Positive Emotional Triggers

Driving to work this past December, I was running late and feeling rather swamped. Holidays can be like that. As I looked around from my driver’s seat, I noticed the Christmas decorations on several nearby houses, and quite suddenly felt a touch of happiness welling up inside me. I might have even smiled, which I don’t recall, but it certainly felt like that. It set me to thinking; if we can have negative triggers that quickly affect our emotional state, why not have positive emotional triggers that have an effect, but in a quick, positive way?

A google search shows that, go figure, I am not the first person to think like this. As long ago as 2008, University of Colorado psychologists Lawrence Williams and John A. Bargh did a project to study this phenomenon and published their results as “Experiencing Physical Warmth Promotes Interpersonal Warmth,” in Science magazine.

They have done other studies relating to positive emotional triggers as well. Another article I can cite to be of help would be in Psychology Today, posted January 20, 2019, as “5 Skills to Add to Your Emotional Toolbox” by author and child and adolescent clinical psychologist, Mariana Plata, who also stated “Learning your emotional red flags is a way to boost your emotional intelligence” in a follow up article called, How to Spot Your Emotional Triggers.

I’ll think of positive triggers then, as emotional “green” flags.

Janette Tepas

Think of a few things that you know make you feel warm, comforted or nostalgic for a happy time. In my case, I think of sticking my face towards any sunshine I can find in midwestern winters. I also think of flowers, which aren’t so readily available, but I can enjoy the look of them in any grocery store, whether I buy any or not.

Photos are copyright Janette Tepas. 
Flowers on a path by Janette Tepas. Find more images by Janette at JanetteTepasImages.com

I suppose the kitten/puppy and other videos that get posted online are doing the same thing for lots of people these days.

If you are one of them, then that is a good place to go for your trigger.

Remember that while scrolling is good, seeing the real life item might have a deeper instant connection than the distance a computer puts between you and your positive trigger. Even untracked snow can be a positive trigger for me.

While chatting with my sister, we found that her choices are completely different than mine. But she liked the idea of coming up with a few.

It’s sort of a cheap, quick way to feel just a touch better than I did just a few seconds earlier.

What I need to come up with is positive triggers that don’t add so many calories as my favorite trigger, Carol’s chocolate covered peanuts(So good!!) that helps the mind and body.

What might yours be? Honestly, even trying to come up with some feels kind of good. Give it a try.