Perhaps the statement or question I see most often when I ask about successes and challenges with Tapping is, “Tapping has worked so well for me! It worked for X and Y and Z…but then I forget to do it! Why? How do I fix this?” I wanted to briefly answer this question of “What do I do when I forget to tap?” because I think it’ll apply to 99% of us. It certainly applies to me!
Yes, yes, you got me… “The Tapping Guy” (as I’m often referred to when people see me speak or in public!) forgets to tap! I always laugh at myself when I forget to tap, seeing as I spend my days writing about tapping, speaking about tapping, running a business whose sole focus is on sharing this powerful technique with the world… and I forget to apply it??? I mean, really? 😉
Now, this doesn’t happen often, but enough that it is comical when it does. So what’s really going on here? And what can we do about it?
1. This is all REALLY new. I’ve been using tapping for over a decade, but in the first 25 years of my life, I didn’t know it existed. This means there are old patterns, ingrained habits, and simple ways of life that don’t include tapping, and it can take some work to change them. The same is likely for you.
2. This isn’t only new on the individual level, it’s new to our culture, which means we don’t have cultural reinforcements as a reminder. So when you turn on the TV, you’re not going to see someone tapping on there. You will get plenty of reminders to eat food, drink alcohol, switch car insurance, or buy something…but not to tap.
3. Oftentimes, we’re resistant to change, even if that change will be a “positive” one. I devoted an entire chapter in my book to this topic because it’s so important to understand and clear the resistance to changing.
1. Laugh at yourself. We often take ourselves, our personal development, our need to “fix” our lives, WAY too seriously. If I can laugh at myself when I forget to tap, then you can too. And that laughing at myself is really about COMPASSION. It involves an understanding that YOU are doing the best you can with the resources YOU have at that moment…as am I, as is the rest of the world.
2. Get practical. Post little sticky notes around that say, “Tap!” Maybe one next to the TV to combat the other commercials. Wear a bracelet or rubber band that serves as your tapping reminder. Establish simple routines: tapping in the shower, tapping before bed to release the stress and negativity for the day, etc. Set a daily alarm on your phone to remind you to tap, even if it’s just for 5 minutes.
3. Study and understand why you might be resistant to change. Ask yourself, “What’s the downside of actually healing this/letting it go/improving my life?” If you’re really honest with yourself, the answers will surprise you and open up a whole new world of what’s possible in your life and for your future. (Extensive discussion of this topic can be found in “The Tapping Solution“.)
4. Download The Tapping Solution App. This may be the easiest solution of them all, as our Tapping Solution App has a “Tapping Reminders” function already built-in! In just 3 easy steps, you can set up your daily tapping reminder right on your mobile device. Just see the image below. The app is free to download here with free meditations for each category instantly available.
I hope you found this helpful. 🙂
Now I’m going to go and tap on a pulled muscle in my shoulder that I’ve been ignoring for days. It doesn’t bother me much, so I’ve just kind of “dealt” with it, without wanting to take the time to tap on it…but now it’s time to let it go and release this pain.
Hmmm…how many things in our lives are like that? We just “deal” with them…when we could truly “release” them…
Just saying… 🙂
Until next time…
Keep Tapping!
Nick Ortner
Copyright © 2024 The Tapping Solution, LLC
Well I have a simple tool to remember tapping.
When I am actually tapping about something else or when I realized I have forgotten to tap, I will make sure to tap on “forgetting to tap” and I will tap on “remembering to tap when emotions get too high, when it does not bother me too much, when i don’t feel like it, etc”.
I feel that not tapping is a repeat of other ‘things’ I have not done once introduced to them. That feeling aligns with ancient words spoken verbally or with a look from people in my past that indicate lack of worth. The other item is to answer the downside question.
If you do not wish to tap in public then you can just imagine tapping. It works so well and no one needs to know what you are doing. Very useful on many occasions for me personally.
Thanks for admitting we have things in common! Forgetting to tap. Like many that have commented when I am in the thick of emotion your logical mind is gone…a good reminder is to talk to ourselves like we would talk to a friend and gently remind them to tap or teach them about tapping. I think it is time I added “me” to my friend list. I like tapping in the shower great way to start the day, its part of me time.
Yeah, all of that makes sense:) I’ve thought about it a lot and I feel the most important resistance is fear of change.
I’ve learned that laziness is just the name we use for resistance that we do not understand, and it’s another cause for not tapping…
I tap most days before I get out of bed in the morning but I forget occasionally. I don’t always use the affirmations, and I rarely use the same one twice. Is there anything wrong with that? I learned to tap without one so it doesn’t come naturally?
I forget to tap too. One thing that helps is to tap every day and not just when I’m experiencing negative emotions. I benefit from tapping even without any statements. So I recommend tapping every day in order to make it a habit.
As far as tapping in public, I highly recommend it!
Ahhhh … tapping does not work … unless you do it!
I’ve been tapping for years. When I tap regularly, life is good and things go my way and I forget to tap. Then, when the situation goes south, I tap again and life is good again.
Thanks for the suggestion — I will put sticky notes up to remind myself to tap daily.
Pat
My problem is that I think I don’t know the right words to use for a specific problem for instance, wanting to be more sociable but mostly content to be by myself doing what I enjoy… reading, gardening, knitting… talk about resistance! Any suggestions?
I’ve got a little trick that works for me. I make a table where I list things “I could do” daily/weekly in the left column ( for example tapping, mirror work “I love You”, daily excercise, keep my back straight, drink enough fluids…), just think of anything you would like to change into your habit. In the top row I write month and dates in the month-each day one column. In the end you’ve got a table, where you can tick off each “could do thing” once it’s done at the certain date. It works well for me as I really get pleasure of ticking off another thing I have managed to do that day. Just don’t make the list too long so you will avoid overwhelming. Start slowly. And If I don’t get to tick off everything on my list every day, I am still reminded every morning and evening or during the day, so it does slowly become part of my mind and my life. And if you do something for 28 days, it becomes your habit 🙂 Good luck
Gosh Nick, good to know that I’m not alone in this ”forget to tap” issue…..It’s amazing really that although I have the tools to hand like Reiki, Quantum Touch/Jumping, Pranayam breathing, Tapping…I do forget to use them…probably has to do with the enjoyment of one’s misery….however I do advise and encourage others how/when to use the tools would you believe?…(practice what you preach Gene!)
Anything on memory?
Love
Gene
Something that really helped me with accepting change was taking the walnut Bach flower remedy. This potent essence is great for this. The resistance to dealing some things I had been holding onto disappeared. I used tapping to clear the issue but the walnut stopped me from avoiding dealing with it. more at http://www.bachflower.org/walnut.htm
You are a sweet sparkling star, thankyou xx
Tom Continued (don’t know what just happened)
(I think the EFT) on its own was quite useless and didn’t have any effect on me until i started to lighten up. Now I practice it on most days and hope to see some changes in the near future. Like any worthwhile project there is no quick fix and tapping is no different. Thank you for “The Tapping Solution” Nick, it’s a fantastic read with lots of ideas and tapping scripts.
Kind Regards
Tom
Hey Nick I like your comment about not being too serious. I was bought up in an environment of extreme seriousness and didn’t know any other way of being. To cut a long story short all my family died and the cancer counselor I was having sessions with suggested I try laughter yoga. It took a very long time before the fake laughter became real laughter. My state of being now is more of lightness instead of being heavy most of the time. What was really amazing is that I ended up in a therapeutic relationship with an EFT psychologist and it’s probably the best relationship I’ve ever had with a human being. She is young, very smart, playful, cheeky and gorgeous. I think the EFT
yes, I got started tapping one year and was pretty consistent for a time, then I was away from home. being the support car driver for my son on a plus four thousand mile walk. I was sleeping in his RV living room, not exactly conductive to tapping. the bathroom, tho’ tiny, worked but we were all in a hurry, then I got pneumonia, the most important time to tapp but I did not and now getting home again, finally, I got the whole set, of DVD’s intent on really getting to work, but a slight move to a different location in the house, a crashed and dead computer, all kinds of things got in the way and you have heard the story, I will start tomorrow, and then, tomorrow, and then another tomorrow. Now I have a group of women wanting to have a meeting in my home on Thursday and I have a lot of clean up to do before that time, so I will start again Fri. You have heard it all, but I really must get serious and start tonight before I go to bed. and I will!
Thanks so much for this, Nick! It’s great to know there are others who forget to tap. I learned about tapping 6 years ago and was very enthusiastic at first, but once I was all “tapped up”, I didn’t think of it so often. It mainly comes to mind when there’s an issue that needs addressing. I think one reason it’s so easily forgotten is that while the result is amazing, it’s very subtle. There’s no lightening bolt or TAA DAA!! The issue is just gone and it goes quietly. I actually have a recurring calendar reminder to do my daily affirmations – I’m adding a tapping reminder to that. 🙂 Thanks again!
I bookmarked my tapping video off you-tube, so I see it everyday on my computer. I tap maybe twice a week.
I’ve been afraid it wouldn’t work. I am going to try.
Thanks Wendy for your comments about tapping for your cat. I am going away on a holiday and always dread the drive to the cattery…but now I will tap! 🙂
Good for you! Being honest is always the right thing to do. And, this isn’t a big deal. It’s totally understandable. Even being ‘king’ of tapping doesn’t make you infallible. That’s a GOOD thing! By writing about it for everyone you make it easier for all of us to forgive ourselves and keep trying. And that’s what counts!
Thanks for this.
Because I am a student of Abraham-Hicks.com, I am ALWAYS mindful of how I’m feeling and when I’m not feeling good, for any reason, I tap. In the beginning, I had a little stickie on my computer and bathroom mirror (to remind me) and now, I’d sooner forget eating than tapping. EFT made such an amazing difference in my life, that I gave up my whole other career to become a certified practitioner and I’m so excited, privileged and passionate about what I get to do now. AND, I owe it to you Nick. Seeing Try It On Everything started it all! Thank you — I am forever grateful. And STICKIES are perfect reminders!
Thanks Nick for soliciting comments from your readers and subscribers and for sharing on your blog. I think my problem is I get so side-tracked. I’m only on Chapter 6 of your book which I purchased a little over a month ago and now I’m on “Finding Your Element”, another book about being an introvert so I’m being a bit scattered instead of being focused. The trouble is I’m seeking instant results but not enduring enough with the tapping, or other exercises that would help me with trying to “ease out of my shell” without anxiety, stress and fear. It’s not that I have any doubts about tapping. It’s like trying to find the magic pill but to find it in your head…..Anne
I never FORGET to tap, I just sometimes decide not to because I not always feel like diving in my “innards” even if I know it is going to make me feel good after a little bit of feeling bad just to connect with what I need to tap on.
By the way your book is wonderful, your love and concern and generosity perspires through every page.
It feels like having a one to one coaching with you. HUGE THANK YOU GOD BLESS YOU!!!!
And thanks to Jessica too she is the best partner and a lovely humble communicator/connector.
love
I have a timer on my cellphone that dings a Zen like bell every 15 minutes. It reminds me to ask myself, ok, what do I need to be doing here for myself? Tap? Shut up? Take deep breaths? Laugh? Works great for me.
Hi Nick!
Just today, I asked a friend about her shoulder pain. She says it is better, but she forgets to tap. I told her that my experience has been to make it a part of a daily ritual. After a year, it became second nature to me…BUT on the days when even I forget, I realize that there isn’t necessarily a reason to tap u.e pain, stress etc. Tapping is kind of like prayer. We are quick to pray in a crisis…and much slower to think about prayers when all is well. So, tapping a little daily can become a good habit if we just practice….and also ‘tap’ for peace and comfort when we have it going on!
Nancy
I am not new to tapping. I have been using tapping in my clinical practice for over 13 years. Yet I, myself, forget to tap for stuff, and just “deal with it”, too. What I found was buying a talking watch from Radio Shack, which announces the time every hour on the hour. It is around $20. I put it inside the draw so that it is not loud, but it reminds me to tap at least one round every hour. I got some for my clients as holiday gifts. Some of them could have killed me, and some of them love me for it. Go figure !!!! LOL I check in with myself as to what I am feeling at the moment, and just do a round or two. I also have sticky notes on my bathroom mirror, which faces the toilet. Since I am occupied anyway, why not take the time to tap while sitting on the throne.
I’m commenting on my own post of a few minutes ago, re the value of tapping …… I DID tap immediately after hitting “send”. When I opened my heart re what to tap on, “lack of compassion” popped into my mind. Oh dear … how can I lack compassion? Do I really? I tapped anyway. There it was, and fear of feeling lay at the bottom of it all. It might have been my most “important” tapping session ever. Thank you Nick for showing up in my inbox today!
It is really funny… I was set to listen in to Jack Canfield today and the question I had asked this morning in preparation was exactly about this… doing motivational things and then not staying on task. I asked what to do for help to not forget the important things we know work! OH MY DIVINE timing is weird and wonderful !
thanks NICK … as always soooo timely.
True confessions … during the first couple of tapping summits I tapped with every speaker and kept on tapping for months afterwards. I had amazing and deep results every single time. Then tapping became so popular and it came from so many sources on the Internet, in webinars and tele seminars, etc. that I got burned out and stopped listening .. and basically stopped tapping. It was just too much over the course of several years. This very conversation we are having here is re-kindling my tapping energy. As soon as I hit “send” I’m going to tap … on I don’t know what, but something! The right something will show itself. Come tap with me ………
Thank you so much for this article Nick. Strangely enough your emails often get to me exactly at the right time.
There is a strange kind of synchronicity to it.
I haven’t done my tapping lately and thanks to your article, I know where to start with tackling this problem.
Have a great day and thank you for your dedication to helping others.
God bless you and our organisation
Love you and your sister, the two of you are very compassionate people, you care and it shows that what you all do, you love it. Tapping is like what I have seen with Wayne Dyer, it likes opens up heavens doors, or the universe opens up, and when you keep on tapping on this and that, it changes the colour of the aura… and you can actual feel the energy move, if you will, like a shot or boost of energy go throughout the body, perhaps opens up things that may of been blocked and it opens up these channels within your body… what I have been doing lately is using the tapping with a couple of positive affirmation I found on youtube which one is from Louise L. Hay positive affirmation, so I do this tapping throughout the listening of these positive affirmation, and that is when I see the colours of aura changes… so cool, you guys are great, and thank you for introducing this tapping to the world… keep up the good work you both and all of you are doing. Many blessings to you all. Take care.
Thanks for answering this Q so candidly, it’s been my problem to stay with the tapping even though I know it is helpful and healing.
Yes, I tap for awhile and then I get busy and forget to tap until some pain in my body gets really bad and then I will tap again really faithfully, then I stop and just can’t seem to get it in my schedule again. I wonder if other people have the same problem. Guess they do Nick or you wouldn’t be sending out emails on it.
How about tapping on it.
Even though I often forget to tap…
Yes I do forget! It is so helpful and energizing, I just put my forgetfulness down to being an Air sign lol. I am so relieved to find out it is not just me!
I, too, have had many miracles with tapping and I am an EFT practitioner and yet, I sometimes forget to tap. A few weeks ago, I was waiting impatiently for my goat to finish eating after I milked her. (We are trying to fatten her up, and so we leave her on the stand to finish eating, sometimes very slowly). It occurred to me that was a good time to tap, any time I had to wait impatiently (or patiently) for someone else or something else to happen. I decided to use that time as a reminder to tap each day because it is a daily recurring event. It has helped! Often it is the simple solutions that can make the most difference.
It is true we all forget to tap. Maybe you could get some of those colorful rubber type bracelets, have them printed “TAP TAP TAP”, and sell them on your site. They would work for a reminder and a conversation starter. Might work for spreading the word about tapping. Might get new clients for budding EFT coaches. I can see it now, millions of bright colored bracelets, around the world. Just a thought. I know i would buy them and pass them out. Many blessings to all.
Being VERY new to Tapping. I am taking Jessica’s We*ght Loss and Body Confidence course this is teaching me a bunch about tapping. Haven’t quite tapped on all negative issues. I use a lot of prayer though.
I have been tapping for years now with great success.Recently I have noticed pain in my facial nerves at the eye areas. Could this be from over-tapping or too much pressure? Thank you for your help and for this awesome tool for well-ness.
I wonder if forgetting to tap would be another way of subconsciously practicing avoidance, especially on certain issues. The power of EFT is such that if you start tapping on a huge issue, the domino effect can be overwhelming and sometimes you know that you are just not ready to make that change.
Thanks Nick it’s certainly a habit worth acquiring and I continue to work on it 🙂
My wife and I, in a playful way, like to remind each other if something is happening where tapping would be the appropriate tool for the moment by saying to each other, “Even though…” By not finishing that phrase, it helps the other realize what the issue is and tap on it. We’ve even tapped on forgetting to tap, “Even though I sometimes forget to tap…” We’ll sometimes use sticky notes with “Even though…” on them as gentle reminders. The playful approach keeps us in the present and makes the tapping process more effective.
I walk every day for exercise. I always tap when I walk. Now it has become a habit to put the two together, so I never forget during walking time. Do I remember at other times . . . . . not so much. It often seems like I’m in the middle of doing something when I think of tapping, so I delay until I’m finished my task, and by that time I have forgotten to tap.
Tapping is so new to me it is not so much as I forget but I don’t think of applying it for all of the events, shall we say, in my life. I totally love your suggestion of using it tap away the days stresses and negativity. I really need to spend more time with your book.
Nick, these are great Tips to Tap! I am certified Level II with Level III coming in Sept. I use it all the time with my clients and many times I forget to Tap…..Love the sticky idea. Thanks Nick for all your work in getting Tapping into mainstream. Phyllis Reardon
…mmm I have a lower back pain since last summer. i did tap but nope, almost no result. Maybe I’m doing something wrong with the target or statement?
Perfect timing, Nick! I remember to tap least when I need it the most! So I really appreciate your suggestion of having compassion for ourselves, rather than judging ourselves for forgetting. This is very new to me, and even though tapping has worked for me resolving past issues, I find myself particularly vulnerable to new issues that are serious. There is still a part of me that doesn’t believe that anything can help me de-stress when my anxiety is sky high. But I have found that even in order to do deep breathing and meditation, I really need to tap first! Tapping allows me to give voice to the elements of my anxiety, and once they are identified and “heard”, I can address them, one by one in more manageable segments.
I wish you well on your mission!
Thanks for your insights Nick – they seem spot on! I think another reason we (I) forget to tap is that I don’t see myself (I am reminded of a quote by Dr. Phil – “Trying to change without writing things down is like looking at yourself without a mirror – you can’t do it.”) so therefore I can’t get out of my own way. I think we benefit most when we have an objective “other” who doesn’t have OUR junk in their way to get around blindspots. That is not to say that self tapping is not effective, but that we may be somewhat limited in how far we can go with ourselves. We just don’t see ourselves as clearly as others do – and then we have to navigate around our (and their) stories…a little complicated at times!!
It’s so funny to see this article today Nick! I had to take my cat to the groomer this morning, which is always pretty traumatic for her. I’ve been tapping for years but never once thought about tapping for HER stress (surrogate tapping) until this morning. The entire drive to the groomer I tapped for her to be nice and calm, and she definitely seemed much calmer by the time we got there. After her appointment the groomer told me she did wonderfully, she was nice and calm the whole time (she has a warning sticker on her chart from previous visits! LOL). I must remember to do this from now on.