The Soul Compass guides you to Live & Thrive in alignment with your true nature, to uncover your authenticity, and start taking steps towards your Dream Life by following your inner wisdom.
EFT, aka Emotional Freedom Technique or Tapping, is widely recognized for its ability to reduce stress and anxiety, but one of its most profound applications is in overcoming limiting beliefs. These deep-rooted, often subconscious beliefs can block personal growth, hold us back from reaching our potential, and keep us stuck in cycles of self-doubt and fear. In the realm of self-development, addressing these limiting beliefs is crucial for transformation, and EFT is a powerful tool to facilitate that process.
What are limiting beliefs?
Limiting beliefs are those nagging thoughts that tell you what you can’t do, what you don’t deserve, or who you’re not capable of becoming. They are often born from past experiences, societal conditioning, or emotional wounds. Phrases like, “I’m not good enough,” “I always fail,” or “Success isn’t for me,” are classic examples. These beliefs can manifest in all areas of life—relationships, career, finances, health—and hold you back from living your fullest potential.
But what if I told you that these beliefs aren’t as permanent as they feel? That you have the ability to release them and open yourself up to new possibilities?
How EFT tapping can help
EFT combines elements of cognitive therapy and exposure therapy, but what makes it unique is its focus on tapping meridian points on the body, similar to acupuncture. By tapping on these points while focusing on a limiting belief, you can send calming signals to the brain, helping to release the emotional charge behind that belief. In other words, EFT allows you to clear away the fear and anxiety tied to the belief, giving you space to adopt more empowering thoughts.
When we tap, we are directly addressing the stress or discomfort the belief causes us. By doing so, we help calm the amygdala, the part of the brain responsible for the fight-or-flight response. This not only relaxes the body but also helps rewire our brain to release the emotional hold the limiting belief once had.
Using EFT to address limiting beliefs
Let’s walk through a step-by-step EFT Tapping process you can use to release limiting beliefs:
1. Identify your limiting belief
Start by identifying a limiting belief that you want to work on. It could be something like, “I’m not capable of achieving success” or “I’m not deserving of love.” Take a moment to notice how this belief makes you feel emotionally and physically.
2. Rate the intensity
On a scale of 0 to 10, rate how strongly you believe in this limitation. This will help you measure your progress as you tap.
3. Create a setup statement
Formulate a setup statement that acknowledges the limiting belief while offering acceptance. For example:“Even though I believe I’m not capable of success, I deeply and completely accept and love myself.”
4. Begin tapping
Using your fingers, tap gently on the following meridian points while repeating the belief. Here’s a quick guide to the points:
Side of the hand (karate chop point): Start with tapping on the side of your hand and repeat the setup statement 3 times.
Top of the head: Tap gently on the top of your hand while repeating “I'm not capable of success” 3 times. Continue to repeat this sentence throughout your tapping sequence.
Eyebrow: Tap gently at the beginning of your eyebrows.
Side of the eye: Tap on the bone beside your eyes.
Under the eye: Tap on the bone just beneath your eyes.
Under the nose: Tap between your nose and upper lip.
Chin: Tap on the crease below your lower lip.
Collarbone: Use all your fingers to tap on the points below your collarbone.
Under the arm: Tap on the side of your body, about four inches below your armpit.
5. Tune into your emotion
As you tap through the points, tune into the emotion and physical sensation tied to the belief. Are you feeling tightness in your chest? A knot in your stomach? Keep tapping while acknowledging these feelings. Keep breathing and if you feel the need to yawn or sigh, just surrender to it.
6. Reassess your intensity
After one round of tapping, pause, take a deep breath, and reassess the intensity of your limiting belief. Has it dropped from an 8 to a 5? If so, you’re on the right track. Repeat the process until the intensity is 0 or as close to it as possible.
7. Replace the limiting belief with an empowering one
Once you’ve reduced the emotional charge tied to the limiting belief, it’s time to install a more empowering one. Start tapping again, but this time, say something like, “I am capable of success, and I trust in my abilities.” Continue tapping through the points while affirming this new, positive belief. This way you'll neutralize any resistance to this new thought.
Real-life example of eft for limiting beliefs
One of my clients, let's call her Sarah, came to me with a belief that had been holding her back for years: “I’m not smart enough to pursue my dream career.” We worked through this belief using EFT. First, we tapped on the fear of failure and the anxiety she felt around being judged. After a few rounds, she felt her anxiety lessen, and the belief no longer felt “true” to her.
After several sessions, not only did Sarah report feeling more confident, but she also took action toward her dream career by applying for courses that she once believed were “out of her league.” This transformation wasn’t just in her thoughts—it was reflected in her actions and life.
Why EFT works for self-development
When it comes to self-development, the key is often removing the internal blocks that prevent you from reaching your goals. EFT allows you to confront these blocks head-on, whether they’re tied to fear, self-doubt, or past traumas. By calming your nervous system and rewiring your brain’s response to limiting beliefs, you can shift from feeling stuck to feeling empowered.
Instead of repeating old patterns, EFT gives you the opportunity to break through those patterns and make way for new beliefs and behaviors that align with your goals and aspirations.
Final thoughts
EFT Tapping is a powerful tool for anyone on a journey of self-development. Whether you’re struggling with limiting beliefs in your career, relationships, or personal growth, tapping can help you release what’s been holding you back and open you up to new possibilities.
So, the next time you catch yourself thinking, “I can’t do this” or “I’m not good enough,” pause, take a deep breath, and try tapping. You might be surprised at how quickly your mindset shifts—and how that shift leads to lasting change in your life.
Kinga de Wit, Transformational Guide, Soul Embodiment Coach, Catalyst for Change
The Soul Compass guides you to Live & Thrive in alignment with your true nature, to uncover your authenticity, and start taking steps towards your Dream Life by following your inner wisdom.
Services: Human Design, Akashic Records, Soul Realignment, Soul Body Fusion, Polyvagal theory, Nervous System Regulation, Trauma-informed Practice, NLP, OldPain2Go, Inner Child Work, Breathwork, EFT/Tapping, Spiritual Mentorship, Embodied Manifesting, Somatic Work, Conscious Parenting, New Paradigm Business Coaching (Energy + Strategy), Feng Shui, and many, many more.
Me? I'm Kinga de Wit: Aries, 6/2 Human Design Splenic Projector, and my name means "leader of the people." I'm a wife and a mother to a 4 y.o son (almost 5!) and 2 dogs. I'm originally from Warsaw, Poland. I've lived most of my life in the Netherlands and relocated to Spain in August 2023. I grew up with East-European, Eastern (Chinese), Dutch Caribbean, and Western cultures.
I love to sing, write, and take pictures. And I'm an incurable optimist. I believe that we are powerful beings and that we can heal ourselves and the world by standing in our true Power and by letting the love for ourselves overflow into Universal Love.
My knowledge is not "just" theoretical. Everything I teach I am practicing myself. I've experienced my share of struggles, breakdowns, and challenges (like depression, anxiety, burn-out, chronic pain, allergies, trauma, chronic fatigue, being disconnected from my emotions and intuition, etc). I overcame it all and now I love to share what I've learned with others guide.
Comments