Trigger has a bad reputation. People associate it with stress and anxiety. They hear it and think of stress, anxiety, and pain. I see it differently. I want to associate it with deliberate sources of good mood. Experiences are powerful. They can cause pain, but they can also heal, uplift or put us in good moods.
Why focus on the pain?
I’m reframing triggers. I want to associate it with good experiences. Trigger shouldn’t be a threat, but a promise. A cue for happiness. Something to look forward to. A reason to smile. That’s how I want to interpret it.
Memories can be happy ones. And I can invest in sources of happiness (triggers) to truly live. That’s exactly what I’ve been trying to do in the last two years. Happy triggers are the conscious activities and things I do daily ( no matter how small) that spark joy and excitement. Better still, habits, routines, and rituals that make me feel alive. I’ve found that the more curious I am about what makes me come alive, the happier I am.
It’s a beautiful cycle.
I actively create spaces for things that make me feel good. They are my energy sources and good mood triggers. They keep my spirit alive. And when life gets tough, they’re my anchors, pulling me back to joy.
For example, most mornings, when I work from a coffee shop, I take a walk in nature to get to my destination. It clears my mind and improves my mood before I start working. I could drive, but I prefer to walk. It’s a happy trigger that sets a positive tone for my day.
Sometimes, I listen to calming music while walking in nature. Certain songs bring back happy memories, and others immediately improve my mood. I have a playlist of these songs. I listen to it whenever I need a boost. It triggers a happy mood in minutes.
Reading is another happy trigger for me. Losing myself in a good book feels like an escape. I feel relaxed during and after a reading session.
Even writing has become a source of finding flow (a mental state of complete absorption or focus focused on my task).
I am transforming my life from sources of stress to mental clarity or happy triggers. I’m exploring more activities and experiences that make life more fulfilling — triggers that guarantee warmth, comfort, and love. That’s a happy trigger. You can create more.
Invest in your own happiness. Surround yourself with things that bring out the best in you. Build your own world of joy. A favourite song, a special place, a good experience, a special person, or an ordinary experience that puts you in a good mood can be powerful triggers. Even small acts of kindness can be powerful triggers.
Helping a stranger, complimenting a colleague, volunteering your time — these actions not only brighten someone else’s day but also fill your own with a sense of purpose and fulfilment.
These are your triggers.
You control your reality. Design it with happiness in mind. Fill it with things that make you smile: small moments, big joys. Let them pull you forward.
That’s how I invest in triggers.
Life is short. Don’t waste it on pain. Create happy triggers. You can design your world with happy triggers in mind. Surround yourself with things that spark joy. Create rituals and experiences that lift your spirit.
Morning and evening walks do wonders for me.
Quality time with the closest people I love is another happy trigger. Sometimes, I spend time at a new museum to break away from monotony. I enjoy good pieces of artwork. They’ve become my visual triggers. These routines have become predictable pockets of pleasure, memories in the making. Each one brings back the thrill, the laughter, the sense of happiness.
They’re reliable triggers for relaxation, reflection, and joy.
These become your personal happiness sources. Every experience becomes a potential source of joy. Triggers can be beautiful experiences we want for a good life. Triggers don’t have to be symbols of stress. Define your own sources for finding your happy experiences. Start small.
A few intentional routines, habits, or rituals are all you need.
That favorite book you love? Make time for it. That hobby you’ve been putting off? Pick it up. These aren’t just activities; they’re investments in happiness. Decorate your space with things that bring you joy. Create playlists with uplifting tunes. Grow flowers that soothe your soul.
Immanuel Kant thought the rules for happiness are: “something to do, someone to love, something to hope for.”
Derail your routine once in a while and make time for things that make you come alive. If your present routine gives you what you want, double down on the ones you enjoy most. Remember to keep experimenting, discovering and refining.
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