The U.S. is weathering a storm of division unlike anything we’ve seen before. Politics isn’t just an opinion that is expressed or cordially debated these days; it’s become the basis for broken friendships, strained family ties, and endless arguments that leave our nervous systems on high alert.

Everywhere we look—from news outlets to social media feeds, from entertainment channels to casual conversations—we are bombarded with people that have chosen a side, feel the need to publicly defend it fiercely (and all too often, nastily), and plainly state that they view anyone who disagrees with them as a mortal enemy or just plain stupid.

We are deluged with headlines and soundbites designed to provoke outrage and deepen our differences. Our perspectives are further reinforced with social media algorithms that deliberately curated echo chambers where we rarely see beyond our own views, and when we do, it’s often through the most extreme lens. For example, the day after our presidential election, some on a national TV show suggested their nearly 5 million viewers cut family members and friends from their holiday gathering if they voted differently, as if the choice of a candidate wholly reflects anyone’s personal values and moral character.  The reality is that flaws exist across the political spectrum.  But media would have us believe otherwise.

This constant drumbeat of division has fueled an undercurrent of distrust and disdain for years now, and it doesn’t discriminate—both ‘sides’ participate in this.  Some have fallen victim to dehumanizing those that disagree with us, rather than honoring that they are nuanced individuals in a shared society.  While there have been other contentious elections in our nation’s history, our recent election was marked by unprecedented polarizataion, misinformation, and deeply entrenched divides between political ideologies making it the most contentious in modern times.  The divisiveness was expertly nurtured by both sides and, by all appeareances, will continue to be.

In a climate where division and conflict seem inescapable, our emotional triggers are constantly under assault. Every heated conversation, alarming headline, or confrontational post can spark a reaction, leaving us feeling drained and on edge. These triggers activate our nervous system, putting us into a heightened state of alert as if we’re bracing for an threat. We become more reactive, quicker to judge, and more likely to see others as adversaries rather than people with differing perspectives. It’s no wonder a sense of safety and inner peace feels out of reach for those who have become obsessed with politics.  Without realizing it, many have allowed these external pressures to shape their internal world, letting every conflict or disagreement hijack their happiness time and time again.

If you’d like to reclaim your inner peace amid all of the noise and choas, I invite you to read on.

Recognizing and Calming Emotional Triggers

One of the most powerful steps we can take to protect our inner peace—and preserve relationships we value—is to recognize and calm our emotional triggers.

What is an emotional trigger? It’s when we feel a surge of intense negative emotions—anger, frustration, sadness, or even disgust—sparked by an external event or interaction with others. These reactions are a natural part of being human, but when left unchecked, they can leave us feeling drained, anxious, and controlled by the chaos around us.

Internally, emotional triggers activate our nervous system’s ‘fight or flight’ response, flooding our bodies with stress hormones and putting us on high alert to a perceived threat. This heightened state can make us react impulsively, without thinking through the consequences of our actions. In these moments, one may struggle to communicate effectively.  Some lash out without thought, sometimes feeling guilt or regret afterward.  Others may feel entitled to ‘speak their piece’ as they believe that they, alone, see the truth and have a right to express it.  This behavior, often rooted in righteousness, not only damages relationships but also erodes our own sense of dignity. Acting out of alignment with our core values, even in the name of truth, can leave a deeper impact than we realize—on ourselves and those we care about. Reclaiming our peace and reconnecting with our values is not just about calming our triggers; it’s also about preserving our integrity and dignity, themes we’ll explore further in a future article.

Unchecked reactions from our emotional triggers create tension and misunderstandings, often with the very people we care about and respect. It’s easy to forget that our divisive posts or harsh words are seen not just by a general social media audience, but also by friends and loved ones. Over time, this behavior erodes trust, weakens connection, and sets up a cycle of conflict and distance, damaging our ability to connect meaningfully with those we once adored and respected. I ask, is that your intention?

Disagreements are inevitable, but it’s not the act of disagreeing that harms relationships—it’s how we choose to handle those disagreements. If we want to preserve our internal peace and the relationships we hold dear, we must learn to approach conflict with empathy, respect, and understanding. This is where the art of disagreeing without being disagreeable becomes essential and why calming triggers matters.