Shadow Work: How to Use Triggers for Growth and Expanding Consciousness
Are you avoiding triggers? Try this perspective on how to use triggers for growth.
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Every time I see the phrase trigger warning, I roll a tiny eye. Why? While some gross and violent content deserves a trigger warning, these warnings are often used on educational and honest content. If we put warnings around everything that causes people to react, we are slowing their potential growth.
Triggers are the mind, body, and soul's way of saying - heal thyself! Triggers can be put to good use! In my practice, I teach clients to use triggers for serious growth. This is the core of shadow work and carries you up the ladder of the consciousness map. Shadow work is learning to take command of your thought habits by becoming aware of your subconscious behaviors.
Getting triggered can be an opportunity for personal and mindful growth if approached with self-awareness and a willingness to change. The key to shadow work and using triggers for growth is learning to be the observer of your mood, feelings, emotions, and thought habits. Our thought habits are at the heart of the Reality Wheel I teach in my life transformation course, Engineering Joy.
Our thought habits create our reality. Those habits are formed during our childhood, and we can become quite addicted to even unhealthy thought habits.
Here is how the Reality Wheel works. Our thought habits create our mental state. Our mental state produces our emotional state. Our emotional state creates our energetic signature, such as anger or gratitude. The frequency and energy you are experiencing and radiating becomes your reality.
You can get command of your reality by becoming the observer of your triggers and learning to see them before they set you down the road to unhealthy reactions. With higher levels of consciousness, you have learned to act, not react. Here are some steps you can take to utilize triggers for personal growth and begin to climb the ladder of consciousness, ascending to bliss with practice!
Recognize and acknowledge triggers: Start by becoming aware of the situations, behaviors, or comments that trigger a strong emotional response. Take note of the patterns and specific triggers that consistently affect you.
Pause and observe your reactions: When you encounter a trigger, take a moment to pause and observe your immediate emotional and physical reactions. Notice the sensations in your body, your thoughts, and the intensity of your emotions. Mindfully witnessing your reactions helps create a space between the trigger and your response.
Reflect on the underlying cause: Dig deeper to understand why a particular trigger affects you. Triggers almost always stem from past experiences, beliefs, or unresolved emotional wounds. Reflect on what the trigger represents and how it connects to your personal history or core values.
Practice self-compassion: Instead of judging or criticizing yourself for being triggered, offer self-compassion. Understand that triggers are a normal part of being human, and it's okay to have emotional responses. Treat yourself with kindness and understanding as you navigate the process of growth.
Explore the lessons and opportunities for growth: Once you have identified the trigger and its underlying cause, explore what you can learn from it. Ask yourself: What does this trigger reveal about my beliefs or fears? How can I respond differently in a way that aligns with my values? What skills or perspectives can I develop to overcome this trigger in the future?
Seek support if needed: If you find it challenging to navigate triggers independently, consider seeking support from a mentor, counselor, guide, or trusted friend. They can provide guidance, insights, and tools to help you work through your triggers and foster personal growth.
Implement coping strategies: As you work on personal growth, develop healthy coping strategies to manage triggers when they arise. These strategies may include deep breathing exercises, mindfulness practices, journaling, reframing thoughts, or engaging in activities that bring you joy and relaxation.
Remember, personal growth is an ongoing process that takes time and patience. Embrace the triggers as opportunities for self-discovery and use them to deepen your understanding of yourself and enhance your overall well-being.
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Isn’t it time you glow the fu%k up?
Happy holidays.
Love and light,