Ever feel that familiar tightness in your chest when someone says something that pushes your buttons? That sensation isn't just discomfort, it's a doorway to profound personal growth.

Emotional triggers - we're taught to avoid them, manage them, or push them down. But what if these uncomfortable moments are actually powerful mirrors showing us exactly where we need to heal? In this deeply personal episode, I share a recent interaction that could have sent me spiraling into old patterns of people-pleasing and self-abandonment. Instead, it became a catalyst for standing even more firmly in my truth.

The difference between peacekeeping and peacemaking transforms how we handle triggering situations. Peacekeeping comes from smallness - abandoning our truth to maintain an illusion of harmony. Peacemaking emerges from strength - honoring ourselves while remaining kind. One drains us; the other empowers us.

Your body remembers past hurts, which is why seemingly small moments can feel so overwhelming. When someone's criticism activates old neural pathways, you're not just responding to the present moment but to every similar wound from your past. Understanding this mechanism gives you power to choose differently.

I walk you through a practical six-step process to transform triggers into growth opportunities: pause and name the emotion, regulate your nervous system with breathwork, identify the underlying belief, reframe it with compassion, take inspired action, and extend kindness to yourself throughout the process. This work is especially powerful in midlife as we shed old roles and find our authentic voices.

Ready to see your triggers not as setbacks but as signposts pointing toward your truest self? Listen now, and discover how life's most uncomfortable moments might actually be invitations to become exactly who you're meant to be.

🦋 If you’re listening to this and thinking, ‘This is me - I don’t trust myself, I feel stuck, and I don’t know what I want anymore,’ I work with a small number of women privately to help them reconnect with their inner voice, get clear about what they actually want, and start making choices that feel true instead of forced.

You can learn more about working with me and schedule a free Discovery call with me here: https://stan.store/MidlifeConfidenceLab or DM me on Instagram

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