Lara Jade
A modern multi-hyphenate influencer, Jody Shield is an accredited success coach and motivational speaker, self-help author and meditation expert. She’s also trained in EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques), or, as it’s more literally known, Tapping.
A technique gaining popularity, given our collective grasp on the importance of self-care, Tapping is an easy self-help tool designed to aid the release of negative emotions such as anxiety, stress or fear.
“Similar to acupuncture, EFT uses the body’s energy meridian points, which are stimulated by tapping on them with your fingertips,” Shield explains.
She says that tapping on the energy meridian points sends signals to the amygdala (the ‘fight or flight’ part of the brain) to calm down and relax. “As soon as this happens, anxiety is immediately reduced which allows you to move forward in a calmer way,” she says, adding that it also helps restore the body’s energy to a balanced state.
It’s believed by those who practise it that Tapping can provide some relief from a wide variety of negative afflictions from chronic pain to emotional problems, disorders, addictions, phobias, post-traumatic stress, and even physical diseases. Plus, “anyone can learn it and use it anywhere and anytime,” Shield says. Below, she demonstrates how.
Tap on each point approximately seven times. As you tap, repeat the below phrases out loud.
Karate chop point (the side of the hand): “Even though I’m feeling overwhelmed and fearful, I accept who I am, and how I feel.” Repeat this one three times.
Continue tapping on the other points with adjacent phrases:
Eyebrow: “I’m feeling really overwhelmed”
Side of the eye: “All this stuff happening“
Under eye: “I’m really stressed out“
Under nose: “What if I miss something?”
Chin: “What if it all gets too much?”
Collarbone: “I’m so overwhelmed right now”
Under arm: “And I don’t know how to move through it”
Top of the head: “So much happening right now”
Eyebrow: “And I can’t cope with it all”
Side of the eye: “What if I miss something?”
Under eye: “And then I’ll mess up”
Under nose: “And I feel anxious just thinking about it”
Chin: “I’m stressed out”
Collarbone: “I’m feeling overwhelmed”
Under arm: “With all I have on”
Top of head: “I can’t think straight!”
Jody Shield
Next, take a deep breath in and exhale. Then continue to tap and repeat the sequences until you feel calmer and more relieved. When you feel relief, tap through a ‘positive round’ and say each phrase below out loud:
Eyebrow: “I know I can move through this”
Side of the eye: “I know I have the strength inside”
Under eye: “I choose to believe I’ll get through this”
Under nose: “I know I can find my power inside”
Chin: “I believe this is my journey now”
Collarbone: “I know I can move through this”
Under arm: “And feel good about myself again”
Top of head: “I choose to believe in my inner strength”
Jody Shield
From: Harper’s BAZAAR UK
