The Choices Method: A Gentle Tapping Practice to Shift Your Mood Fast
Stop staying stuck in the ughh feeling and trying to force yourself into a “positive vibes only” mindspace. Because without acknowledging how you feel, your body doesn’t have the time to truly move through the emotions and energy, and those feelings could come right back.
Basically, please stop trying to use toxic-positivity to heal.
Let’s be honest, sometimes things just suck and it’s hard to feel better without first being honest and acknowledging your current feelings.
This is why I love EFT. EFT is about being honest.
EFT Tapping allows you to hold space for how you truly feel and move through those feelings without forcing them away or judging yourself for them.
So, the next time you need a pick-me-up, don’t turn to buying something new or a habit that leaves you feeling bleh after a bit. Try EFT Tapping, and this is one of my favorite techniques.
When to Use Choices Method
The Choices Method was created by Dr. Patricia Carrington. Through the creation and use of this method, she found this practice helps clients make permanent changes after EFT sessions and put themselves back in the driver seat of their life. Read more about her thoughts on the practice.
In my practice, I have seen Choices Method being a helpful tapping technique for the moments where you only have a few minutes and you need:
A quick mood shift.
To acknowledge how you feel and call in new energy.
Mindset shift without having the time to do the deep work behind your inner critic.
Want to reinforce a recent shift or realization you had.
To reinforce newly formed beliefs, habits, or lessons.
To stop procrastinating and take action.
How to do Choices Method
Think of this as a three-round practice:
Name your experience right now
Choose what you want to feel, do, know, or remember
Integrate both (honoring what’s still there & what you’re choosing)
Round 1: Acknowledge how you currently feel.
Side of Hand:
Even though I feel _____, I choose to ______.
Even though there’s a part of me feeling ______, I choose to ______.
Even though I may need to tap on ______ more, I choose to ______.
Top of Head:
I feel _____.
Eyebrow:
A part of me feels _____.
Side of Eye:
This feeling _____.
Under Eye:
This _______ belief/feeling/thought.
Under Nose:
I feel ______.
Chin:
This part of me is feeling _____.
Collarbone:
I feel _____.
Under Arm:
A part of me feels _____.
Round 2: Start incorporating what you want to choose.
Top of Head:
I choose to ______.
Eyebrow:
I choose to remember/know/do ______.
Side of Eye:
I choose to ______.
Under Eye:
I choose to ______.
Under Nose:
I choose to ______.
Chin:
I choose to remember/know/do ______.
Collarbone:
I choose to ______.
Under Arm:
I choose to remember/know/do ______.
Round 3: Close the loop by acknowledging any remaining feelings and choosing different.
Top of Head:
I have this remaining feeling ______.
Eyebrow:
And I choose to ______.
Side of Eye:
This part of me still feels ______.
Under Eye:
And I choose to remember/do/know _____.
Under Nose:
I still feel _____.
Chin:
And I choose to ______.
Collarbone:
This part of me that feels _____.
Under Arm:
And I choose to remember/do/know _____.
Real-Life Example of Choices Method
Here is an example from a self-tapping session I did around doubt.
Round 1: Acknowledging how I felt.
Side of Hand:
Even though I’m experiencing this doubt, I choose to remember the world needs more voices that are kind
Even though I feel this ughh doubt, I choose to continue moving forward
Even though there’s this doubt feeling, I choose to know to remember, I can still move forward
Top of Head:
This doubt feeling
Eyebrows:
Experiencing this doubt
Side of Eye:
Doubt
Under Eye:
I feel this doubt
Under Nose:
This feeling of doubt
Chin:
Experiencing this doubt
Collarbone:
This doubt feeling
Under Arm:
This doubt feeling
Round 2: Incorporating what I wanted to choose.
Top of Head:
I choose to remember the world needs more voices that are kind
Eyebrows:
I choose to continue moving forward
Side of Eye:
I choose to remember I can still move forward
Under Eye:
I choose to remember I can still move forward
Under Nose:
I choose to continue moving forward
Chin:
I choose to remember the world needs more voices that are kind
Collarbone:
I choose to remember I can still move forward
Under Arm:
I choose to remember the world needs more voices that are kind
Round 3: Closing the loop and connecting the first two rounds.
Top of Head:
Experiencing this doubt
Eyebrows:
I choose to remember the world needs more voices that are kind
Side of Eye:
This feeling of doubt
Under Eye:
I choose to continue moving forward
Under Nose:
This little bit of doubt
Chin:
I choose to remember I can still move forward
Collarbone:
This little bit of remaining doubt
Under arm:
I choose to remember the world needs more voices that are kind and I can move forward
Closing Practice
Since this practice is typically used to close sessions and recognize shifts, you can go straight back into your day.
If you need a transition moment, take a few breaths and try bilateral tapping on your chest. This is called butterfly tapping.
Next Steps
Save this post for the next time you need a mood boost or to call in what you want to replace the bleh feeling.
Need more support with your healing? Book an EFT session with me for trauma-informed tapping focused on what you want and healing in your space.
