Are your thoughts killing you?

I realize as I reflect over the last four decades of my life, that I used to share a common mental trait with many…I used to replay the same life changing, traumatic movie in my head time and time again, pushing that replay button on my mental remote, watching the same movie as if it were an award winning screenplay!

There were happier times that could have been focused on, but for some reason I was driven to hit the rewind button to watch the same faces, hear the same sounds and listen to the same conversations, all of which elicited the same negative emotions I initially experienced.

These emotions produced physical pains and sensations in my body that made the haunting movie feel very real!  So real, in fact, that it felt like it was happening all over again!

Does this sound familiar to you?

Why is it so hard to let bad memories go? What purpose do they serve other than making us feel sad, guilty, depressed and afraid?

So many times I sat with tears in my eyes and a lump in my throat and yet I still couldn’t let go!  Why were these awful memories so comforting to me? 

We can’t change the past, yet we are more focused on the negative memories of our past than we are at creating new memories in the present!  Those bad memories drive us to feel negative emotions in the present. 

Think about your best friend and picture him or her in your mind right now, smiling and laughing. Then think about that friend’s face when reminded of a tragic event in their past. Envision the smile fading as the memory resurfaces. Your friend is reliving that memory that you so vividly brought back to life. That memory causes your friend to cry tears of sadness.

Would you willingly cause your best friend this pain?  More than likely, not!
So why do you do it to yourself? It is nothing more than a form of self-abuse and you have become our own worst enemy! And no one can do a better job of making you miserable than YOU!

Let’s take it one step further. Would you drink a bottle labeled “POISON”? 
You say no, but essentially you are drinking poison each time you indulge in repetitive toxic thoughts that corrode your body. Toxic thoughts create a toxic body!

The mind is powerful and doesn’t know the difference between reality and fantasy, especially when your thoughts produce a negative physical response. Negative emotions produce negative sensations in our bodies, which over time will cause our organs to slowly deteriorate. 

Long term anger, guilt, criticism and resentment are the four biggest contributors to disease. When you hit that rewind button and watch that traumatic movie over and over again, your body stores those emotions at a cellular level resulting in arthritis, infections, cancer, tumors and fibromyalgia to name a few.  In hitting that rewind button, you may have rewritten the movie of your life, creating an ending that now includes an earlier death.

You’ve probably heard it said that anger or resentment will “eat you alive”. There is a lot of truth in that statement!  It’s time to press the stop button and erase that negative movie right now!

If you are new to this blog and unfamiliar with the tapping process, please see the "introduction to tapping" link at the top of this page.
It will provide you with everything you need to know!

Remember to change the words to fit your personal situation so it resonates with you!

Start with the Karate chop point.

Karate chop point:

"Even though I don’t know how to stop these thoughts, I love and accept myself anyway”
"Even though I replay the same movie in my head, I don’t know how to change this pattern”
"Even though I know it isn’t good for me to revisit those negative memories, I’m not sure if I want to let them go”

Round One:

EB: This haunting memory
SE: I don’t know how to let it go
UE: I think about it every day
UN: I find myself staring into space
CH: Replaying that same movie over and over again
CB: It makes me sad
UA: It won’t go away
HD: It feels like it happened yesterday
WR: All these bad memories

** Now take a deep breath or two and proceed to the second round of tapping**

Round Two:

EB: I know I have become my own worst enemy
SE: I wouldn’t do this to my best friend
UE: So why do I do it to myself
UN: I don’t like how it makes me feel
CH: But I don’t know how to change it
CB:  I really would like it to stop
UA: I am ready to let go
HD: I want to move on
WR: But it’s easier said than done

** Now take a deep breath or two and proceed to the third round of tapping**

Round Three:

EB: All this sadness
SE: All this trauma
UE: All this betrayal
UN: It’s all my fault
CH: It’s eating me alive
CB: I’m a prisoner in my own head
UA: It’s time to let go
HD: It’s time to move on
WR: I want to watch a happier movie!

**Now take a deep breath or two and proceed to the fourth round of tapping**

Round Four:

EB: It’s time to let it go
SE: Let it go
UE: Let it go
UN: It’s safe to let it go
CH: I’m safe
CB: All this hurt, all this sadness, all this betrayal, all this grief
UA: It’s safe to let it all go
HD: I’m ready to let it go
WR: I’m rewriting a new ending to this movie

**Take a deep breath and say “PEACE”**

Showering you with blessings of a new award winning movie that leaves you smiling!
Cindy (Selvaggio) Shumaker

Here is a diagram and explanation of the tapping points. 

I have also included the areas of the body that are directly affected by tapping these acupressure points

Locating the Tapping Points

The Sore Spot (Tender Spot):

You can use the sore spot OR the Karate chop point – I choose the Karate chop point just because it is easier and more convenient.
Either one will work fine, it is your preference

 If you choose to use the sore spot, this area is located in the upper left or right portions of the chest

Go to the base of the throat about where a man would knot his tie.
Poke around in this area and you will find a U shaped notch at the top of your sternum (breastbone).
From the top of that notch go down 3 inches toward your navel and over 3 inches to your left (or right).
You should now be in the upper left (or right) portion of your chest.
If you press vigorously in that area (within a 2 inch radius) you will find a “Sore Spot.” This is the place you will need to rub while saying the affirmation.
This spot is sore when you rub it vigorously because lymphatic congestion occurs there.

Karate Chop:
It is located in the middle of the fleshy part on the outside of the hand between the top of the wrist bone and the base of the baby finger.
This point is associated with the small intestine meridian.

Tapping here helps relieve the feeling of being stuck or frozen.
It helps you to move forward, to let go of the old. 

Eyebrow Point:
At the beginning of the eyebrow, just above and to one side of the nose and is abbreviated “EB” in the tapping script.
This point is associated with the bladder meridian.

Tapping here helps release traumas, hurt and sadness.
It can bring a sense of inner peace

Side of the Eye:
On the bone bordering the outside corner of the eye and is abbreviated “SE” in the tapping script.
This point is associated with the gall bladder meridian.

Tapping here helps release anger, resentment and fear of change.
It helps with clarity, compassion and understanding

Under the Eye:
On the bone under an eye about 1 inch below your pupil and is abbreviated “UE” in the tapping script.
This point is associated with the stomach meridian

Tapping here helps release fear, anxiety, worry, nervousness and disappointment.
It helps instill calmness and feeling safe

Under the Nose:
On the small area between the bottom of your nose and the top of your upper lip and is abbreviated “UN” in the tapping script.
This point is the governing meridian

Tapping here helps release shame, guilt, grief, fear of failure.
 It may help instill self empowerment and self acceptance

Chin:
Midway between the point of your chin and the bottom of your lower lip and is abbreviated “CH” in the tapping script.
This point is the central meridian

Tapping here helps release confusion, uncertainty and second guessing decisions.
 It may help instill self confidence and clarity

Collar Bone:
This is the junction where the sternum (breastbone), collarbone and the first rib meet.
To locate it, first place your forefinger on the U-shaped notch at the top of the breastbone (about where a man would knot his tie).
From the bottom of the U, move your forefinger down toward the navel 1 inch and then go to the left (or right) 1 inch.
I make a loose fist with either hand and gently tap this area.
This point is abbreviated “CB” in the tapping script.
This point is associated with the kidney meridian.

Tapping here helps release general stress, worry, indecision.
It may ease movement forward

Under the Arm:
On the side of the body, it is about 4 inches below the armpit and is abbreviated “UA” in the tapping script.
This point is associated with the spleen meridian

Tapping here helps release guilt, obsessing, worry, hopelessness.
It may instill relaxation, and compassion for self and others.

Top of Head:
Tap in a small circular motion on the top of the head. This point is abbreviated “HD” in the tapping script.
This point is associated with the “hundred meeting points” meridian.

Tapping here helps release the inner critic, lack of focus and gerbil wheel thinking.
It may instill insight, spiritual connection, focus and wisdom.

Wrists:
Located below the hand on the underside of your arm. The point where a woman would dab her perfume – tap both wrists together.
This point is abbreviated “WR” in the tapping script.
This point is associated with the heart, pericardium and lungs.

Tapping here helps release sadness, heartache, stress, anxiety and grief