Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Well... this sucks... but let me tell you about this interesting thing...

Mmm. My blog tour host absconded with my post, it seems. Or she's asleep and the time zone difference is killing us. Or aliens sucked my blog from her schedule.

Either way, although I waited all day for the link to go live, it hasn't.

*blink blink*

So... uh... *does a random tap dance*

And now, on to a somewhat more regular posting.

I figured I'd do a post on something weird today. Or... not weird. Just different.

See recently, the stresses of my day-job with the magician fruit thieves *snarl* had a massive toll on me. Not only was I becoming about as snappish as a non-extinct and hungry TRex, but my creativity was suffering. As was every single other activity in my life.

It came to the point where I went to a psychologist, knowing I'd never faced this sort of stress before. I needed a way to deal with everything. A healthy way.

Not being one to pop pills, I was pleasantly surprised when he shared my sentiment. The surprise grew when he introduced me to this thing called Emotion Freedom Technique, EFT.

It's weird. Really weird. Basically, the premise is that our bodies build up with negative emotions until the result is quite similar to an electric short circuit. Our thoughts, memories, basically everything works on electric impulses running through our nervous system. Negative things like fear, perfectionism, anger, trauma etc. mess with the way the impulses flow.

And when that happens, we lose our capacity to perform certain tasks. Or any tasks, for that matter.

I think you guys know what I mean. That sucky feeling you get when you've had a bad day, followed by feeling as if you're writing through goo in your brain? Yup. That's what I'm talking about.

So far, so normal(ish). The weird thing is that tapping, or rubbing certain nerve points on your body can make it go away. It doesn't remove the cause or the memories of your problem, but it usually makes the fear and angst associated with it disappear. And when that happens, it's easier to deal with everything.

The best thing (for me) about it is that it can take as little as ten minutes to get rid of baggage. Sometimes it comes back, but I can get rid of it again, and again, and again.

This month, I basically dropped into the doldrums because of the magical fruit thieves, me not being able to write, the cat dying and all other manners of tiny but significant tortures. Usually I come out of the funk soon enough, but this time, it just kept on coming. So today, I decided to give the tapping a chance.

I'm already feeling a ton better. And I'll  probably do it again closer to NaNo. In the meantime, I'm rearing to get back into my stories. Guess I should have done the EFT sooner.

Anyway, it's really easy to learn, but it is in a bit of an experimental stage, so if you think it might help you in some way (and it probably can), please go find a professional who can help you. I think it's safe, but I'd be irresponsible if I didn't refer you to those who know better than me.

Anyone hear of EFT or use it?

35 comments:

  1. Never heard of it. What are those certain points?

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    1. See link. :-)

      http://www.theenergytherapycentre.co.uk/tapping-points.htm

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  2. I don't know that much about it, but I have a friend who uses this method and says it works great. I could probably benefit because I have this habit of clenching my jaw that I've never been able to quit.

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    1. Yeah I think it'd definitely help. For example, if I tap to handle stress, I can cut down the intensities of my migraines as well.

      Which I must admit I should do more often. :-P

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  3. I've never heard of it, but I'm intrigued!

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    1. Do check it out! The link I posted in the reply to Alex gives a lot of info. :-)

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  4. Thanks for the advice. It can't hurt, that's for sure. I often get stuck with my fingers stuck on the keyboard and refusing to move.

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  5. I love reading about techniques new to me. Glad you're feeling better-- been enjoying following your tour.

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    1. Thanks Julie. Glad you're enjoying my posts. :-)

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  6. Um, I totally hope that wasn't me you were waiting on. I did a post for you, didn't I? xD
    I'll have to look into that EFT, I certainly can use all the help I can get these days. I hope things start to look up, soon. :)

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    1. LOL nope! Trust me, my e-mail would have been in your inbox if it had been. :-P

      If stress is your problem, I'm pretty sure EFT will help you.

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  7. Was it me???? Quickly scanning emails...

    Mum went through a period of tapping her temples. I never quite got to the bottom of what she was doing, but this sort of clears it up.

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    1. LOL No!

      Yeah I used to do it to, long before I learned EFT. Makes me wonder if we do it instinctively. Because we also tend to rub our eyebrows, which is another point that gets tapped.

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  8. I'm sorry you've had one of those months. I'm glad things are looking up for you! I'm going to try that technique.

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  9. You know, it sounds really similar to a simple treatment that people often use for PTSD or other traumas. It involves crossing the midline of the body - right hand taping left arm, left hand tapping right arm, or something like that - and apparently it forces the brain OUT of the trauma neurons (where it gets stuck) and into something else. It's calming.

    All of which is to say, I don't think the tapping is weird. I say go for it! And if it's working, then that's perfect. I hope it does!!

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    1. Yes it could be similar, since the whole reason why my shrink taught me EFT was because he suspected I had PTSD from experiences I had growing up.

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  10. I've never used EFT. I find that chocolate helps, though. ;)

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    1. LOL it does, but I'm on a diet, so I have to turn to other methods.

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  11. I had a bunch of techniques like EFT from high school, but i"ll have to check out EFT, it sounds great!

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  12. Sounds like an interesting technique, I could do with some stress busting ideas so I'll have to check it out. Glad you've found something that helps you.

    PS My post is all set for Mon 4th!

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  13. I've never heard of it either, hope all gets sorted.
    Yvonne.

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  14. The whole short circuit idea sounds logical. I actually have heard of this sort of thing before, during research for my first book.

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  15. Really intrigued, it's funny to see a kind of factual reasoning behind the whole "negativity is bad for you" deal, been in a funk too and it sucks :/ glad you're back to your stories

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  16. I'm glad you're feeling better. :)

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  17. It's true that negativity can build up and stop us ding stuff. I'm glad you've found a way to deal with it.

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  18. Human, Misha,

    Ah yes, that time zone thing can potentially cause a problem. My human would know all about that.

    My human knows and thanks to my guidance, that we can let negative influences, environmental situations, impact our concentration. Thus, dear human, you have found a positive resource. That and tap dancing :)

    Pawsitive wishes,

    Penny the Jack Russell dog and modest internet superstar!

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  19. I've heard of it, but I've never used it. Now I want to go peruse youtube and figure it out...when I have time. =)

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  20. So it's like acupuncture without the puncture...

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  21. Sounds interesting. I need to find out more about this...

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  22. My doctor referred me to a therapist specializing in tapping back in February of this year. It has been amazing. I have done traditional therapy in the past, but tapping is the only therapy I have experienced that you KNOW works because you feel completely differently about whatever stressful experience you tapped out. I cannot say enough good things about it!!!

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  23. I have heard of it, and it's on my 'to learn' list, but until I get my head in the right place the list doesn't get any shorter - maybe I should be putting EFT at the top to help sort the head out!
    Suzanne @ Suzannes Tribe
    x

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  24. Never heard of it before. How interesting, though! I must go google it up and learn more lol

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