Triggers and Causes of Feelings
Understand that feelings have causes — something happens (a trigger) and that makes us feel a certain way — and begin to identify what triggers their own emotions
What a learner can do afterwards
- Describe a trigger for at least three different emotions from their own experience
- Complete 'I felt ___ because ___' sentences accurately
- Identify what made a character in a story feel a particular way
The lesson
Every feeling starts with something that happens first. That something is called a trigger. A trigger causes the feeling. First the trigger, then the feeling.
Mia's dog knocked over her blocks. The trigger was the dog knocking down her tower. Mia felt angry because of that trigger.
Think about a time you felt happy, sad, or mad. Ask yourself what happened right before that feeling. That is the trigger you are looking for.
Try saying, I felt ___ because ___. This sentence helps you find any trigger.
Every feeling has a trigger, so ask what happened first.
Watch it
Where it sits
Learn first
Where this leads
Jobs that lean on this skill. Follow one to see everything it is built on.
8 questions wait behind this lesson, each with its answer explained. Every answer feeds the sky: stars light as they are learned, and dim when it is time to come back.