The workplace can produce all manner of stresses and EFT can help to ease the ever-present irritations, frustrations and challenges, whether in relation to your boss, colleagues, deadlines or learning new skills. The technique can be used to release pent up energy and feelings of pressure, or applied whenever you feel tired or lethargic.
One work-related area for which people often apply EFT is a fear of public speaking. People with this phobia can suffer a tremendous amount of stress leading up to talking in public. Fears of forgetting words, making a fool of yourself or painful shyness can all be eradicated by simply tapping the meridian points. EFT can effectively remove blocks to success and personal performance – use it before meetings, presentations, cold calls or any situation where you feel under pressure to achieve. A young woman called Shelley used EFT to promote confidence and assertiveness within her job.
shelley’s story – self-confidence at work Shelley had started a job as sales assistant in a clothes store. She was relieved about this as it was only a few weeks before Christmas and she needed the extra money. Just a few days later she was told that she would not be paid until after Christmas as the wages were only paid once a month.
She was extremely upset and angry that she would not be able to afford Christmas presents for her family. We tapped for her anger, frustration and upset and she felt a little better. We then suggested that maybe she could ask for an advance and this was when deeper issues surfaced. She didn’t feel ‘good enough’ to ask for the money. She also felt that the manageress didn’t like her. We tapped for ‘I believe the manageress doesn’t like me’, ‘I don’t believe they will let me have a sub’ and ‘I don’t feel confident enough to ask’.
After the session Shelley felt totally different. Her energy had lifted and she felt good about herself. The next day she asked if she could have an advance. The manageress smiled and said ‘Of course, I’ll phone head office right away.’ She also praised Shelley on the standard of her work. A few weeks later she was asked if she would like to train for a managerial position.
Aggravations and Irritations
No matter how laid back we are, it can still be easy to lose our temper when under pressure. The old saying of ‘count to ten’ can be replaced by ‘tap for it’. A few minutes of tapping should be enough to release the tension. Partners’ annoying habits, screaming children, traffic jams, interfering parents can all be soothed away quickly.
Pam’s story – irritation Pam had an adorable little dog called Lucy. However, Lucy had a very excitable nature and car journeys with her were an ordeal. She would squeal the entire time. This behaviour caused Pam to dread taking Lucy anywhere in the car. She had tried everything she could think of to break the habit, but to no avail. After learning about EFT, she decided to give it a try. Pam and her husband set off in the car to take Lucy for a walk and, true to form, Lucy began her horrendous noise. Immediately, Pam began tapping for all the different elements that annoyed her. She tapped for:
‘Her barking drives me mad.’
‘I can’t stand the noise Lucy makes.’
‘I want to throw her out of the window.’
‘This ceaseless barking!’
While tapping, the irritation began to subside and Pam realized that she was relaxed and enjoying the view from the window. Lucy’s barking no longer troubled her but her poor husband was getting very uptight. They agreed that next time Pam would drive so that her husband could tap away his annoyances.
Physical irritations such as bites, bumps and stings can also be relieved by this method, as well as aggravations such as hiccups and sneezing fits.
Sports Performance
Most sports require a focused and positive frame of mind to ensure success. How you feel on a particular day often reflects your overall performance. Performance levels can be improved by using EFT. Some benefits include:
Self-image
How many of us are completely happy with the way we look? Most people feel discontented with some aspect of their appearance; they are ‘too fat’, ‘too thin’, ‘too short’ or ‘too tall’. Or they may feel ugly or unattractive because of one particular part of their body – ‘My nose is too big’, I don’t like my thighs’, ‘I wish my teeth didn’t stick out’, ‘If only my bum wasn’t so big’. These insecurities can erode our self-esteem. In the same way, some people feel ‘clumsy’, ‘awkward’ or ‘dumb’ and this can prevent them from enjoying certain activities. For some, reassurance alone is not enough to allay these doubts and insecurities but EFT will help you to overcome negative thoughts and feelings connected with your self-image.
Feeling uncomfortable about ourselves can lead to shyness, blushing, stammering or profuse sweating and these can all cause acute embarrassment. It is very easy to find ourselves caught in a vicious cycle, becoming tense at the mere thought that we might blush or trip over our words, thus compounding the fear of it happening again. EFT can help break the chain of events that precede such complaints.
Self-imposed Limitations
In the same way that poor self-image can make us unhappy and insecure, negative beliefs about ourselves can lead to self-imposed limitations. ‘I can’t …’, ‘I’m no good at …’, ‘I’ve never been good at that’. These negative beliefs hold us back in many ways. They stop us from attempting new things and keep us trapped within the apparent safety of our personal comfort zone. Unfortunately, the limitations we put on ourselves prevent us from doing things that could improve and expand our lives. Before you turn down an opportunity because of fear, or because you believe ‘I could never do that’, target the negative emotion with EFT and watch what happens!
Decision-making
Have you ever made a decision based on an emotion only to regret it at a later date? When making a personal decision, we are often influenced by outside influences. How will others react? What will they say? Am I being selfish? Then there is the need for parental approval or fear of being judged. All these conflicting energies can disrupt our train of thought and make decision-making very confusing. Next time an important decision needs to be made, try using EFT to neutralize the fear, self-doubt or conflicting emotions that prevent you from making an informed and centred choice.
Confronting Life’s Problems
The application of this subtle energy therapy can be used in so many circumstances that it truly is a companion for life. The breadth of possibilities where EFT can help is demonstrated by Sue’s story.
Sue’s story – unhappiness ‘I stumbled across EFT at a point in my life when I felt that a lot of changes were needed in order for me to be happy. I kept finding myself falling in love with the wrong type of person and choosing totally inappropriate jobs. I got