We’re 100 days into 2018 already. I feel like I was bringing the New Year in yesterday! I won’t say that the last 100 days have been easy, but I’ve certainly learnt a lot.
In this spirit, I’m going to follow-up my blog yesterday, based on my experience of the triggers that can actually work to your advantage.
When we talk about triggers, it’s usually it negative terms; the things that lead to poor money/energy/choices/behaviour…. Yesterday, I listed a whole bunch of things that I know to be ‘bad’ triggers for me. And of course it was easy to write. My brain – like most – is an expert on what I don’t like/don’t want/doesn’t work.
But what about the flip side of this; the things that trigger peace and calm or excitement and confidence? What about the happiness triggers?
Here are my happiness triggers:
- Green tea/herbal tea/a good coffee
- Sunshine and the opportunity to even spend 5 minutes in it
- mindful moments, spent listening to sounds around me with curiosity
- Jiu Jitsu. My church of sweat and solace
- Eating good, wholesome food. Avocados for the win!
- Exercise in general
- Showers/baths
- Doing what I say I’m going to do
- Not doing what I say I’m going to do, but being ok/guilt-free about it
- Music
- Motivational quotes, clips, movies etc.
- Listening to audio books/podcasts
- Pottering around the house (tidying/housework are included)
- Being outside in nature, no matter what the weather’s like
- The smell of lavender
- Writing gratitude lists
- Any time spent near or on water
- Kindness meditations – sending good vibes to others
- Yoga
- Taking action – doing the things that I tend to put off
- Not knowing/caring where my phone is
- Having the time to read a book or magazine
- Anything to do with the cats
- Approaching thoughts with curiosity
- Knowing that I’m doing a good job/helping others in some way
- Speaking up, despite nerves, and honestly telling people how I feel
- Tackling adversity and coming through the other side
- Taking mini-breaks away from work and screens
- Time spent with friends, family and loved ones
- Using body language tricks like the cape, or feeling the certainty
- Eating mindfully. Chewing, tasting, listening to my body and stopping when full
Once I got going, I found that this list wasn’t as hard to write as I’d thought it would be. In fact, I probably could keep going. Turns out there are a ton of things that help me to find joy each day!
I’ve talked a lot recently about living one day at a time, and trying to make good choices each day; choices that starve anxiety and misery, but feed strength and spirit.
Now I’ve gone over exactly what these choices look like, I feel like I’ve cleared a path to achieving this. I’m going to print out my negative and positive triggers and keep in a place where I’ll look at them regularly. It’ll be harder to reason with myself that my poor choices aren’t that bad when they’re written in front of me on the naughty list.
Are you aware of your happy triggers? Would your list look like mine? Comments welcome:
Anxious-Ambition.com 
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