The Single Most Important Thing We Can Ever Do
Written by Cari Rauch
It’s feeling our emotions! Most of us actually resist and avoid our emotions. This resistance and avoidance can look like many things, such as overworking, overeating, shopping, drinking, or numbing in front of the TV or Internet. We spend a lot of our time trying not to experience our emotions (mainly the ones that don’t feel good). After all, it’s actually hard-wired into who we are – we are programmed to avoid pain and seek pleasure. So it would make sense that we would do everything in our power to try to avoid them. However, this resistance and avoidance is a major source of our stress and anxiety, and stops us from moving forward in our lives.
Imagine how unstoppable you would feel, and all the changes you would be willing to make in your life, if you were willing to feel any emotions that came up and let them go. Imagine how much more you would live and enjoy the present moment if you weren’t so stressed and anxious about the future because you dealt with your emotions. Imagine the risks you would be willing to take because you could allow and feel the fear.
This is so important, because if we were willing to actually feel our emotions we wouldn’t be so stressed out and would experience the joy of living. We would know that whatever emotion came up, we could allow it and let it go.
It’s just our thoughts that are creating those emotions, and knowing this makes it so much easier to be willing to experience them. Understanding that when an emotion bubbles up, it’s just because of a thought (or a bunch of thoughts, like a story) we are choosing to think and believe in that moment. Allowing ourselves to feel the emotion enables us to let go of those thoughts (story) that we were holding onto, and be able to change it.
Tapping is one of the best and easiest ways to feel our emotions. It starts with being willing and open to experience them. Here’s a tapping script to get you started to being willing to feel your emotions:
Karate Chop: Even though I really don’t want to deal with my emotions because it’s too painful, I deeply and completely love and accept myself and how I feel. Repeat 3 times.
Eyebrow: It’s so uncomfortable and painful.
Side of the Eye: I’d rather just avoid it.
Under the Eye: I just want it to go away.
Under the Nose: It’s too much I don’t want to deal with it.
Chin: I don’t know if I can handle it.
Collarbone: I just want the feelings to go away.
Top of the Head: I just want to feel better.
Eyebrow: Maybe I could give it a try.
Side of the Eye: Maybe it’s not as bad as I think.
Under the Eye: Maybe it will help me feel better.
Under the Nose: Maybe it will help me let it go.
Chin: Something needs to change and maybe this will help.
Collarbone: I would really like to let this go.
Top of the Head: I really to want to make changes.
Eyebrow: I am willing to feel my emotions.
Side of the Eye: I am open to experiencing the sensations in my body.
Under the Eye: I am willing to explore my emotions and the thoughts causing them.
Under the Nose: I am ready to let this flow through me.
Chin: I am strong enough to feel my emotions.
Collarbone: It’s just my thinking causing these emotions anyway.
Top of the Head: I am willing and open to feeling my emotions and letting them flow through me.
If we can start to feel our emotions by using tapping any time they come up, and see that feeling through any emotion, no matter how uncomfortable or painful it seems in that moment, is better than avoiding it – then that will be when we will start truly living, experiencing, and loving our lives. Give it try and start tapping on your emotions instead of resisting them, then let me know if you notice a shift in your life.
