How to Handle Negative Emotions That Might be Holding You Back

I’d like to talk about how to handle negative emotions that might be holding you back.

If you find yourself having repetitive negative thoughts about an event or a person, you can use the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) to re-wire the neural pathways in your brain.

(Your neural pathways are essentially the nerves that connect in your brain to create memories.)

I used this technique to re-wire negative thoughts I had about my (very loving, but troubled) mother. If you’ve seen me speak at one of my keynotes or workshops, you’ve heard me talk about this.

The technique is very simple. The next time you find yourself having repetitive negative thoughts, take the following steps:

• Step 1: Breathe in through your nose for 4 beats, hold for 7, and then breathe out through your mouth for 8 beats. Do this 5 times. It will stimulate your vagas nerve (the nerve that runs down your spine) which will relax your body.
• Step 2: Bring the negative thought you’re having to the surface of your consciousness.
• Step 3: Here’s where it gets a little weird — tap your collar bone vigorously with the tips of your fingers for 10 to 15 seconds while you say “Clear, clear, clear…” out loud. If you’re in an office environment, you can say “clear” quietly, but do say it out loud … don’t just think it. This clears the negative thought from your mind.
• Step 4: Keep tapping your collar bone for another 15 seconds, but replace the word “clear” with a positive thought. Make sure the thought is authentic and real. For example, you can say, “My friends love me,” or “I can get through this,” or “I am strong,” or “I am grateful for the beautiful weather today.” Anything that is authentically kind and uplifting should work.
• Step 5: Be patient. The negative thoughts in your neural pathways are deeply embedded. It might take a while for the technique to re-wire your neural pathways. But over time, you’ll see a change in your thoughts, feelings, and emotions around a person or an event.

Studies have shown that a version of the EFT tapping I just shared with you the incidence of PTSD in 50% of the soldiers who used it after serving in action.

When I first used this technique 20 years ago, it took about 2 weeks for me to see results, but they literally re-wired my brain to get rid of my negative thoughts.

Good luck. I hope that helps. Let me know if it works for you.

About the Author: Jamie Turner is a preeminent visionary on the intersection of business and human culture. As an internationally recognized authority, author, and advisor, Jamie was recognized as one of the top 10 best speakers in the world by CareerAddict (along with Arianna Huffington, Daymond John, and Gary Vaynerchuk). His roster of market-leading clients includes powerhouses such as The Coca-Cola Company, AT&T, Microsoft, Verizon, SAP, T-Mobile, and Holiday Inn.

If you’d like to find out more, visit JamieTurner.Live JamieTurner.Live.