Tap Your Way to Better Self-Esteem with EFT

By Aila Accad, RN, MSN

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You are not born with a self-image. The impressions from people and experiences in the first few years of life shape the beliefs you have about yourself today.

These early building blocks of your self-image and self-esteem occurred outside your control, awareness and choice.  It all happened before logical thinking or language development, so it cannot be explained or understood on a rational level.  This is why all the talk therapy and affirmations in the world cannot change it.  The information is housed on a kinesthetic (energetic), cellular level.
 
In order to change the core of your self-belief, you need a kinesthetic method that works on the foundation of those beliefs.  The most efficient and effective method I have found to do this is the Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT). 

EFT is an acupressure tapping technique that is able to reach and re-program the kinesthetic (energetic) level which holds the impressions from infancy and early childhood that continue to drive your present beliefs and behavior.  On the surface it looks too simple to have such a powerful outcome.  Don’t be fooled by its simplicity.  Because it works on the source of the issue, results can be and usually are profound.

Self-beliefs are at the core of what you attract into your life.  For example, core beliefs about not being deserving can block the financial, relationship or health goals you set for yourself.  A core belief about fear of abandonment or annihilation can keep you safe from actualizing your talents and capabilities.  Nearly any issue you are unsuccessfully trying to overcome in your life is based in core beliefs. 

You can learn and use EFT on your own for surface symptoms and issues like a pain, craving or emotional reaction.  When it comes to foundational core issues, it is best to find a skilled practitioner to do the process with you.  Your conscious (ego) mind which is also founded on core beliefs resists changes at that level.  Having a skilled practitioner will help you ease into the change so the resistance can be released as well.

The Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT)

There are four parts to the EFT technique - identify the specific symptoms of the issue and its intensity, set up the issue, tap on the acupressure points and integrate the resolution.  There are two factors that are vital to your success with the technique, being specific about the issue and staying focused on the symptoms throughout the process.

Step 1 - Identify the specific issue – for example, pain in the right shoulder, shakiness in the abdomen, fear of making a mistake in (specific situation), anger at (specific person) for saying (specific words). Assign a number on a scale of 0 (low)-10 (high) indicating the intensity level you feel.

Step 2 - Set up the issue - While tapping on the edge of your palm (on either hand, where you would chop a karate board), say (aloud if possible), "Even though I have this (name the specific issue), I deeply and completely accept myself."  Repeat the phrase 3 times. 

If your self-esteem prohibits you from saying you accept yourself, you can say “want to accept myself” or “I’m OK” or some other variation.  The point here is that YOU are not the issue.  Once the issue is resolved you will still be here.  Think about it - You cannot be anything that changes.  You were a baby, child, adolescent, adult.  Your body, thinking, emotions and situations changed continuously through all those stages of your life and you are still you.  You are the being that moved through all those changes.  You have a feeling, thought, behavior; you are not those things. 

Step 3 - Tap on the Points  ~ Stay focused on the issue by using a word or two to remind yourself “this (thought, feeling, situation)” while tapping the top of the head (fontanel area), Eye brow (near the nose), side of the eye, under the eye (all eye points are on the orbital bone), under the nose, in the chin groove, on the collar bone, on the side of the body (about 2 inches below the armpit).  The intensity of the issue is often reduced or may be gone just tapping the face/body points.  If not, go on to tap the finger points (the side of the finger about where the nail and skin meet) the thumb, first finger, middle finger, baby finger.  Use either hand - either side of the body. Reassess your intensity level. 

Often the original symptom is gone and another issue or symptom appears.  Keep doing the tapping process with whatever thoughts, feelings, memories appear until the overall intensity is low or gone.

Step 4 - Integrate the Resolution – This part of the process activates the left and right brain to integrate the change.  Using four fingers tap in the groove on the back of your hand between the knuckles of the ring finger and baby finger while you do these movements:  Close your eyes, open your eyes, without moving your head - look down hard to the left and right, roll your eyes clockwise and counterclockwise, hum briefly, count to 5 and hum briefly again. Reassess your intensity level.

You can see a video demonstration of these steps at http://tinyurl.com/2qg2mb

© Aila Accad, RN

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Author's Bio:

Aila Accad, RN, MSN ‘Your Stress-Buster Coach’ is an award-winning speaker, best-selling author and transformation coach who inspires and supports people to free their lives from stress and reclaim inner power.  Her bestselling book “34 Instant Stress-Busters, Quick tips to de-stress fast with no extra time or money” is available at www.stressbustersbook.com Sign up for De-Stress Tips & News at www.ailaspeaks.com and receive a gift, “Ten Instant Stress Busters” e-book

3 Comments

Jose Goyo-EFT cert 1
Posted August 19, 2010 09:51 AM

i truly liked the first part of yur article, May I translate into spanish to publish it on a blog I´am just creating. The last part is also excelent but I´d rather do it my own way. thank

Aila Accad, RN
Posted August 19, 2010 10:22 AM

I would be delighted to have you share these concepts in Spanish, Jose. You can use whatever part of the article suits your needs, credit me with that part and add a link to my website in your blog. Will this work for you? Warm :)) Aila

Jose Goyo-EFT cert 1
Posted August 20, 2010 10:39 PM

ok a cute deal, thank

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Disclaimer: All information on this website is for educational purposes only, and the content is not intended to suggest that it is a substitute for proper medical care or good common sense.

While EFT has produced remarkable clinical results, it must still be considered to be in the experimental stage and thus practitioners and the public must take complete responsibility for their use of it.

In addition, the articles on this site represent the views of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the founder of EFT, Gary Craig, nor the owner of this web site, Stefan Gonick.