Tapping is an easy, powerful tool that can help you quickly get over your biggest fears and help achieve all of your goals. You can do this by tapping away any limiting beliefs, fears, and internal obstacles that may arise along the way.
To reduce or eliminate fear, try this simple tapping technique described below:
Step 1: Identify Your Fear
Although you may think you have a fear of public speaking, or of asking someone for a date, those aren’t actually your fears. Your fears are what you imagine will happen when you do those things.
Example: I’m afraid to speak to a large group of people at the seminar.
Why? Because I imagine that my mind will go blank and I’ll look foolish.
True fear: I’m afraid I’ll look foolish.
Example: I’m afraid to ask Susan for a date.
Why? Because I imaging she’ll say no and I’ll be embarrassed.
True fear: I’m afraid I’ll be embarrassed.
Write down your fear. If you have more than one, write them all down.
Step 2: Measure Your Level of Fear
On a scale from 0-10, with 10 being the most intense, measure your fear. There is no right or wrong number here, only what you perceive. Let the first number that comes to mind be okay. Next to your fear, write down its intensity.
Step 3: Tap On Your Fear
Begin by tapping on the top of your eyebrow point and state your fear. Allow yourself to fully feel the fear that you’re naming. Tap the next point, the outside of the eye, and state your fear again, again focusing on the feeling of the fear. Continue tapping on the remaining points, stating your fear as you tap on each point.
You can repeat the same words each time you tap, or you can change them as you focus on the fear. The exact words aren’t important. What’s important is that you’re tuned in to your emotion.
Once you’ve tapped on each of the eight points, you’ve completed one “round.” The following is an example what you might say as you go through two rounds of tapping:
Eyebrow: I’m afraid to ask Susan for a date.
Outside of Eye: I’m afraid she’ll say no, and I’ll be embarrassed.
Under the Eye: I’ll be so embarrassed.
Under the Nose: I’ll be so embarrassed if she says no.
Chin: I’ll be mortified if she says no.
Collarbone: I’ll never be able to look her in the eyes again if she says no.
Under the Arm: I’ll be so embarrassed.
Top of the Head: I’m so afraid she’ll say no.
Eyebrow: I’ll be so embarrassed.
Outside of Eye: I feel embarrassed just thinking about her saying no.
Under the Eye: I’ll be so embarrassed.
Under the Nose: I’ll be so embarrassed if she says no.
Chin: I don’t know if I can ask.
Collarbone: How could I face her again if she said no?
Under the Arm: I’ll be so embarrassed if she says no.
Top of the Head: I’ll be so embarrassed.
You can tap more than two rounds if you prefer.
Step 4: Evaluate Your Fear
Take a deep breath and measure your fear again. A number of possibilities may have occurred:
Your intensity may have increased. This happens sometimes when you tune in to the fear and really allow yourself to feel it. If your intensity increased, you did a good job of tuning in. Immediately begin tapping again and continue until you feel the fear lessen.
Your intensity may have decreased. Write down your new number of intensity. If it’s still above a zero, repeat the tapping routine.
Your intensity may have stayed the same. This can happen when you’re not actually tuned in to the feeling. You may also just need to persevere, so tap several more rounds and see if you notice any change. If not, you may want to try the full EFT Tapping Technique.
Your feeling may have shifted. Instead of feeling embarrassed, perhaps you now feel angry at the thought of Susan saying no to you. Or you may have a new thought that everyone always says no to you. When this happens, you may have cleared, or at least diminished, your original fear to the point that a new issue has surfaced and become more important. If this is the case, return to Step 1 and repeat the process stating the new emotion.
Your fear may still feel intense but may begin to feel distant or fuzzy. Continue to tap and the intensity will usually fade.
Step 5: Notice Your Changes
As your fear subsides, you may notice your beliefs changing. You may still feel it’s likely that Susan will say no but no longer feel embarrassed at the thought. Or you might believe that it is less likely that she’ll say no. Or you might even start to feel proud of yourself for being willing to ask her out on a date, regardless of her response.
The goal is to get the fear to a 0 and clear any other negative emotions that may be in the way of you taking action.
*I wish to express my appreciation to Jack Canfield and Pamela Bruner, authors of Tapping Into Ultimate Success, for the inspiration for this post. To learn more about Tapping and how to use it for success, I highly recommend this book!
