Need a little spark of inspiration? This article is a delightful 2-minute detour. But if you’re enjoying the scenic route today, our menu is packed with even more captivating landscapes to explore.
A message from today’s meditation:
Can you imagine a life where nothing – no event, no word, no action – could control your emotions? Imagine being the sole architect of your inner world, unshakable in the face of external chaos. This, is the ultimate freedom, and the path to it lies in understanding and mastering your triggers.
“Nothing in the outer world makes you feel any way. You decide what you want to feel, and then use other people and events as permission slips to execute your feeling agenda.” – Alan Cohen
Your triggers are all inside of you. Nothing and no-one in the world can trigger you unless you already have that trigger within you. It’s the responsibility of each of us to work with and work through our triggers, it’s not the responsibility of the world to be less triggering – Just think how free you’ll be when nothing around you can trigger you anymore.
“When faced with demanding situations, can you keep your heart as light as a feather? Can you laugh your way through challenges and maintain an attitude freer than fear? When confronted with upsets and the poisonous projections of others, can you remember that all is well? Do you know that you are a spiritual being, not subject to the whims and caprices of earthly tides?” – Alan Cohen
“Acts that proceed from your calm center are always more effective than acts that proceed from fear, guilt, or anger.” – Alan Cohen
Cultivating inner peace in the face of adversity is the hallmark of a truly empowered individual. When we react from a place of calm, clear-headedness, our actions become far more effective.
This journey towards becoming “untriggerable”, begins with self-awareness. Mindfulness practices like today’s meditation “come to your senses”, are valuable tools for developing this inner sanctuary.
In the same way that we are able to sit and calmly observe the experience that each of our outer senses provide us, we are also able to develop the ability to calmly be the witness to our inner senses. By observing our thoughts and emotions without judgment, we begin to understand their triggers and ultimately, rewrite our “feeling agenda” as Alan Cohen calls it.
Here are a few thoughts to ignite your self-reflection:
- What story am I telling myself in this situation? Challenge the narratives that fuel your triggers.
- What emotions am I feeling, and where are they coming from? Trace your emotional responses back to their source. Can you remember the first time something made you feel this way?
- Can I choose a different response? Empower yourself to react consciously, rather than impulsively.
By embarking on this inner exploration and embracing these reflections, you’ll take a significant step towards becoming untriggerable. This doesn’t mean becoming emotionless; it means becoming the witness to your emotions, it means no longer being a slave to your emotions. It means living a life of freedom, where external circumstances no longer dictate your internal experience.
Embrace the baby steps of this journey. Being completely untriggerable might be far off in the distant future and the good news is, we don’t need to reach that far. For now, become friendly towards your triggers. Decide to be really kind to this human being who is sometimes way too reactive.
Let your triggers become a reminder to stop and breathe and witness all the thoughts and emotions bubbling through your brain and body. Experiencing a trigger is not a failure. Your empowerment comes from practicing how to not let the trigger force the action you take. If you can find your calm centre before deciding how to act, you chip away at the power of your triggers and step closer to a life of unparalleled freedom.
– pierre –
Today’s LIVE meditation is: Come to your senses.
A moment of reflection
(If you have the time, use this question as a journal prompt, because whenever you put pen to paper you’re wiring the neural pathways that create your new habits. But if you don’t have the time, just take a moment to reflect on your response.)
Designing Your Untriggerable Future: “Imagine a version of yourself one year from now who has made significant progress in becoming ‘untriggerable.’ What does this person’s daily life look like? How do they respond to criticism, conflict, and unexpected challenges? What practices have they cultivated? What beliefs do they hold about themselves and others? Now, working backward from this future self, what small step could you take today to begin moving in that direction? What would you need to practice, release, or embrace to become this person?”
Today’s LIVE meditation
https://youtu.be/FdTbWkjIzMM 2025
https://youtu.be/GJac8hQIY54 2024
https://youtu.be/xRn_JRqnkUg 2023
Q&A for deeper learning
1. Q: Does becoming “untriggerable” mean I’ll stop caring about things that matter to me?
A: Not at all. Becoming untriggerable doesn’t mean becoming indifferent or emotionally numb. It means developing the ability to care deeply while maintaining your emotional equilibrium. You can still feel passionate about causes, love deeply, and experience the full spectrum of human emotions—but from a place of choice rather than compulsion. Think of it as upgrading from emotional reactivity to emotional responsiveness. You’re not shutting down your heart; you’re creating space around it so it can beat more freely.
2. Q: What if someone is genuinely mistreating me? Isn’t it natural and healthy to get triggered by abuse or injustice?
A: Recognizing mistreatment and setting boundaries is absolutely essential and healthy. The key distinction is between conscious recognition and unconscious reaction. When you’re centered, you can clearly see inappropriate behavior and take decisive action without being emotionally hijacked. This actually makes you more effective at protecting yourself and others because you’re operating from clarity rather than reactive emotion. Your response comes from wisdom and strength, not from triggered wounds.
3. Q: How do I know if I’m suppressing emotions or genuinely processing them in a healthy way?
A: Suppression feels tight, forced, and often accompanied by physical tension or a sense of “pushing down” feelings. Healthy processing feels more spacious—you’re aware of the emotion, you allow it to be present, but you’re not identified with it or controlled by it. Suppressed emotions tend to leak out in unexpected ways or build pressure over time. Processed emotions flow through you naturally, providing information without overwhelming your system. A good test: Can you talk about the situation calmly and learn from it, or does it still carry an emotional charge that feels unresolved?
4. Q: Is it selfish to focus so much on my own emotional state when there are real problems in the world?
A: Actually, the opposite is true. When you’re emotionally reactive, you often contribute to problems rather than solutions. Think about how many conflicts escalate because people respond from triggered states rather than wisdom. By mastering your inner world, you become far more capable of creating positive change in the outer world. You show up as a calming presence rather than adding to the chaos. This is one of the most generous gifts you can offer—your own emotional stability becomes a resource for others.
5. Q: What should I do when I catch myself already mid-trigger? Is it too late at that point?
A: It’s never too late! Even catching yourself mid-reaction is a victory—it means your awareness is growing. The moment you notice you’re triggered, you can pause and take a breath. You might say something like, “I notice I’m feeling reactive right now. Can I have a moment to center myself?” or simply take a few conscious breaths before continuing. Sometimes you might need to circle back to revisit a conversation once you’ve found your center. This isn’t weakness; it’s emotional intelligence in action.
6. Q: How long does it typically take to see real progress in becoming less triggerable?
A: The timeline varies greatly depending on your starting point, life circumstances, and commitment to practice. Some people notice shifts within weeks of consistent mindfulness practice, while deeper patterns might take months or years to transform. The encouraging news is that even small improvements compound over time. You might find that situations that used to ruin your entire day now only affect you for a few minutes. Celebrate these incremental victories—they’re evidence that you’re rewiring decades of conditioning. Remember, this is a lifelong practice, not a destination.
7. Q: What’s the difference between being emotionally detached and being centered?
A: Emotional detachment often comes from a place of protection or disconnection—it’s a defense mechanism that keeps you safe but also keeps you from fully engaging with life. Being centered, on the other hand, is about being fully present and engaged while maintaining your emotional equilibrium. When you’re centered, you can feel deeply without being destabilized. You’re connected to others and to your own experience, but you’re not at the mercy of every emotional wave. Detachment says “I don’t care”; centeredness says “I care deeply, and I’m stable enough to respond wisely.”