Do you ever feel so overwhelmed by distress that you can’t respond mindfully to your partner? Do your automatic reactions hurt the relationship?
I’m not talking about just the expression of difficult emotions.
I’m referring to the type of emotional reaction that’s so intense it ruins your ability to respond from a conscious place.
Sometimes our old programs or past hurts take over. We may get triggered and react automatically on a physiological level.
This of course can effect our relationships. We panic, shut down, flee, or blame. In these moments we need something fast.
Thankfully there is a super simple and quick way to deal with this type of situation. It’s perfect if you love instant gratification.
This method is called EFT (or tapping) and is the single best technique for immediate release of emotional distress.
What is this tapping EFT business?
EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) is an emotional version of acupuncture. It allows you to “reboot” your energy centers by mentally tuning into specific emotions while activating meridian points on your body. This balances out disturbances in the energy system.
For example, if you’re so mad you want to overreact, you can take a break and tune into the feeling completely. You would say something like:
“Even though I so upset about this that I just want to scream, I love and accept myself right now,” or “Even thought I know I’m right and she is wrong and she just can’t see it, we will work this out after we settle down.”
To see how this would look in action, check out this video demonstration.
This is just an example of how EFT can be used to handle anger. But it can be used for other intense emotions as well.
Tapping EFT: Why it Works
When I first learned this, I wondered how something so easy can be so effective (after I got over how silly I felt doing it!).
It works because tapping activates our energy system, which is electrical in nature. Strong negative emotions are essentially disturbances in our energy system. By touching on these circuits of electrical impulses (the meridians discovered by the Chinese 5000 years ago) you are releasing these disturbances.
Once you have “tapped it out,” you are much better able to soothe yourself or have a productive conversation with your partner.
The bottom line is that EFT helps you use the tools you can’t access when triggered.
For more information on this amazing approach, click these links:
Description of EFT by its founder Gary Craig
Detailed Instructions on How to do EFT by Dr. Mercola
You can try this on anything: headaches, panic, cravings, even phobias.
Next time you feel super upset about something in your relationship, make sure to stop and try this out. It takes a few rounds of practice but it’s worth it.
I would love to hear how this works for you. Please share any successes or challenges you have with it in the comments below!
