We've all experienced a moment like this-you overhear or see something that inexplicably kickstarts an intense emotional response. You've been triggered. It's a natural reaction in our brains, usually related to past wounds or trauma, and it often wells up in us without warning. Triggers leave us feeling anxious, panicked, or angry. To fight the feelings, we usually respond in a way that we'd later love to take back. But it's too late by then. The damage has been done. A trigger led to a poor reaction, which led to an even bigger mess. How do we stop this cycle? To borrow a line from my friend Ted Lowe, "Saying you're sorry is great; not needing to say sorry is better." I firmly believe that. The next time you're triggered by friends, kids, or even a spouse, it doesn't have to end poorly. We all need to know how to deal with triggers and not have them escalate. Being triggered is understandable, but your reactions when it happens matter. Here are 6 P's to ...