Welcome to this EFT tapping session for resting guilt.
I'm sure you can relate to that constant urge to always be on the go and how our inner critic,
All that inner voice,
Starts nagging us the moment that we dare to take a break.
You might have thoughts of I should be doing this instead or I'm lazy for stopping or just that feeling that there's so much on your plate that resting feels completely counterintuitive,
Like you just don't have the time.
So today is all about soft,
Restorative permission to simply be.
More human being,
Less human doing.
So before we start tapping let's tune in a little as you bring to mind the idea of stopping completely today.
It can be helpful to close your eyes or soften your gaze to do this.
Just notice how it feels when you try to stop or slow down.
Even just being here for this tapping session,
Maybe you thought to yourself that you don't really have time for it but you should do it.
Notice what comes up in your mind or body when you try to rest or do something gentle or supportive for yourself Is there a feeling of guilt?
Maybe that mental to-do list comes up in your mind.
All those shoulds.
And then give that feeling a rating from zero to 10,
Where 10 is feeling intense guilt or restlessness,
And zero is completely neutral,
Completely at peace.
Just notice that number and we'll check in again at the end to see if it's shifted.
Okay so make sure you're sitting comfortably and let's start the session with a nice deep breath in through the nose.
And slowly out through the mouth.
Letting go on the exhale.
And then tapping on the side of the hand repeat after me either in your mind or out loud.
Even though part of me feels like I haven't earned the right to slow down or rest.
I choose to honour my body and accept how I feel right now.
Even though my mind keeps running through everything I should be doing.
I acknowledge this guilt and give my nervous system permission to pause.
Even though I've been conditioned to believe my worth comes from doing.
I'm open to feeling safe in stillness today.
And I deeply and completely love and accept myself in this moment.
Okay so we're going to acknowledge the guilt and restlessness for these first couple of rounds.
Tapping on the eyebrow points.
All this noise in my mind telling me I don't have time to rest.
Side of the eye,
The feelings of guilt when I slow down or stop.
Under the eye.
I notice the pressure to be productive,
Even right now.
Like I'm already judging myself just for being here.
Under the nose,
Feeling like rest is something I have to earn.
Chin points.
And I feel this guilt or restlessness in my body,
Like a tension that won't quite let go.
Collarbone points.
And when I do slow down or stop,
My mind runs through a checklist.
All the things I should be doing instead.
And as Brad Yates likes to say,
Stop shoulding all over yourself.
That's something you can remember when those shoulds come up.
Under the arm.
This fear that if I do stop I might fall behind.
Top of the head.
All this guilt and heaviness around resting.
Back to the eyebrow points.
There's a feeling of always needing to do more.
To be more.
Side of the eye.
Maybe there's a belief that resting is somehow lazy or self-indulgent.
Under the eye.
And even when I do have the space to relax.
I feel restless or flighty.
Under the nose.
It's like my nervous system stays on high alert.
Chin point.
I notice all the expectations I'm holding onto.
And wondering where they might come from.
Collarbone points.
Noticing how I justify taking a break.
To others,
To myself.
Okay and as we tap here on the collarbone we're just going to pause here for a moment.
So just stay tapping on the collarbone at a nice slow comfortable pace.
You can close your eyes or soften your gaze if that feels right.
Just notice where that nagging voice lives in your body right now.
And this is the voice that tells you that you shouldn't slow down.
The voice that makes you feel guilty for stopping.
The voice that reminds you of all the other things you should be doing.
So just noticing that when you hear that internal voice,
Where does it live in your body?
Is it a tightness in your chest?
The heaviness in your stomach.
A tension in your shoulders.
Or even a sense of restlessness in your legs.
Just tapping on the collarbone and breathing as you notice where this comes up for you physically.
Not trying to change it or make it go away,
Just noticing with care.
And if you aren't sure,
Or you can't quite connect.
That's okay too.
Another thing you also might like to ask yourself is,
Where did I learn that rest had to be earned?
Where did you learn that rest had to be earned?
And when you do rest,
Maybe there's a feeling of being watched or evaluated,
Almost like there's an invisible pair of eyes monitoring your productivity,
Judging whether you've done enough to deserve a break.
Almost like a fear of being caught standing still.
Was there a voice growing up that equated resting with laziness?
Or a moment where you absorb the belief that your worth depends entirely on continuous doing.
Or perhaps an early experience where staying busy felt like the only way to feel safe or worthy of praise.
Just staying grounded through tapping and breathing as you notice.
There's no need to bring specific details or memories.
We're just bringing a gentle,
Compassionate awareness.
Because when we feel guilty for resting,
Our nervous system is often just confusing stillness with danger because it's so used to running on high alert.
Just know that you don't need to analyse it or solve it right now.
It's just a gentle acknowledgement,
Like,
Ah,
That's where this pressure or judgement comes from.
I see.
What we're doing today is showing your nervous system that it's okay to notice and it's a safe time to exhale,
To rest and to let go of the pressure even if just for a little while.
OK,
So let's take a deep breath together here.
Inhale through the nose,
Breathing in space and peace as you do.
And as you exhale releasing any old judgments or pressure.
Lovely,
Well done.
So you can open your eyes if they were closed and let's continue tapping under the arm,
Repeating after me.
Maybe I can turn down the volume on the unkind voice.
The one that tells me I'm not doing enough.
Top of the head,
And I'm open to releasing any old judgements.
Okay well done let's try and soften and release some of this now so back to the eyebrow points repeating after me noticing all this with care and compassion.
Side of the eye,
Letting my body know that right now it's safe to slow down.
Under the eye,
What if my worth isn't tied to how busy I am?
What if I'm enough,
Even when I stop?
Just to remind you here that you are enough,
Even when you don't get the things done that you wanted to,
Even when you are shitting on yourself.
And even when you are having one of those days where you just can't muster up the energy to do much at all.
We all have those days where we feel so exhausted and on the verge of burnout and I used to call those days lazy days but now I call them deep rest days because my body and mind are telling me that I need them and maybe you need them too.
You are always enough.
Tapping under the nose,
Allowing my body to release a little.
So relaxing a little here,
Just let your shoulders drop.
Soften through the tummy.
Tapping on the chin points,
Giving my mind permission to drop the to-do list for a moment.
Collarbone points.
I acknowledge that rest isn't a reward,
It's a fundamental need.
Under the arm,
Softening the need to be achieving right now.
Top of the head.
I deserve downtime for myself.
Okay let's do one final round,
Tapping on the eyebrow points.
I reclaim my right to be still without justification or explanation.
Side of the eye.
From stillness and presence comes clarity and power.
Under the eye,
I choose to receive rest in any and all forms.
You know this is such an important distinction because we often think that rest only counts if we're like sitting completely still,
But rest can actually be a gentle walk in nature without really knowing where you're going,
It can be a quiet moment of tapping,
It could be reading a chapter of a book,
Or having your morning coffee without multitasking.
Anything that invites your nervous system to step off the pedal is real valid rest.
It all counts.
Under the nose,
Giving myself permission to rest in whatever way my body needs today.
Chin points.
It's safe to just be without needing to be more.
Collarbone points.
I'm choosing ease over effort right now.
Under the arm.
Knowing that right here,
Right now,
I'm nourishing my body and my mind.
Top of the head.
Feeling clear-headed,
Grounded and present with myself.
Okay,
Well done.
Stop tapping there.
Place your hands over your heart or on your belly.
Close your eyes and soften your gaze.
Just take a moment to tune in and notice how you feel.
Is there a sense of physical space in your body that perhaps wasn't there before?
Maybe there's a little more clarity in your mind.
Or perhaps you uncovered something a bit deeper,
A feeling or an awareness that wants a little more gentle attention later on.
Whatever is here is okay.
You're just exploring what's present for you right now with curiosity and care.
So let's recheck that original number from 0 to 10 around rest and guilt and notice if that number has shifted at all.
And if it only moved by one single point,
Know that that is okay.
Even a really small shift is a sign that your nervous system listened and that you created a moment of safety for yourself today.
Lovely.
So open your eyes,
Have a little stretch if you need to.
And thank you so much for joining me today.
You can carry this permission to rest with you into the rest of the week.
Take care.
