the image or thought to something pleasant or positive that could also be true. Create something you want to see happen, you don’t have to believe it yet, just experiment using your mind in this way and notice what changes. It might surprise you when the new images start to become a habit that sets up the pattern leading to positive outcomes.
And this is important: if after experimenting you find that you are still suffering with unsettling, upsetting images and emotions it can be an indication that there is something deeper that needs to be released. To do this it helps to have someone trained in these techniques to guide you. Because when you do you’ll find that:
It is possible to release the whole chain of
stuffed emotions quickly.
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About the author: Audrey Sussman PhD is a hypnotherapist and the Director of the Anxiety Control Center. Thirty years ago she began her quest to find a way to help her clients to break free from anxiety, phobias, worry, depression and panic. Years of study and practice went into the development of her life changing program. Now it is possible to get relief from panic, anxiety, fear, depression, phobias, migraines as well as stomach and bowel distress. You can learn to use this step-by-step system, by joining her in her live coaching workshops, her home study courses, ebooks and with private sessions nyc.