Have you ever felt off? You know, just struggling with nothing in particular, but never knowing what’s wrong with you?
Can you see my hand raised high above my head?! We’ve all been there!
My conversation with Jessica Ortner totally made sense of this feeling by framing it in a different way. When we feel nervous or anxious, most times it’s not just in our heads – we experience it in our whole body. When you have a stressful thought, she emphasizes the importance of talking through these feelings (you don’t have to be Suzy Sunshine all the time) and acknowledging them through tapping. After all, when your body feels more relaxed, you’re able to take control again.
So what is this tapping thing anyway? Not to be confused with tap dancing, tapping is a technique that uses your fingertips to tap the body’s acupressure points and literally “tap into” your body’s own energy and healing power. Say what?
Jessica also questioned the effectiveness of this practice. Years ago, while suffering from what was a seemingly endless cold, her brother introduced her to tapping. Where did he learn about it? The Internet. Oh boy. How much truth could there be to this? But here’s the thing – it was no joke and it actually helped her. A bit further down the road, it also helped her realize that her issues with her body weight were more deeply rooted. It wasn’t just physical. It wasn’t about a number. It was emotional.
“We have to release that stress and create a better relationship with ourselves.”
So what better way to understand this process than by experiencing it firsthand. I was selfishly glad for the timing of this podcast so I could use it for my own personal benefit (in addition to yours). ;-) During this podcast, Jessica took me through a complete tapping sequence so we could work through my anxiety and fear around my upcoming public speaking engagement (TEDTalk). I would love for you to do the sequence and insert the issue that is currently challenging you. Jessica calls it “borrowing benefits,” because you can still make a connection just by the human experience. (Love that!) Here Are the Steps/Points:
During the tapping process, Jessica stresses that the words aren’t super important, it’s the act of speaking your feelings aloud. You’re not going to do anything “wrong.”
“It’s not about the perfect word, it’s about staying with the emotion.”
Let me tell you, the tapping sequence took my anxiety and fear level from an 8 to a 2 or 3! Amazing, right? If you’re going through something, I encourage you to try it and see if it helps. It’s definitely worth a try to change your energy from nervousness to excitement.
“When it comes to how our body reacts there’s not that much difference between anxiety and excitement.”
I am so grateful that she helped me shift my fear into that space of excitement. And I love that tapping can apply to ANY area of your life – not just public speaking. Having gone through the experience above, how could tapping benefit you?
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JESSICA ORTNER is the NY Times bestselling author of “The Tapping Solution for Weight Loss and Body Confidence” and producer of The Tapping Solution, the breakthrough documentary film on EFT tapping.. She has led more than 5,000 women through her revolutionary Weight Loss and Body Confidence online program, and she is also the host of The Tapping World Summit, an annual online event that has attracted more than 1,000,000 attendees from around the world.
Follow me on social media @LoriHarder on Instagram and Lori Harder on Facebook. You can also see more at my website: LoriHarder.com