How do you respond when something in the outside world hits one of your buttons or trigger points?

Do you react with physical outbursts? Do you get caught up in the whirlwind of your personal thinking? Or, is it a combination of these two?

I have responded in all of the aforementioned ways in my life, and it wasn’t always a pretty sight. However, over the years, I have come to understand what was behind all of these outbursts. As a result, they are few and far between, but that doesn’t mean that my buttons don’t occasionally get hit.

For instance, a couple of nights ago, my neighbour had a restless, noisy night. It woke me from a deep sleep, and for a few hours, I listened to his pacing. As I tossed and turned, irritation began to form. My thoughts kicked into gear with internal comments like, “Will you please go to sleep!” “Stop stomping around!”

In the past, this would have escalated into anger, shouting and frustration. All my buttons would have been pushed. I was familiar with this button, which stems from my childhood and many nights of disrupted sleep. However, it didn’t escalate because I understood what was happening within me.

After a mild period of irritation, I notice that I could relax, breathe, and let the emotions come up without the accompanying attached story. Stories about how I needed my sleep, how inconsiderate he was, and whole the mental montage of thinking. Eventually, I could even feel compassion for this individual. Wondering what was happening in his world to cause such agitation.

Around 2 am, I gathered up a pillow and a blanket and moved to the sofa, where I quickly drift into a deep, peaceful sleep. I woke in the morning a bit later than usual but refreshed, ready for a new day.

When we can allow emotions to arise without getting all tangled up in our thinking, which only adds fuel to the fire, we come to a place of clarity. We can act with calm and clarity rather than react, thus quickly returning to our place of inner peace. This doesn’t mean I will ignore it or let it go. It does mean I will take action from a place of calm rather than anger.

I am still human and feel emotions that arise, but I know how to reset and return to my innate calm.

We each have the ability to reset our emotional state and come back to our natural state of calm and well-being.

Would you like to learn more? Let me know. In January, I will be offering a course to share this understanding with you.

With love, joy and gratitude,
Carolynne