Trigger

Never waste a good trigger.  This is a quote and an exceptionally great practice offered by Ana Forrest, creatrix of Forrest Yoga, a powerfully-healing form of yoga which I am blessed and trained to teach.
What does that quote mean? A trigger is anything--person, place, situation, organization--that causes some sort of physiological response in us, such as muscle-tightening, emotional stress, sweating, addictive behavior, or general discomfort. An example for me is when I make a mistake. I get very nervous, emotional, and frustrated with myself. The mistake is a trigger, and when I explore that trigger, I see that my perception of myself as perfect has been shattered. Exploring further, why do I feel I must be perfect? Well, to be good enough. What's good enough? I think you can see the endlessly frustrating moving target of perfectionism that I've set myself up for. Making productive use of this trigger, I practice savoring my successes and being happy with who I am and whatever I do, without applying some lofty standard I can't possibly hit that only serves to bring myself down.
A key point here is to use the trigger for its gift of information, then release it. We don't want to store away the triggers in our bodies--buried triggers become cancer, arthritis, heart disease, fibromyalgia and Alzheimer's, to name a few. 
Simply begin to notice your triggers. That's a great start. Practice becoming an explorer for the gifts hidden in the trigger. It's a great way to get stuck energy moving in your body and in your spirit.
Blessings!
Leta