The ability to be able to identify triggers in yourself and others offers a person a huge life advantage. If you can identify your own triggers then you can both manage them better and avoid situations that are going to cause you undue stress. Being able to identify someone else's tipping point could be seen as an unfair advantage and if you were a villain you could certainly exploit that knowledge, but I believe that understanding why others trigger is actually an opportunity for compassion and stronger personal relations.
The better that we can understand ourselves and others, then the higher are our chances to come together in peaceful and equitable ways. Understanding that people do not behave the way that they behave for nothing allows space for unpacking and understanding and eventually compassion as well. However, in order to get to the root of a trigger, you must firstly be willing to take a very honest look at the emotion and feeling that it is attached to that trigger.
Generally, people get annoyed and angry because they have perceived something to be unfair, but that definition of unfair could fall into a number of different emotions, and to able to identify any trigger properly, you have to be able to name the feeling that is associated with it first. When you find yourself triggered, or are in the presence of someone that is being triggered, try to identify which of these feelings is being conveyed:
I feel unheard.
I feel judged.
I don't feel good enough.
I don't feel worthy.
I feel left out.
I feel blamed.
I feel uncared for.
I feel unloved.
I feel controlled.
I feel betrayed.
I feel unimportant.
I feel disrespected.
As I said, all of these emotions will make a person feel like something unfair or that some sort of injustice has occurred, but the emotions attached to them are varied and rooted in very different origins and will therefore require different levels of mediation or conversation for resolution. However, once you can identify the emotional link of your trigger, then you can start to identify its origin and why you are attached to that feeling, and this is the first step to healing and eventual release.
Managing and identifying your triggers (and the triggers of others) is a process, one that requires patience and commitment, but it is such a powerful process and one that will develop a genuine understanding the self. Anything that allows you to let go of something that no longer serves you is never wasted and anything that can open a dialogue with the people around you that are feeling triggered is only going to further nurture your relationships with them which is always going to be worthy work to undertake.
So try a new method, try not to engage with your triggers, but rather try to practise identifying them. Name them, attach a genuine feeling to them and start to work out what it is that has created these feelings within you. As I said earlier, everyone has triggers, but some people are just a lot better at managing theirs, and you have the power to also be that person.
Release Date: 2018
Rating: MA 15+
Running Time: 112 mins
An art house fantasy movie that is pretty much in a league of its own, with its jet black comedy style and science fiction alternate reality setting, Sorry to Bother You is destined to become a cult classic in years to come. Written and directed by Boots Riley in his directorial debut, this film is completely unique, fresh and original in every way.
Cassius Green is struggling to get on his feet when he lands a job as a telemarketer for RegalView. After successfully mastering his 'white voice' he gains a promotion and becomes an elite Power Caller. Suddenly Cassius is flush with funds but the higher up the corporate ladder that he climbs, the faster he begins to understand how corrupt and immoral his line of business really is.
It's perfect blend of sharp satire, political hypocrisy and social exploitation makes this film truly unforgettable, I was literally still thinking about it for days after I saw it. The casting is perfect; Lakeith Stanfield is genuinely excellent as Cassius Green, with Tessa Thompson, Steven Yeun, Armie Hammer and Danny Glover providing noteworthy support throughout. If you are looking for something different and a little left of centre then Sorry to Bother You will not disappoint.
FINAL SAY: If you beautiful perversions don't shut the fuck up, I'll turn you into glue!
3.5 Chilli Peppers