Tag Archives: triggers

Can You Keep from Getting Defensive?

I think that refraining from reacting in a defensive way to criticism, a challenging customer or client, accusations, or other communication triggers can be one of the toughest things for many of us in business. Throw in the fact that we might be overworked, underpaid, and dealing with all sorts of stressors and reacting defensively may feel like the most natural thing in the world. Learning how to identify our triggers, however, and stopping the defensiveness before it lets loose are important business skills to cultivate. What are you likely to do when you get defensive? Do you use sarcasm, … Continue reading →

Attitudes of Entitlement are a Trigger for Me

I’ve written before about how important it can be to identify and understand what our triggers are as single parents so that we can learn how to cope and react appropriately. In the past year or so, I have learned that when individuals—whether it is kids, people in my work, or just individuals I interact with in the grocery store—have an attitude of entitlement or want special accommodations or special treatment, it is a real trigger for me! No matter how relaxed and open-minded I try to be, for some reason, my single parent hackles get raised when people start … Continue reading →

Money Issues Can be a Trigger

It has been so long since I have NOT been a single parent, it is tough for me to remember whether money issues were a big deal for me or not. I think I worried less since there was more coming in, and two adults working to keep the coffers full. Many single parents that I have talked to confess that money issues are a HUGE trigger, if not the major trigger for stress and worry. While I have read many a book about “flow” and “letting go” and not clutching on to things like money, my experience as a … Continue reading →

Taming the Triggered Responses

Ah, triggers—we’ve all got them and there is something inherent about parenting that ensures our kids will figure out our triggers and use them to their advantages from a very early age. For a single parent, however, we often have some additional issues with triggers—especially if we are still dealing with some unfinished business. Our child may remind us of our ex, or situations and circumstances may come up that bring up old hurts and difficult times. One of the challenges for a single parent is to learn how to tame those triggers and keep from letting our children and … Continue reading →

Identify Your Triggers

There is a great deal of psychology that goes along with parenting–and it is not just child psychology. We have to dig down and understand some of our own issues and personal psychology in order to be effective, present, parents. It is quite easy to blame our children for all the tussles and miscommunication, but the fact is, we bring our own triggers and issues into our interactions with our children too. If you can identify your own triggers, you may be able to maintain control and be less likely to get into power struggles with your children. Additionally, owning … Continue reading →