tap to process emotions (E.F.T.)
So many people don't know what to do with emotions. We want to let go of the emotion that disconnect us from others or make it hard to live life but we lack tools. Tapping, also called "Emotional Freedom Technique (E.F.T.)" or "Heart-centered Tapping" is a powerful and simple technique that you can start doing to day to process your emotions and trauma!
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As you use this technique to process emotions and let go of trauma, your ego will have less fuel and you'll find it easier to grow in all 13 virtues.
Let's Get to It! | Here's What to Do:
1 - Learn how tapping works
2 - Set aside time to tap each day
3 - Tap as emotions come up
Watch this 27-minute video from the Tapping Solution YouTube channel:
Tapping Solution also makes a phone app that might be helpful to you. You can find it by clicking here. You can also find books on Emotional Freedom Technique by clicking here.
Pick a time each day when you'll tap using the techniques you learned in step 1. You can really do this anytime! Here are some times that've worked for us:
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Tap the sternum while exercising. Josh does this while running in place each morning.
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Tap while sitting in bed just after waking up.
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Go outside at a set time each day and tap while enjoying nature.
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Tap while on a walk.
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Really, you can do this wherever and whenever works for you!
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You can also combine your tapping with the "Write & Destroy" technique if you tap your sternum with one hand while writing with the other.
In addition to tapping at a set time each day, you can also tap as emotions come up throughout the day. The side of the hand can be a great location to tap on these occasions because it is less conspicuous!
Remember: There Are No Wrong Feelings
As you tap, keep in mind that the grow isn't to fight against your emotions or force them to change. Rather, you're processing them by feeling them fully.
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Here's one way to think of it: if the emotion you want to let go of is the wax of a candle, you melt it by letting the candle. The fire of the candle is you feeling it fully and completely. As you tap, the fire grows hotter and the wax melts more quickly.
It is a blessing to feel whatever we're feeling. There is beauty in it. Tapping lets us productively express what we're feeling in a way that doesn't harm us or others. It's a chance to enjoy feeling sad, mad, afraid, disgusted, heartbroken, etc.
In fact, we've found that tapping can even be just to feel elevated emotions like joy, love, and gratitude more deeply. Give it a try!
Is It Wise to Tap Whenever Feelings Come Up?
We went through a phase where we would tap every single time complicated or egotistical feelings came up. With time, we decided this wasn't helpful. We were stopping to tap so much that it was interrupting our life and interfering with mindfulness.
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Now, we don't tap every time we experience emotions that would be good to process. Sometimes we do if we feel like it won't pull us out of the Beautiful Present Moment, especially when we have the chance to be present with other people. Other times, we just notice the emotion, name it, and quietly imagine putting it on a shelf. We can take it down later and process it then.