Before we close our eyes,
I want you to do one thing.
Bring to mind a specific task that you've been avoiding.
Got one?
Okay,
Hold it lightly in your mind as we begin.
Find a comfortable position.
Take a breath.
And close your eyes when you're ready.
I invite you to take a moment to settle.
Feel the weight of your body.
Let your shoulders drop.
Unclench your jaw.
Just notice and look for anything tense in your body and let it relax.
Let it settle.
Take a slow breath in through your nose.
And release it fully through your mouth.
Breathe in again.
And as you release,
Let go of any tension.
Let go of any stress.
Bring that task to mind again.
The one that you've been putting off.
Just let it be present without trying to solve it or plan it.
Just notice.
And now notice what emotion comes up with it.
Is it anxiety?
Overwhelm,
Dread.
Is it feel numb or blank?
Avoid.
Maybe a flash of self-criticism.
Whatever it is,
Just name it quietly to yourself.
You don't need to say it out loud.
And where do you feel it in your body?
Is it in your chest,
Your stomach,
Your shoulders,
Your throat?
Just take a moment to name that feeling and identify where it sits in your body.
On a scale of 0 to 10.
How strong is that feeling when you think about this task?
Zero is you're feeling calm,
Relaxed,
In control.
10 anxious stressed overwhelmed Just get a rough number.
Don't overthink it.
Hold on to that number.
We'll check back at the end.
Now we're ready to go into our first round of tapping.
Begin by bringing your fingers to the karate chop point on the side of your hand.
And tapping gently as we say our setup statement.
Remember to repeat out loud after me.
Even though I've been avoiding this task.
Even though I've been avoiding this task.
And I don't fully understand why.
And I don't fully understand why.
I deeply and completely accept myself.
I deeply and completely accept myself.
Even though there's a part of me that keeps pulling away from this.
Even though there's a part of me that keeps pulling away from this.
I choose to be curious about what's underneath that.
I choose to be curious about what's underneath that.
Even though this task has felt heavier than it probably should.
Even though this task is felt heavier than it probably should.
I'm open to releasing that weight right now.
I'm open to releasing that weight right now.
Okay,
You can stop tapping.
Let your hands rest for a moment.
Then bring your fingers to the inner edge of your eyebrow.
Tapping continuously and repeating after me.
I've been putting this off.
I've been putting this off.
Moving to the side of the eye Every time I think about it,
Something pulls me away.
Every time I think about it,
Something pulls me away.
Under the eye.
Part of me doesn't want to look at it too closely.
Part of me doesn't want to look at it too closely.
Tappy under the nose.
Maybe I'm afraid it won't be good enough.
Maybe I'm afraid it won't be good enough.
Tapping on the chin.
Maybe I'm afraid of what happens if I actually do it.
Maybe I'm afraid of what happens if I actually do it.
Moving to the collarbone.
Or what happens if I fail?
Or what happens if I fail.
Tapping under the arm,
All this is wrapped up in one task.
All this is wrapped up in one task.
I'm moving to the top of the head.
It all feels like too much.
It all feels like too much.
Okay,
Stop tapping and take a breath in.
And release it fully.
Okay,
We're moving into round two.
Blowing back to the eyebrow.
This feeling of not being ready.
This feeling of not being ready.
Tapping on the side of the eye.
Weighing until the conditions are perfect.
Waiting until the conditions are perfect.
Tapping under the eye.
But the conditions never feel quite perfect enough.
But the conditions never feel quite perfect enough.
Tappy under the nose.
And meanwhile,
The task sits there.
And meanwhile,
The task sits there.
Tapping under the chin,
Getting heavier every day I don't start.
Getting heavier every day I don't start.
Moving to the collarbone.
The avoidance has its own weight now.
The avoidance has its own wage now.
Tappy under the arm,
And I'm tired of carrying it.
And I'm tired of carrying it.
Moving to the top of the head.
Maybe there's a way to let it go.
Maybe there's a way to let it go.
Stop tapping.
Take a deep breath in.
And let go.
Notice if anything has shifted.
Even slightly.
A loosening,
A little more air in the chest.
The task feeling a fraction less loaded.
Just check in and notice.
Moving now to the eyebrow.
Tap and repeat after me.
I'm starting to see this differently.
I'm starting to see this differently.
Moving to the side of the eye.
This task is not a threat.
This task is not a threat.
Tapping under the eye.
It's just a task.
It's just a task.
Tapping under the nose.
And I'm capable of doing hard things.
And I'm capable of doing hard things.
Tapping on the chin.
I don't have to do it perfectly.
I don't have to do it perfectly.
Tapping on the collarbone.
I just have to begin.
I just have to begin.
Tapping under the arm,
And beginning is something I can do.
And beginning is something I can do.
Tapping on the top of the head.
I feel more ready now.
I feel more ready now.
Stop tapping.
Take a breath.
And release it.
This final round,
We're going to install something new.
Stay with me.
Tappy on the eyebrow.
I'm ready to begin.
I'm ready to begin.
Tapping on the side of the eye.
I release the weight I've been carrying around this.
I release the weight I've been carrying around this.
Under the eye,
It's safe to start.
It's safe to start.
Under the nose.
I can take one small step.
I can take one small step.
Moving to the chin.
And one small step is enough.
And one small step is enough.
Tapping on the collarbone.
I am focused.
I am capable.
I am ready.
I am focused.
I am capable.
I am ready.
Moving next under the arm,
I choose to begin.
I choose to begin.
And finally,
On the top of the head.
I move forward with confidence now.
I move forward with confidence now.
Stop taffing.
Take a long,
Slow breath in.
And release completely.
Let your hands rest.
Let your face soften.
Bring your awareness back to your body.
The weight of you in this space.
The air around you,
The quiet.
Now bring that task back to mind,
The one you came in with.
Notice how it feels now.
Check back in with that number from the beginning.
Where are you at now on a scale of 0 to 10?
For most people,
The number drops,
Sometimes dramatically,
Sometimes just a little.
And occasionally something unexpected surfaces,
A different emotion,
A new clarity about why the task is felt so hard.
All of that is useful information.
All of it is the process working correctly.
I want to leave you with one invitation before you open your eyes.
Whatever task you came in with today,
When you finish this session,
Before you do anything else,
Take one small action toward it.
Not the whole thing.
Just one step.
Open the document.
Write the first sentence.
Make the first call.
Send that first message.
Mark a time in your calendar when you're going to do deeper work on it.
Anything you can do that shows that you're taking action and making progress will get you in motion around this.
The nervous system learns through experience and the experience of starting,
Even imperfectly,
Begins to rewrite the story that you've been telling yourself about this task.
When you're ready,
Take one more deep breath in.
And gently bring yourself back.
Breathing out.
Wiggling your fingers.
Feeling your feet,
Opening your eyes.
Well done.