What Words do I Say While Tapping? Forming Tapping Statements Made Easy as ABC

This question is part of The Burning Questions Project. For answers to 100+ questions on EFT tapping, check out The Burning Questions Project and ask your own questions.

We’ve all heard it – Tune into your feelings and start to tap. But it is not always clear what to say while tapping.

This is made more difficult by the state you are in. When you are all worked up about something, you are not thinking clearly. That makes it hard to be logical and focus on forming the right words to say. That makes concentrating on that elusive feeling difficult.

All you know is that you are feeling bad. And you want to feel better. You could be least bothered with finding the ‘appropriate’ statements.

Did you know finding the right words is as easy as ABC? Here is my 3 step process to figuring out what to say while tapping.

Acceptance + Bashing + Choices = ABC method of tapping

Let’s say you are worried that you might be given a pink slip in the next round. The worry has become a constant companion at work, and off it. You keep trying to read your manager’s face about signs of what’s coming. This is affecting your productivity and quality of life. So you decide on tap on it.

Now what words to say while tapping on this situation?

Don’t try to give it a number 0 to 10 or anything like that. If you are struggling with what statements to say, it is better to start with a bare bones tapping first. You can always embelish your tapping with all the bells and whistles later.

1. Acceptance: If you get confused about what to say while tapping on the karate chop, here is a phrase which will work for almost any situation. The situation doesn’t really matter, what matters is that we are accepting ourselves for being in that situation.

“Even though I am feeling bad about this situation, I deeply and completely love and accept myself”. Say this 3 times while tapping on the karate chop.

2. Bashing: Start describing what you “think” (no feelings business yet) as if you were confiding in a friend. Start tapping on the EFT points from the first word you utter.

So it could go like this…

You know, these people could be laying off a few in the next round. It’s nothing, I’m not even worried, I mean I don’t care. I’m just telling you, in case you heard something. Maybe I’ve given it a little thought, actually, I have been thinking how I’m going to continue to pay the mortgage if they decide to .. I’ve been trying to see what Bob (manager) might be planning behind closed doors, but he’s keeping a poker face. That man isn’t going to give out as much as a tick about the layoffs. Everyone knows they are coming. I might be in the danger zone. You never know, in this economy, no one’s safe. I’m kind of worried about myself. I mean looking for a job, going through interviews, in this economy. Phew!

This is the step where you feel like you have so much to say that you can’t stop talking. You may start off hesitantly, but as you keep tapping alongside, your real feelings will come out. That’s what’s happening above. Notice that you have not made any special effort towards finding the right words to say.

Go through the bashing process in detail until you have covered all your ‘thoughts’ about the situation. What might happen if you get laid off, how bad the economy is, how somebody you knew got laid off and lost his house etc.

The right words to say with EFT tapping are exactly the words you would use to describe a problem.

Use as much negativity as you feel inside. Just don’t pretend to feel positive if you are not ready yet. Otherwise you will be trying to stuff in positive statements without getting all the negative gunk out first.

After some time you will notice that the mental chatter has silenced. Tapping has helped you bring up and clear out the worry.

3. Choices (and affirmations): After neutralizing negative thoughts, it makes sense to install positive reaffirmations. These are also known as reframes. This is another big area that newcomers to tapping struggle with. Read my post on 2 kinds of reframes and how to word reframes while tapping.

This question is part of The Burning Questions Project. For answers to 100+ questions on EFT tapping, check out The Burning Questions Project and ask your own questions.