Joe describes loving when people make fun of him on social media because each trigger reveals a limitation in how he holds his identity. When a comment from “Lurker McLurkface” offends him, that’s useful data — it shows exactly where he’s still sensitive, where he thinks something about himself is still important to defend.
If he were maintaining a curated identity, he would miss these opportunities entirely. Instead, he actively seeks the places where he can get triggered because freedom lies on the other side of each one. This reframes triggers from threats to be avoided into invitations to be welcomed.
“I love finding places where I can get triggered so I can find the freedom on the other side of that trigger.”
This is a radical reorientation: rather than building better armor against judgment, you open yourself to it and use whatever lands as a map of where you’re still holding on.