Loaded at Birth, Aimed by Life, Fired by Choice

By Michael King • www.kingofhabits.com

"Genes load the gun. Environment pulls the trigger."
That statement hit me hard. It speaks to something deep: the tension between nature and nurture.

We’re all born with a mix of DNA, personality traits, tendencies—even traumas that aren’t ours but were passed down. But that’s just the loading of the gun. The rest? That’s where we come in.

🧬 The Science Behind the Saying

• Genetics account for 30-60% of our predisposition to mental health issues like depression, anxiety, or addiction.

• But environmental factors—like trauma, support systems, stress, and lifestyle—heavily influence whether those genes get “switched on.”

• According to epigenetics, your life choices can influence how your genes express themselves. Meaning: you are not doomed by your DNA.

🧠 A Quote to Chew On

"It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves." – William Shakespeare

🔑 Solutions – Turning Triggers Into Triumph

1. Create the right environment.
   Surround yourself with people, habits, and places that nurture growth. Even if your childhood was chaos, you get to design your adulthood.

2. Interrupt the cycle.
   Just because your parents did it, doesn’t mean you have to. Generational pain can stop with you—but only if you're intentional.

3. Take radical responsibility.
   Your life might not be your fault, but your future is your responsibility.

4. Build faith-based mindset tools.
   Prayer, journaling, scripture, and self-reflection build spiritual muscle. They teach you to respond, not react.

5. Rewrite your inner script.
   Start replacing “I can’t” with “I’m learning.” Instead of “This is who I am,” say “This is who I’m becoming.”

Teachable Moment:
This isn’t about blame. It’s about power.
You may be carrying loaded weapons—trauma, addiction, rage, fear—but no one forces your hand to fire. Through Christ, community, and conscious choices, you can walk a different path.

Final Thought:
Your story may have started without your permission, but the ending? That’s up to you.

📩 michaelking@kingofhabits.com
📚 Read more daily blogs at www.kingofhabits.com
🔖 #MentalHealth #Habits #FaithOverFear #BreakTheCycle #PersonalGrowth #RedemptionIsReal