Situations that Trigger and Spark

In Concept 6 (C6), learners will gain awareness of situations that impact their regulation, categorizing them into “triggers” and “sparks.” Triggers include unwelcome events and sensations that cause us to have less comfortable feelings, such as worried, angry, embarrassed, or annoyed. Understanding our triggers helps us to attend to our regulation when we encounter them. We also explore sparks, which are welcome events or sensations that provoke strong feelings of joy, such as giddiness, excitement, elation, etc. Although our sparks are enjoyable, they also can cause us to feel less regulated, such as when we are excited to partner with a friend on a project but can’t focus to be successful. By deepening this situational awareness, learners can better predict and prepare for triggers and sparks, develop a plan for regulating in these situations, and become more adept and confident at advocating for themselves.