Freedom
Freedom has been a huge motivator for me when it comes to navigating the discomfort of change. When I think about freedom in my life and how I value it, I think of freedom from addiction, freedom from toxic relationships, a growing freedom from the past and limiting beliefs, and the ultimate freedom of choice in the present moment.
Being a trauma survivor, I may have more work to do than the average person in freeing myself from conditioned responses (it certainly feels that way). But I continue to be encouraged and surprised by the ever-increasing awareness and perceptivity into formative events and conditioning and my growing ability to release and/or minimize triggers. With that comes greater attention and presence in the present moment, a reduction of fear and anxiety; more freedom. Yay — worth it!
An important “a-ha” for me along this journey of dismantling triggers was learning about “flooding.” Understanding when it was happening and tuning in to physiological and emotional responses whenever they were particularly elevated, or shut down, provided a great deal of insight. Identifying even the smallest details of “what just happened” when the trigger was set off helped immensely in identifying what, in fact, I was reacting to. Unpacking the first one made it easier to recognize others. Reflecting on what the past events were (I’d usually go for the earliest memory that popped to mind) where I felt that same flooding (of rage, sadness, fear, etc.) provided insights into what the reaction, or over-reaction as the case may be, was really about on a deeper level. As Jiddu Krishnamurti said, “Your inward conflicts express themselves in outward disasters.” So I focus on what is happening internally as much as (or more than) what is happening externally, to find root causes.
To that end, I’ve found it useful to do mind-mapping exercises to uncover other associations to the triggering event, person or feeling. These activities don’t take much time but give clarity and control in recognizing potential triggers and patterns and redirecting responses as necessary. If you’ve never done mind-mapping for personal growth, I highly recommend it.
You can put any feeling, goal, fear, idea, person — anything — in the center and start brainstorming without thinking or judgement all that relates to it, and whatever relates to that. You can discover associations existing in your mind connecting things you may not have consciously realized. This increased awareness empowers you to navigate more effectively and discard that which no longer serves you (or perhaps wasn’t yours to begin with).
So much is shifting and changing for people now as they sort out what is and isn’t working for them and where it is they belong. Finding freedom from fear, addictions, toxicity and other limitations opens up worlds of possibility for moving forward in authenticity.
