Are you parenting mindfully or are your anxieties driving the bus? Discover your unique anxiety style and how it impacts your parenting from a licensed marriage and family therapist.
We all have different emotional triggers. What triggers one parent may have little or no emotional impact on another. Imagine if a friend cancels plans at the very last moment. Would you feel irritated and aggravated? What about hurt or even relief?
Not only are we triggered differently, but what calms us when we’re feeling stressed differs for everyone. What might calm one person might amplify feelings of stress and overwhelm in another.
Learning your anxiety style will help you understand and avoid your particular emotional triggers and reduce stress daily.
Lovers thrive on deep emotional connections and prioritize the quality of their relationships with friends and loved ones. They find joy and security in close bonds, and can feel deeply distressed by perceived rejection, isolation, or a lack of emotional intimacy. Social media, with its curated highlight reels, can be a significant trigger, amplifying feelings of missing out or not being loved enough.
Fighters embrace challenges and thrive in environments that require them to be resilient and strong. They often feel most comfortable when they are actively problem-solving or overcoming obstacles. A calm, peaceful environment can feel unsettling, as they are used to being in a constant state of preparedness. They are natural warriors and protectors.
Executives value control, loyalty, and dependability. They thrive on structure, predictability, and a sense of order. They feel most secure when they are in charge of their environment and their future. When they perceive a loss of control, or when their expectations of trust and dependability are violated, they experience significant stress.
Visionaries are driven by their big dreams and thrive on connection with like-minded individuals who understand their aspirations. They are motivated by the pursuit of their goals and can become stressed by perceived setbacks, delays, or a lack of progress. The pressure of achieving perfection can also be a significant source of anxiety.
Dynamos thrive on accomplishment, productivity, and recognition. They feel a sense of purpose and fulfillment when they are making progress and receiving accolades for their efforts. They can become stressed when they perceive a lack of progress, when their efforts go unnoticed, or when they feel overwhelmed by endless, unrewarding tasks.
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Amber Trueblood, MBA, is a licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT), best-selling author, speaker, and mother of four sons. She has over 25 years of experience in mental health, and co-founded The M.E.C.A. Project to help teens and young adults thrive Mentally and Emotionally through Conscious Awareness. Amber has been featured in People, Oprah Magazine, CNN, CBA, FOX, KTLA, Motherhood Maternity, Psychology Today, Good Day LA, and many more.