Browse
Top articles
How to Meditate: Meditation 101 for Beginners
10 Science-Backed Benefits of Meditation
What is Meditation?
Try free for 7 days.
How to Meditate: Meditation 101 for Beginners
10 Science-Backed Benefits of Meditation
What is Meditation?
Benefits of Mindfulness: Mindful Living Can Change Your Life
Mindfulness 101: A Beginner's Guide
00:00
00:00
Personalized support for learning how to integrate mindfulness into your life. Delivered fresh everyday by our world renowned experts. Choose meditation duration:
Hi, and welcome to your Daily Mindfulness. Today, I'm going to talk about slowing down and stopping reactivity. So we've probably all experienced times when we feel that rush of anger rising. Perhaps someone says something that triggers us, you know. And then a thought arises.
How dare they or oh, really, is that what you think? Let me tell you. So if we actually start to fixate on thoughts like that in those kinds of moments, we feel upset more and more because it stokes the emotion, it stokes more anger, more reactivity. And then as our anger intensifies, the mind responds by creating more angry thoughts, then those thoughts magnify the emotion, and you can see how this just kind of creates a vicious cycle. And we can easily get caught up in that cycle of kind of throwing more fuel on the fire of that original moment of being triggered. Let's say someone cuts in front of you in a line.
You know, you feel that initial flame of annoyance perhaps. But then you throw fuel on it. How rude. You know, now anger's moving all through the body and you think, what the hell is wrong with this person? Doesn't he care about anyone but himself? So selfish. Now you're really simmering.
And with every reactive thought, you feed the fire and fan the flames until you can barely contain yourself. You know, we've all been here at one time or another. But what we often don't realize in those moments is that it's our thoughts that are blowing things up and making things feel a lot worse. But if we can learn to recognize in that first moment of being triggered that we're triggered, and we take a mindful pause, we can deescalate things. We can make the choice not to throw more fuel on the fire.
It can be helpful here to take a few deep, slow breaths in that moment when we're first triggered, and then mentally note the emotion to ourselves. You know, ah, okay, anger's here, or, okay. I'm being triggered. Then we can make a conscious choice not to throw any more fuel on the fire, not to escalate our anger with more reactive thoughts so that they can cool and pass on their own. This is the invitation for today and ongoing, whenever you get triggered, take a pause, breathe deep, and try not to add any more fuel to the fire.
In this way, you train yourself to become a non-reactive person and promote more peace, both within and without. So I wish you well with this practice. And as always, thank you for your practice. Let's settle in for today's meditation.
Throwing Fuel on the Fire
Personalized support for learning how to integrate mindfulness into your life. Delivered fresh everyday by our world renowned experts. Choose meditation duration:
Duration
Your default time is based on your progress and is changed automatically as you practice.
Hi, and welcome to your Daily Mindfulness. Today, I'm going to talk about slowing down and stopping reactivity. So we've probably all experienced times when we feel that rush of anger rising. Perhaps someone says something that triggers us, you know. And then a thought arises.
How dare they or oh, really, is that what you think? Let me tell you. So if we actually start to fixate on thoughts like that in those kinds of moments, we feel upset more and more because it stokes the emotion, it stokes more anger, more reactivity. And then as our anger intensifies, the mind responds by creating more angry thoughts, then those thoughts magnify the emotion, and you can see how this just kind of creates a vicious cycle. And we can easily get caught up in that cycle of kind of throwing more fuel on the fire of that original moment of being triggered. Let's say someone cuts in front of you in a line.
You know, you feel that initial flame of annoyance perhaps. But then you throw fuel on it. How rude. You know, now anger's moving all through the body and you think, what the hell is wrong with this person? Doesn't he care about anyone but himself? So selfish. Now you're really simmering.
And with every reactive thought, you feed the fire and fan the flames until you can barely contain yourself. You know, we've all been here at one time or another. But what we often don't realize in those moments is that it's our thoughts that are blowing things up and making things feel a lot worse. But if we can learn to recognize in that first moment of being triggered that we're triggered, and we take a mindful pause, we can deescalate things. We can make the choice not to throw more fuel on the fire.
It can be helpful here to take a few deep, slow breaths in that moment when we're first triggered, and then mentally note the emotion to ourselves. You know, ah, okay, anger's here, or, okay. I'm being triggered. Then we can make a conscious choice not to throw any more fuel on the fire, not to escalate our anger with more reactive thoughts so that they can cool and pass on their own. This is the invitation for today and ongoing, whenever you get triggered, take a pause, breathe deep, and try not to add any more fuel to the fire.
In this way, you train yourself to become a non-reactive person and promote more peace, both within and without. So I wish you well with this practice. And as always, thank you for your practice. Let's settle in for today's meditation.
Duration
Play in-app
Scan the following QR code with your camera app to open it on our mobile app
Get Unlimited Access
A Mindfulness Plus+ subscription gives you unlimited access to a world of premium mindfulness content.
Email Missing
We couldn’t detect your email with the SSO provider you have selected.We are here to make a positive impact on the world. We never want to sell you something that hasn’t helped you live a better life. That’s why if you’re unhappy with any purchase from us, you have 30 days to get a full refund and your money back.
If you subscribed to Mindfulness Plus+ and are unhappy with your purchase, please get in contact with us within the 30-day period and we’ll refund your purchase.
Learn more about our Mindfulness Guarantee.
Mindfulness
We believe in a world where everybody has access to the life-changing skills of mindfulness.
Private Browsing
We believe in a world where everybody has access to the life-changing skills of mindfulness.
Annual membership
$0
This is the app I turn to when I want to feel calm and loved.
- Abby
Melli has a beautiful way of guiding and reminding us of the stillness within.
- Adrienne James
I have been on a journey of healing and learning self-love. Amidst the work, I have been using the mindfulness app for the gentle reminders, guides to the moment (especially the difficult ones).
Kelly Boys offers a fresh and illuminating take on how to step out of lifelong patterns that keep snagging us.
- Tara Brach, PhD
Truly life changing. This isn't solely meditation and mindfulness...this is about striving to be the best the versions of ourselves.
- Marisa, Plus+ Member
Relaxing and assuring beyond description... thank you, Cory.
- Babs312
This is the app I turn to when I want to feel calm and loved.
- Abby
Melli has a beautiful way of guiding and reminding us of the stillness within.
- Adrienne James
I have been on a journey of healing and learning self-love. Amidst the work, I have been using the mindfulness app for the gentle reminders, guides to the moment (especially the difficult ones).
Kelly Boys offers a fresh and illuminating take on how to step out of lifelong patterns that keep snagging us.
- Tara Brach, PhD
Truly life changing. This isn't solely meditation and mindfulness...this is about striving to be the best the versions of ourselves.
- Marisa, Plus+ Member
Relaxing and assuring beyond description... thank you, Cory.
- Babs312
This is the app I turn to when I want to feel calm and loved.
- Abby
Melli has a beautiful way of guiding and reminding us of the stillness within.
- Adrienne James
I have been on a journey of healing and learning self-love. Amidst the work, I have been using the mindfulness app for the gentle reminders, guides to the moment (especially the difficult ones).
Kelly Boys offers a fresh and illuminating take on how to step out of lifelong patterns that keep snagging us.
- Tara Brach, PhD
Truly life changing. This isn't solely meditation and mindfulness...this is about striving to be the best the versions of ourselves.
- Marisa, Plus+ Member
Relaxing and assuring beyond description... thank you, Cory.
- Babs312
Shamash's guidance is a gift of wisdom to help us in our busy and stressful lives.
- Paul Gilbert, PhD, FBPsS, OBE, Centre for Compassion Research and Training, University of Derby, United Kingdom
Excellent! Cory gently guides you into internal peace.
- Steve Ericson
A necessary tool for those who feel lost.
- Piper
Just want to say a big thankyou to all involved as this has had a positive impact in my daily life 🙏 Valuable teachings that have allowed me to have a better relationship not only with those around me, but with myself. Heal ourselves and we heal the world 💫✨🌍
- Marty
I start every day with Cory or Melli for my daily practice. Including this app into my practice helps me continue to build more mental focus and understanding of my thought processes. What a welcome and powerful gift.
- Oku
Shamash's guidance is a gift of wisdom to help us in our busy and stressful lives.
- Paul Gilbert, PhD, FBPsS, OBE, Centre for Compassion Research and Training, University of Derby, United Kingdom
Excellent! Cory gently guides you into internal peace.
- Steve Ericson
A necessary tool for those who feel lost.
- Piper
Just want to say a big thankyou to all involved as this has had a positive impact in my daily life 🙏 Valuable teachings that have allowed me to have a better relationship not only with those around me, but with myself. Heal ourselves and we heal the world 💫✨🌍
- Marty
I start every day with Cory or Melli for my daily practice. Including this app into my practice helps me continue to build more mental focus and understanding of my thought processes. What a welcome and powerful gift.
- Oku
Shamash's guidance is a gift of wisdom to help us in our busy and stressful lives.
- Paul Gilbert, PhD, FBPsS, OBE, Centre for Compassion Research and Training, University of Derby, United Kingdom
Excellent! Cory gently guides you into internal peace.
- Steve Ericson
A necessary tool for those who feel lost.
- Piper
Just want to say a big thankyou to all involved as this has had a positive impact in my daily life 🙏 Valuable teachings that have allowed me to have a better relationship not only with those around me, but with myself. Heal ourselves and we heal the world 💫✨🌍
- Marty
I start every day with Cory or Melli for my daily practice. Including this app into my practice helps me continue to build more mental focus and understanding of my thought processes. What a welcome and powerful gift.
- Oku
Thank you for joining us
Dive into the full library and enjoy all it has to offer!
Claim your free access
Create a mindfulness account and we’ll unlock this premium session in your account forever.
7-Days free trial, cancel anytime.
Complete a few quick questions to make your own personalized mindfulness plan.
Sign up or login to your mindfulness account to proceed.
Sign up or login to your mindfulness account to proceed.
Mindfulness
One membership to gain access to a world of premium mindfulness content created to help you live happier and stress less.