You fall into the trap of thinking everyone else has it all figured out (especially the “experts") and you’re the only one who can’t seem to get it right!
I had to laugh at myself the other day…
In the midst of editing my next book, “The Tapping Solution for Manifesting Your Greatest Self” (Fall 2017), I was… shall we say… a bit stressed.
I felt overwhelmed, rushed, just too much to do and not enough time to do it. I had to get this editing done, and we were in the midst of launching my brother Alex’s new (amazing) kids book which was exciting but taking a lot of work.
I was tired from a live event I had held just a few days earlier for my local community of Newtown, CT., an amazing evening where we came together to tap and heal. I could feel the pressure of so much to do, so many projects, so many people to help, so much creative energy to unleash… and it was just a bit much.
And of course, I was editing a book about the importance of releasing the stress response... About how to bring our deepest resources back online. About how we manifest our greatest self not by being miserable, and pushing and striving and stressing but by letting go, being present, being grateful, and releasing these old patterns.
But…
Umm...
I wasn’t following my own advice. It’s funny isn’t it? Stressing out while editing a chapter about not stressing? Lol! Yes, I am profoundly human.
But… in that moment, I said to myself, as you’ve probably often said to yourself, “This isn’t working” and “What if I did something different? What if there was a better way?”
Fortunately, that better way was literally at my fingertips...
It was both within the text of what I was editing and within the magic of Tapping.
The particular chapter or “day” (it’s a 21 day process), I was working on was on gratitude and how we each respond to success differently. I’m sure the idea of gratitude and its importance isn’t new to you as a concept, but if you’re not using it consistently, well... then it doesn’t do any good!
So I paused, recognized I wanted to have a different experience of life and approach, and I used the tapping within the chapter itself.
I took the time to actually CELEBRATE the amazing things that were happening, as opposed to rushing on to the next thing.
I tapped in celebration of launching a kids book that I truly think will change lives around the world (we’re already getting incredible feedback from it). I took the time to really FEEL the love and beauty behind the Newtown event - the years of work that led up to that and the continued dedication to a mission of healing.
I looked at my bookshelf, which is lined with Tapping Solution books (including over 30 foreign translations which are just the coolest thing ever) and really, almost for the first time, took in the joy and magic of it.
There is success ALL around you.
There is love ALL around you.
But you have to stop to notice it. And then you have to stop again to notice it. And then again.
Because that’s where the magic of life lives. That’s where the miracles unfold, from that state of gratitude, from that place of joy.
To help you do that today, here’s an excerpt from what I’ve been working on. It’ll be a little out of context because it’s not the whole chapter, but I pulled the tapping section out so you could do some tapping now. If you’re new to Tapping, learn the basics here.
I hope you enjoy it and use it to SAVOR your amazing life!
Savoring The Smaller Wins
When you think back on recent days, what everyday “wins” have you had?
For starters you’re on day 5 of this book.
That’s a win unto itself! (Please accept my virtual congratulations and big hug for making it this far!)
You’re also probably not climbing Mount Everest, which means you’re far less likely to suffer frostbite. (reference to earlier in the chapter!)
Win #2!
Really think about what good has happened in your life.
Have you tapped today? That’s a win.
Did you go to bed earlier and wake up feeling more rested? Great!
Were you calmer than usual when you got stuck in traffic? Well done.
Were you more patient with your children, spouse, or co-worker? Impressive.
Think back on the last few days or week, and notice any and all victories.
Either on paper or in your mind, list three of those wins now:
My 1st win is _______________
My 2nd win is _______________
My 3rd win is _______________
With your list in mind, we’re going to do some positive tapping.
Positive tapping is a powerful way to train your brain and body to notice those everyday wins in your life, and feel the positive emotion they can generate.
To start, focus on your list of wins, and notice how much positive emotion you feel.
Give that positive emotion a number on a scale of 0 - 10, with 10 being the most positive (joyful or grateful, excited, etc.) that you can imagine feeling.
With positive tapping, instead of lowering stress, the goal is to elevate positive emotion. This means that your goal is to INCREASE you SUDS number, which is the number of intensity scale.
For example, if your joy begins at a 3 out of 10, you goal with positive tapping is to make the number go up, perhaps to a 5 out of 10, or 8 out of 10.
So let’s get started!
Take three deep breaths.
We’ll begin by tapping three times on the Karate Chop point.
KC (Repeat three times): Even though I forgot to notice the good in my life, I can see it now and let myself feel joy and gratitude.
Eyebrow: I [insert win #1]
Side of Eye: It feels good to notice!
Under Eye: I also [insert win #2]
Under Nose: It feel good to notice this, too!
Under Mouth: I also [insert win #3]
Collarbone: It feels great to notice all of this!
Under Arm: It’s safe to feel good about this
Top of Head: It feels weird to celebrate these little wins
Eyebrow: I forget to notice them most of the time
Side of Eye: I can see them now
Under Eye: I can see that they resulted from positive choices
Under Nose: I can start noticing these everyday wins more often
Under Mouth: And let myself celebrate each one
Collarbone: I can feel more joy more often
Under Arm: I can stop and feel gratitude for these everyday victories
Top of Head: Even though they seem small and meaningless sometimes
Eyebrow: I can stop and notice them
Side of Eye: I can feel joy about them
Under Eye: I can give them the meaning they deserve
Under Nose: It’s safe to feel this joy more often
Under Mouth: It’s safe to notice these little things
Collarbone: It’s safe to value these everyday wins
Under Arm: Letting myself feel joy now
Top of Head: Feeling joy and gratitude now
Take a deep breath. Give your positive emotion a number on a scale of 0 - 10. Keep tapping until you get the desired effect.
If that happens, pause your positive tapping and do a few rounds of tapping while asking yourself questions like:
Why can’t I feel good about these everyday wins?
What is holding me back from feeling more joy about them?
Once you have a clearer sense of why positive tapping isn’t resonating, tap on releasing the negative emotion, limiting belief and/or event that’s distracting you. Then, when that negative charge has gone down and you are ready, return to positive tapping.
Comment: What came up for you in this Tapping? How important is gratitude in your life?
The blog post A Taste of My Own Medicine (How Gratitude Can Change Your Life) was first seen on: The Tapping Solution
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