EFT Tapping Secrets: Healing Your Self-Doubt and Belief Wounding

Introduction

We often overlook the quiet, yet profound impact of our deep-seated beliefs in our every day lives.

"Belief wounding" might not be a term you hear every day, but its effects are far-reaching and can significantly shape how you feel about yourself, what's possible for you, and what you deserve - all of these directly affect the way you show up in life, which in turn shapes your life.

What does belief wounding feel like? They're those nagging thoughts that tell you you're not good enough or that you'll never succeed, that you're not smart enough. These are the whispers of belief wounds—deep, internalized convictions that undermine your confidence and hold you back from reaching your full potential.

Truth is- MOST of us carry some form of belief wounding from past experiences like rejection or bullying, criticism, or societal expectations that make us question our worth. These wounds can manifest in various ways, like a persistent fear of failure, a reluctance to take risks, or a tendency to undervalue our achievements.

Understanding belief wounding is the first step towards healing and reclaiming your self-worth.

‍
"The road to healing is a beautiful and timeless journey. It takes work to get there, but every step is worth it."- Unknown

When you understand your wounds you can start changing them and believe a different story about yourself. Techniques like EFT tapping can help you address and heal these belief wounds, gradually dissolving the negative patterns they create. As you work through this process, you'll start to rebuild your confidence and find the courage to believe in yourself.

What Constitutes a Belief?

A belief is an accepted thought or idea about ourselves or the world, often formed through experiences and reinforced over time. These beliefs shape how we perceive reality and influence our actions and reactions. For example, if you've been praised for your hard work, you might develop a belief that you are capable and diligent.

Beliefs are powerful because they create our mental framework, guiding our decisions and interactions. Positive beliefs can inspire confidence and motivate us to achieve our goals, while negative beliefs can hold us back and limit our potential.

Understanding what constitutes a belief is crucial because it allows you to identify which beliefs empower you and which ones may need to be reevaluated and changed. By examining and reshaping your beliefs, you can create a more positive and supportive mindset, leading to a happier and more successful life.

How Beliefs Are Formed in the Mind

Beliefs take root early in life, influenced by our surroundings, upbringing, and significant life events. Since birth, we're shaped by the people and experiences around us, which mold our perceptions of ourselves and the world. These beliefs embed themselves in our subconscious, impacting our actions and thoughts without our awareness.

For instance, growing up in an environment that stigmatizes failure may lead to a belief that mistakes are unacceptable, fostering perfectionism and fear of failure later on. Similarly, experiencing trauma or rejection can instill negative beliefs about our self-worth.

The subconscious mind holds these beliefs as truths, quietly but significantly influencing our behavior and emotional responses. From early childhood, our subconscious absorbs these beliefs, shaping how we perceive ourselves and the world around us. Without our conscious awareness, these ingrained beliefs dictate our actions and reactions in everyday life.

Understanding the formation of beliefs is important because it helps us identify the origins of our thoughts and behaviors. By recognizing these early influences, we can begin to challenge and reshape beliefs that no longer serve us.

How do Past Experiences Shape Our Beliefs and Confidence?

Early Childhood Experiences

Early childhood experiences play a crucial role in shaping who we are today, particularly our confidence levels. When we are little, the way our parents and other important adults treat us has a big impact on our self esteem. If they encourage us and show us love, we tend to grow up believing that we are capable and worthy of good things.

On the other hand, if they are overly critical or don’t pay much attention to us, we might grow up feeling less confident. These foundational experiences stick with us and influence how we see ourselves and how confidently we navigate through life. It’s important because how we feel about ourselves affects every aspect of our day-to-day activities, from friendships to learning new things at school or on the job.

‍

‍

Impact of Parenting Styles

Parenting styles also shape how kids see the world and themselves. If our parents were supportive and fair, we usually grow up feeling good about ourselves and confident to handle life's challenges. On the other hand, parents who are often too busy or uninvolved in their kids lives can leave kids feeling neglected or like they need to earn validation and love. This might make it hard for these kids to trust others or feel secure.

Then there are critical parents, who might focus more on pointing out what's wrong rather than celebrating what's right. This can make us feel like we're not good enough or we can also grow up overly competitive or perfectionistic. Each of these parenting styles can deeply affect how a child thinks and feels about themselves as they grow up.

The Role of Early Education

From a very young age, we begin to shape our worldviews. When we start school, we interact with teachers and fellow students, which plays a crucial role in forming our beliefs. Positive early interactions in school can encourage us to be curious, confident, and cooperative.

Good teachers help create a friendly, safe environment where children feel valued and understood. This encourages them to express their ideas and listen to others’, thereby learning important social skills.

Such supportive experiences in childhood can positively influence how we feel about the world and ourselves, setting a strong foundation for our future learning and relationships.

‍

‍

Social Interactions and Their Long-Term Effects

Social interactions play a big role in shaping who we are and how we see ourselves. When we're around others, especially our friends and people our age, their opinions and actions can influence our thoughts and behaviors. This can happen in positive ways, like when friends encourage us to try harder or explore new hobbies that we end up loving.

However, it can also be negative, as some may face pressure to act a certain way to fit in. Over time, these everyday interactions contribute to forming our self-image and affects how we feel about ourselves. Whether these effects are good or bad depends a lot on who we spend our time and how we are influenced.

Psychological Impact of Traumatic Experiences

Trauma can change the way we think about ourselves and the world, making us feel powerless and unworthy. When someone experiences a traumatic event, like a major accident, natural disaster, or personal assault, it can shake their whole belief system.

Often, people who have faced trauma might find it hard to trust others or feel safe. They could feel stuck with upsetting memories or feelings that don't seem to go away. This heavy burden can affect everyday life, including relationships with colleagues and partners.

‍

‍

‍

‍

How Trauma Affects Self-Perception

Trauma can deeply change the way people view themselves and their roles in the world. When someone experiences a traumatic event, like verbal and emotional abuse, or the loss of a loved one, it can shake our sense of identity and safety. We might start to see ourselves as vulnerable or unworthy, or we might even think we deserved the negative event.

Recovering from trauma has many layers including addressing these shifts in self-perception. For long term healing, it's important for us to receive both professional support as well as care from friends, family, and professionals. This process helps them rebuild our confidence and understand that their value and capabilities remain intact despite their experiences.

Events in Adulthood that Cause Belief Wounding

Career Changes and Job Loss

Navigating through life's transitions, such as a change in careers or facing job loss, can turn our world upside down. Unexpected changes cause a lot of stress and confusion and shake our confidence.

When we lose a job, it's normal to feel a mix of emotions—sadness, anger, or even relief. It's a time full of challenges, but it’s also a chance to reflect on what really matters to us and what we want to do next. Similarly, deciding to switch careers can be scary but thrilling.

In fact, these career changes give us a chance to follow our passions and discover new parts of ourselves although we might not see it at the time. Transforming these tough times into positive outcomes requires patience, support from friends or family, and sometimes a bit of courage. By embracing the change rather than fearing it, we can find new paths that may lead to even more fulfilling experiences.

‍

Moving or Changing Environments

When we move to a new place, change our surroundings, or start over, it can really shake up what we believe in. We probably feel nervous or even a bit scared because new places can have new rules, different types of people, and unfamiliar ways of doing things.

As a result, we might start to question our old beliefs and ways of seeing the world. It's like when you first jump into a pool; the water feels cold at first, but soon you get used to it and start to swim. In the same way, even though changing places can be tough at first, it often helps people grow and learn new things about themselves and the world.

Major Life Events (e.g., Marriage, Parenting, Retirement)

When major life events such as marriage, parenting, or retirement don't go as planned, we often find our old beliefs clashing with new realities. For instance, a person might enter marriage with the belief that it will bring constant happiness and companionship, but this can face a tough reality check if the relationship encounters serious issues.

Similarly, parenting might not be the picture-perfect journey one anticipated, and the challenges can cause a reassessment of one’s expectations and beliefs. Retirement, often envisioned as a time of leisure and fulfillment, can feel quite empty if one’s identity was strongly tied to their career.

These disruptions can be painful but also serve as a significant time for growth and reevaluation of what truly matters in life, guiding us towards a more realistic and fulfilling perspective.

‍

‍

How Does Belief Wounding Show Up in Daily Life?

Belief wounding often shows up in our daily lives in subtle yet pervasive ways.

You might notice it as constant self-doubt, where you second-guess your every move or decision. This can make even simple choices feel overwhelming. You might also find yourself stuck in a pattern of negative self-talk, where your inner dialogue is filled with criticism and negativity or blame.

These wounded beliefs seep into both our personal and professional lives, much like an unseen wound that affects everything we do.

At work, you might not share your opinions in meetings, or have good boundaries regarding extra work. Or you might doubt your capabilities.

In your personal life, you might find it hard to form deep connections or trust others, fearing rejection or failure.

‍

As you work through the healing process, you'll find that your confidence grows, your decision-making improves, and your inner dialogue becomes more supportive and uplifting. This transformation can lead to a more balanced, fulfilling life where you feel capable and worthy in every aspect.

What's the Psychological Impact of Belief-Wounding?

When our core beliefs about ourselves are wounded, it deeply affects our psychological well-being. These wounded beliefs can lead to anxiety, low self-esteem, and a pervasive sense of inadequacy that shadows every aspect of your life.

For instance, if you constantly doubt your abilities at work or feel undeserving of love and support, you might not ask for help or always be afraid to be assertive because you might be rejected or thought of as 'too much'.

These negative beliefs can create a cycle of self-doubt and fear, making it difficult to pursue opportunities, build healthy relationships, or even enjoy everyday activities.

The psychological impact is profound, often leading to chronic stress, depression, and an overall diminished quality of life.

‍

It's no secret that when you don't feel good enough, it causes stress in every situation, from speaking up when your order is wrong at a restaurant, presenting yourself with confidence at a job interview, or going on a blind date.

Consequences of Our Unresolved Belief Wounds

Effects on Relationships

Emotional wounds from our past can heavily impact our relationships in the present. When we have been hurt before, we might find it hard to trust people. This can make building relationships challenging because trust is a cornerstone of any strong relationship.

Our belief wounding about our self-worth might keep us stuck in relationships where we're not being treated well, it might make us clingy, jealous, or easily over-sensitive or even aggressive.

Moreover, if communicating feelings and thoughts feels unsafe due to past experiences, it can lead to misunderstandings and frustration between people.

Emotional barriers are another hurdle; we might keep our feelings locked away, preventing deep and meaningful connections. Overcoming these issues often requires understanding and patience from both sides, to build a bridge over past hurts and foster stronger bonds.

‍

Influence on Decision-Making Processes

When we harbor negative beliefs about ourselves, it can disrupt our decision-making process. These harmful thoughts often lead to hesitation, causing us to second-guess our own abilities and choices. This uncertainty can result in a failure to act, and we might even miss out on valuable opportunities that could benefit u. For instance, someone who thinks "I'm not smart enough" might not apply for a job they are actually qualified for, simply because their self-doubt holds them back.

By overcoming these negative views and building confidence, individuals can make decisions more swiftly and seize chances that lead to success and happiness. Clearing away self-doubt not only simplifies decision-making but also opens up a world of possibilities that might otherwise be left unexplored.

Learning the Difference Between Belief Wounds vs Facts

If we want to believe in ourselves, we have to understanding the difference between beliefs and facts so we can have a healthy perspective.  

Our beliefs are subjective, meaning they can vary widely from person to person and two people can get two entirely different beliefs about themselves from the same situation.

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍

One super thought-provoking approach to understanding beliefs is The Work by Byron Katie:

"...She developed a process of self-inquiry which she now calls “The Work.” It involves asking four simple questions about each belief that causes us pain:

-Is it true?

-Can you absolutely know that it’s true?

-How do you react when you believe that thought?

-Who would you be without the thought?

Facts are rooted in objective reality and can be proven true or false through evidence but many times, we think and speak in absolutes and assumptions without realizing that we trap ourselves in them. We can assume, catastrophize, etc.

Recognizing the distinction is key, especially when facing conflicting viewpoints. By acknowledging that beliefs may not always align with the facts, we can open our minds, correct misunderstandings and even mend relationships that might have been strained by differing views. This approach allows for more constructive conversations and promotes a more inclusive understanding among different groups.

What is Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) Tapping?

Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) Tapping is a yet powerful method that can help you manage stress and reduce negative feelings. This technique involves tapping on specific points on your body, similar to acupuncture but without the needles.

The Emotional Freedom Technique became popular in the 1990s. It combines elements from ancient Chinese acupressure with modern approaches. Think of acupressure as a simpler form of acupuncture that doesn’t use needles but focuses on touching specific points on the body to release stress.

Now, mix that with contemporary psychology, which helps us understand and manage our emotions, and you get EFT This technique is particularly unique because it helps people deal with emotional issues by tapping on specific points on their body while thinking about their emotions.

This process can lead to a reduction in stress and emotional pain. EFT has gained recognition because it’s easy to learn and can be practiced by anyone at home, making it a very accessible tool for those seeking emotional stability and well-being.

‍

‍

‍

Scientific Basis and Research

Studies Supporting EFT Tapping

Research over the years consistently demonstrates that EFT can effectively reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The technique combines elements of cognitive therapy with manual tapping on specific points of the body, to restore balance to the body’s nervous system.

Simple and non-invasive, EFT has been examined in multiple scientific studies that highlight its potential to significantly lessen emotional distress. For example, in these studies, participants reported feeling less anxious or depressed after practicing EFT, making it a valuable tool for emotional health. This supports the idea that tapping can offer a straightforward approach to managing difficult emotions, accessible to almost anyone looking for relief from psychological distress.

Psychological and Physiological Mechanisms

When we experience negativity or stress, the amygdala gets activated, sending out signals that cause the uncomfortable physical symptoms we often feel. Through the gentle tapping on specific points on the body, EFT helps to send calming signals to the amygdala. This process can reduce its overactivity, leading to a reduction in anxiety levels and promoting a more positive and relaxed state of mind. This technique effectively rewires how our brain responds to stress, gradually teaching it to react more calmly in typically upsetting situations, making it a valuable tool for managing daily stress and enhancing overall emotional resilience.

Restoring Confidence Through EFT Tapping

Identifying Limiting Beliefs

Restoring confidence can often seem challenging, but a method called EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) tapping offers hopeful solution. EFT tapping is a simple process where you gently tap specific points on your body, similar to acupressure.

that This practice can help manage stress and negative emotions. One common negative feeling many of us face is the belief "I'm not good enough."

This thought can really hold us back from achieving our best. By using EFT tapping, we can confront these limiting beliefs directly. By tapping, we give ourselves a chance to acknowledge these feelings and then work through them. The goal is to replace limiting thoughts with more positive and empowering beliefs, thus boosting our confidence. So, if you're feeling stuck by doubts, EFT tapping could be a valuable tool to help you regain confidence and embrace a more positive outlook on life.

‍

‍

Reframing Negative Self-Talk

When we find ourselves thinking, "I can't do this," it can really bring us down. But what if we that thought to "I'm learning how to do this"? This small shift can make a big difference. Instead of feeling stuck, we give ourselves the chance to grow and improve.

By viewing challenges as opportunities to learn, we become more open to trying new things and are less afraid of making mistakes. This positive mindset helps us push forward, turning obstacles into stepping stones. Remember, every expert was once a beginner. So, next time you catch yourself doubting, remember to tell yourself, "I'm not there yet, but I'm learning every day."

Creating Positive Affirmations

Creating positive affirmations is like planting seeds in a garden. When you say something good about yourself, like "I am capable and confident," you're planting a tiny, powerful seed in your mind. Every time you repeat this affirmation, it's as though you're watering that seed, helping it grow stronger and stronger.

“Remember, you have been criticizing yourself for years and it hasn’t worked. Try approving of yourself and see what happens.”

― LOUISE L. HAY, You Can Heal Your Life

With enough care and repetition, these seeds of positive beliefs sprout into a healthier, more confident you. It's important to choose words that make you feel good and strong, and to say them often—especially on tough days.

This helps you build a garden of good thoughts in your mind, pushing doubts and worries aside, giving you the strength to face any challenge. Remember, like a garden that needs daily care, your affirmations need regular attention too. Make it a habit, and watch how it transforms your worldview bit by bit.

‍

Building Consistent Practice

To get really good at EFT Tapping, making it a part of your daily life is key Think of it like brushing your teeth; you do it every day it keeps your teeth clean and prevents problems. The same goes for EFT Tapping. When you practice it every day, it helps you manage emotions and keeps stress low. Start with just a few minutes each morning or evening.

Choose a quiet spot, maybe right after you wake or before you go to bed. This routine will steadily help you feel calmer and more in control day by day. It's all about sticking with it, even when it seems tough. Consistency is your best friend here; it makes all the difference in seeing the benefits of EFT Tapping. So, let's make it a habit and watch how it changes things for the better!

Conclusion

This transformation helps you navigate challenges more effectively, build healthier relationships, and pursue your goals with renewed vigor. Understanding and healing belief wounds is essential for creating a life where you feel empowered, worthy, and genuinely happy.

"Heal the wound, change the belief, transform the life."

‍

Ready to start your journey to confidence by healing your belief wounds? Schedule a free discovery call with me today! :)

Resources for Further Learning

• EFT International
• Books by Gary Craig, the founder of EFT
• Online tutorials and webinars on EFT Tapping

ANDREA HUNT - Transformational Life Coach & EFT Tapping Practitioner based in Munich, Germany

As an Accredited Transformational Coach (Animas Centre UK) and Certified EFT Practitioner (AEFTP), I help you overcome low self-worth, imposter syndrome, and limiting beliefs using powerful EFT Tapping and coaching. Ready to transform your emotional health and boost your confidence?

If you’re curious about EFT Tapping and how it can enhance your emotional resilience while addressing issues like low self-worth, perfectionism, and negative self-talk, download my FREE EFT book!  ➡️ https://bit.ly/4e672x7

Header image: William Farlow