Knowing Your Triggers

Today I’m sitting in the doctors office – again! I’ve been dealing with a serious injury for more than two years now. And while the average person who has been down this road has recovered within a year, I’m not even close despite being healthy, following all the doctors orders, doing the physical therapy. It’s just not happening.

Something in me is getting rattled to the point where I can physically feel burning of frustration within my chest. Before I would have fallen into my old ways and acted out. But now I can recognize these feelings and employ my strategies. This verse tells us to be on guard — we need to always watch and pray and be conscious of what is going on in our lives.

One strategy I have is making sure that I pay attention to my triggers everyday – I make an inventory of how I am doing (other strategies include praying, reading scripture, touch base with my friends and accountability partner)..but how do I know when to really dig deep? It’s by identifying what my triggers are and then watching for them. Physical pain and depression are two of mine. I call my physical pain an “Unmet Need” in recoveryBox. I figure it’s unmet because first I want the pain to go away, and then second I want the injury to heal. Neither of which is happening and so that starts me on my road to depression.

A few years ago I wouldn’t even have been able to recognize these feelings inside of me. So please understand that it will not happen overnight but it is worth the effort of getting to understand your triggers.

Be on guard!