Emotional Triggers Reflection Worksheet
Emotional Triggers Reflection Worksheet for Athletes
Section 1: Reflection on the Triggering Event
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Describe the Situation
- Example: "During a practice session, my coach called me out in front of the team."
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Your Turn: Briefly describe the specific event that triggered your emotional response.
- When and where did this happen?
- Who was involved?
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Emotional Response
- Example: "I felt embarrassed and angry."
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Your Turn: What emotions did you feel during this situation?
- List the emotions (e.g., frustration, disappointment, anger).
- Rate the intensity on a scale of 1 to 10.
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Physical and Mental Reactions
- Example: "My heart was racing, and I couldn't stop thinking about what the coach said."
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Your Turn: What physical sensations did you experience? (e.g., increased heart rate, sweating, tense muscles)
- What thoughts or beliefs came to mind?
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Initial Reaction
- Example: "I stayed quiet but couldn’t focus for the rest of practice."
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Your Turn: What did you do or say immediately after the event?
- Was your response helpful or did it escalate the situation?
Section 2: Analyzing the Trigger
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Identifying the Trigger
- Example: "The criticism made me feel inadequate because I’ve been struggling with confidence."
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Your Turn: What specifically triggered your emotional response?
- Was it something said, an action, or the context?
- How does this trigger relate to past experiences or personal beliefs?
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Patterns in Triggers
- Example: "I realized that I react strongly whenever someone questions my abilities."
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Your Turn: Do you notice any recurring patterns in your triggers?
- Are the same people, situations, or environments involved?
- What past experiences do these situations remind you of?
Section 3: Reflecting on Your Response
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Effectiveness of Your Response
- Example: "My reaction didn’t help—I stayed distracted and didn’t perform my best."
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Your Turn: How did your response affect the situation?
- Did it help you move forward or make things worse?
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Alternative Ways to Respond
- Example: "I could have paused and taken a few deep breaths to calm down."
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Your Turn: How could you have responded differently?
- What strategies (e.g., taking a break, refocusing) would have helped manage your emotions?
Section 4: Building Coping Strategies
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Coping Strategies for the Future
- Example: "I’ll practice deep breathing before games to stay calm when things get heated."
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Your Turn: What strategies can you use to manage emotional triggers in the future?
- List at least one action (e.g., mindfulness, visualization) that could help.
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Support Systems
- Example: "I’ll talk to a teammate or coach when I need help processing my emotions."
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Your Turn: Who can you rely on for support when facing emotional triggers?
- Identify a person (e.g., teammate, coach, mentor) or resource (e.g., meditation apps, therapy) that can help.
Section 5: Positive Triggers Reflection
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Identify Positive Triggers
- Example: "I felt proud and energized when my coach praised my defense."
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Your Turn: Reflect on a recent situation that triggered positive emotions.
- What was the event and what emotions did it evoke?
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Creating Positive Experiences
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Your Turn: How can you seek out or create more experiences that trigger positive emotions?
- Think of ways to create similar experiences (e.g., seeking feedback, celebrating small wins).
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Your Turn: How can you seek out or create more experiences that trigger positive emotions?
Section 6: Personal Insights and Growth
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What You Learned
- Example: "I’ve learned that my emotional responses are often tied to my self-confidence."
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Your Turn: What insights did you gain from reflecting on your emotional triggers?
- How has this exercise changed your understanding of your emotional responses?
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Action Plan for Growth
- Example: "I will practice mindfulness to manage stress and build my confidence."
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Your Turn: Based on your reflection, list specific actions you’ll take to improve emotional regulation.
- How will you track your progress?
2. Ask Open-Ended Questions for Each Section:
Section 1: Initial Reflection
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Prompt 1: “Can anyone share a recent situation where you felt emotionally triggered? What happened, and how did you feel in that moment?”
- Follow-Up: “How intense were those emotions for you, on a scale from 1 to 10?”
- Encourage someone to share first, then ask others for similar situations.
Section 2: Trigger Analysis
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Prompt 2: “What do you think specifically triggered your emotions in that situation? Was it something said or an action that set you off?”
- Follow-Up: “Does anyone notice patterns in what tends to trigger their emotions?”
Section 3: Response Reflection
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Prompt 3: “How did you respond immediately after feeling triggered? Did that response help the situation or make it worse?”
- Follow-Up: “If you could go back, how would you handle that situation differently?”
Section 4: Coping Strategies
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Prompt 4: “What coping strategies could help you next time you face a similar situation? Maybe deep breathing or pausing before reacting?”
- Encourage them to share strategies that have worked for them in the past.
Section 5: Positive Triggers Reflection
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Prompt 5: “Can anyone share a time when you felt positive emotions after something good happened, like praise from a coach? How did that impact your confidence?”
- This helps the group balance the reflection on both negative and positive triggers.
3. Use Follow-Up Questions:
- Clarify: “Can you tell me more about how that felt?”
- Encourage others to share: “Has anyone else experienced something similar?”
- Challenge them to think: “What do you think you could do next time to manage that better?”
4. Encourage Group Participation:
- Rotate who speaks: “Let’s hear from someone who hasn’t shared yet.”
- Use group input: “Does anyone have any advice or suggestions for handling that kind of situation differently?”