Emotional triggers are the surprises that we get when someone we love, or a situation, causes us to have a reaction that we haven't processed yet. If you were yelled at as a child, and you attached fear to being yelled at, then you might get triggered as an adult when someone around you as yelling. 
Triggers are childhood beliefs that aren't necessarily true anymore, and need to be addressed to save your relationships. Once you release your old triggers, you can view the world from an entirely different place, instead of through the eyes of a fearful child.