Hello beautiful people!
Let’s get to tapping!
I used to suffer from panic attacks. I’m not going to go into detail about the physical symptoms of a panic attack because those who’ve had them know all too well the physiological elements involved and, hey, even listing them here could spike my adrenaline for no good reason other than a couple o’ decades of experience in the area.
But what I will say is that when you have the kind of brain that likes to get into what I call “the loop” about things, it’s amazing the things you’ll try to break the cycle and get back to normal life after a while.
Enter EFT.
In case you’re curious, I don’t tap anywhere close to as hard or as fast as Julie does in her demo. I find that pressure and speed to be anxiety-producing, and since I’m trying to reduce anxiety when I tap, I go pretty slowly, calmly, and with lots of deep breaths worked in. I also don’t do as many ITEMS at once as she has done in her demo.
I’m more the speed and casual talk-through of Gabby Bernstein, in this demo, whether I’m doing EFT for myself or with my clients.
Here’s an example of how to isolate issues and talk through that first round kick-off of karate-chop spot tapping: “Even though I’m having anxiety about today’s meeting…” that’s ALL I would introduce (Julie lumps a bunch; I wouldn’t do that). “Even though I’m feeling stress about money…” is another one. Or, “Even though I’m unsure about this health situation…” might be another variation. You could try this about an audition, an agent meeting, event the task of updating your show bible! Anything that is causing you distress that begins to manifest itself physically is something you can reduce through tapping.
Note that it’s the combination of the “Even though I feel…” and the “I love and accept…” statements that’s key, and this is something you can really see in the second round of tapping Julie does above. Notice the gradual shift from statements of fact (how the anxiety is feeling in your body) to a round of owning the physical feelings followed by a round that’s almost like a set of affirmations that release the judgment from where these feelings take root in your body.
It may seem hokey and, yeah, if you do this while you’re in traffic out there you may get some funny looks, but I can honestly say that even a single round done in teeny little taps can settle me down on just about any topic.
Because some of the work we’re doing is all about conquering (or at least reframing) occasionally deep-seated emotions and maladaptive habits of self-talk, I wanted to offer up a way of interrupting “the loop” should it take hold now and then.
My private coaching clients have used this for everything from settling down before auditions (when beta blockers were their only-reliable method previously) to changing a relationship with a poison playmate into something less toxic. I use it DAILY for busting through upper-limit problems and next-tier money blocks.
Wanna understand a little more about HOW it works? Nick Ortner does a really great four-minute explanation and quick demo you may like.
Do a deep dive on Nick’s whole channel if you’re so inspired. Brad Yates — a former actor whose empire is all about tapping — also has a wonderful channel filled with EFT vids as well as courses many actors enjoy.
Of course, you already met my friend Denise Duffield-Thomas in our first money day here in the dojo, and she’s a big tapper! Here’s her tutorial on “How to Use EFT in Public Without Looking Like a Freak.”
I do the collarbone and chin spots when I’m “getting away with” tapping in public. No one ever notices. Seriously. Look at vids of me on stage or even in livestream Q&As and now and then there’s a moment when I’m tapping on my chin “thinking” about something. Nope. I’m not thinking. I’m telling my amygdala that all is well and there’s no need to spin out.
(Psst! — Already a member of the grads-only SMFA Dojo Facebook group? Here’s the replay of the deep dive on EFT we did with Dana Middleton with comments open. Oh hell… why wait? Here it is for everyone today right on this page!)
Today’s work: Consider a topic we’ve covered thus far that has been head-scratchingly problematic. One that perhaps has actually caused some mild physical anxiety to manifest. Anything that has felt it nears “flip out” status. Do a few rounds of tapping using the EFT method demonstrated above. Rank your before and after physical discomfort levels just like Julie outlines. See if you’re able to change your relationship with the issue just by tapping these trigger points on your body.
You game? I’d love to hear how your tapping experiment goes!
’til tomorrow… stay ninja!
