If you've been tapping for yourself, but you're still confused about what words to use, there's one thing you can do to make tapping easier and more effective: Repeat (mostly) the same words the whole time.

Tapping isn't about saying a bunch of different things and trying to land on the "right" ones. Tapping is most effective when we are willing to have a difficult thought or feeling (instead of trying to fight it or push it away).

Download a free Tapping for Self-Care sheet to keep on the fridge

Round 1: Choose Some Intense Words

For example, if you've chosen to say, "Even though I feel so bad about what happened... ", notice where you feel that in your body. Notice how intense it is. Measure it 0 (low) to 10 (high). Then speak aloud the words you've chosen – for one full round. You can adjust the words slightly as you continue to tune-in to how uncomfortable it is to have them, but don't jump away to other ideas. Simply sit with and allow yourself to have this present difficulty:

Setup: "Even though I feel so bad about what happened, I deeply and completely accept myself" x3

Top of Head: "Feeling so bad about what happened"
Eyebrow: "So bad about what happened"
Side of Eye: "Ugh, sooo bad about what happened"
Under Eye: "So bad about what happened"
Under Nose: "Soooo bad about what happened"
Chin: "Bad about what happened"
Collar Bone: "Sooo bad about what happened"
Under Arm: "Bad about what happened"
Top of Hand (Gamut Spot): "Bad about what happened"

Some people will say, "well, I get so bored saying the same words!". If this is true for you, consider you may not be allowing yourself to have the discomfort. Instead, you might be checking-out or running away from it.

Consider This: Tapping is not about tapping away difficult thoughts or feelings, it's about allowing yourself to have them so that they naturally evolve away...

Round 2: Squeeze the Lemon

Once you've finished one round, THEN you can see if the words are different. Better words may arise now that you've completed a round of tapping. This is how tapping works. I call it naturally putting your finger on what's most intense for you or most specific for you now. Let the tapping help the right words rise to the surface...

For example, after one round, you might think of that thing that feels especially bad (e.g., like an uncomfortable interaction with someone or some specific words that were said). If something like this is more present, intense and specific, then choose those words (e.g., "Bad about what he said to me" or "he said _______") and stay with those words for a full round, just like you did earlier.

It's like squeezing a lemon – getting all the juice out of one uncomfortable thought or feeling before going on to the next...

Notes on Internet Tapping

While well-meaning, many tapping videos or scripts found online involve far too many words to offer an accurate experience of EFT. As above, keep your words simple in each round. There is a subtle art to keeping things focused that anyone can learn! If tapping online has awakened your interest, check out an EFT training course or explore personal sessions to help you get more satisfying results.