I have a theory: we might not be as okay as we think we are.

Somewhere along the line, we became experts at managing life’s pressures—juggling the endless to-do lists, deadlines, and expectations—until this state of constant hustle became our normal. And normal doesn’t need fixing, right? If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. So, we keep going. We vent occasionally, pour another cup of coffee (tea for me, thanks!), and collapse at the end of the day only to do it all over again tomorrow.

Sound familiar?

I’ve been getting curious lately—about how much of life we spend just skimming the surface.
Think about it. We wake up, check emails, wrangle the kids (or pets, or our own messy selves), rush through meetings, tackle a mountain of tasks, binge a show, scroll, and crash. Rinse and repeat. Day after day.

Rinse & Repeat Trap

I was guilty of it, too. And honestly? Sometimes, I still catch myself slipping back into those old rinse-and-repeat habits. Holy muscle memory, batman!

But here’s the thing—I had mastered this hustle long before it became a lifestyle cliché. As a former wedding planner, my life revolved around the next wedding—the one three weeks out, six months out, a year out. My brain was always in overdrive, thinking five steps ahead, troubleshooting, preparing for every possible scenario (I hated surprises!). I was paid to deliver seamless perfection (my company name was Simply Perfect, for goodness sake!), to minimize risk, and to have contingency plans for my contingency plans.

And I was good at it.

So good, in fact, that I never paused to ask myself, “Is this what I actually want?”
Instead, I just kept pushing. Kept planning. Kept showing up for other people, making sure their lives ran smoothly while I ignored the growing cracks in my own.

When Busyness Becomes a Shield

Looking back, I can now see that I was living in a state of survival mode—overwhelmed, emotionally numb, and completely disconnected from myself. But at the time? I couldn’t see it. And when depression hit me like a freight train in my mid-thirties, I did what I’d always done: I did whatever I could to power through it.

I railed against my own weakness, criticizing myself for not being able to “snap out of it.” I remember lying in bed, consumed by shame and frustration, thinking, I should be doing something. I shouldn’t be here. This shouldn’t be happening.

It was around that time that I came across a quote by Eckhart Tolle: “You are exactly where you need to be.” I remember sobbing uncontrollably! How could I possibly be exactly where I needed to be? How could lying in bed, doing nothing, be the right place for me?

The Illusion of Control

But, instead of allowing myself to dive below the surface, I followed doctors orders (don't stop, you can't do nothing!) and I did what I always did—anything that tried to knock me down, I fought back. I pushed it aside, got right back up, and pushed through. I vowed that no matter what was happening internally, I would present the perfect image of control, and for the most part, I kept my depression, my dirty little secret.

But I didn’t realize the cost: I became emotionally numb to cover up the disconnection I felt from myself and others. And the more I had to do, the better I was at distancing myself from any evidence that something was missing.

My Journey with EFT: A Turning Point in My Life

Reflection wasn’t part of my vocabulary for the first 48 years of my life. I was perfectly happy living in my head, checking off endless to-do-lists (though I still find lots of satisfaction with this!), and believing that any talk about feelings was a complete waste of time. Ain’t nobody got time for that, right?

So, when the pandemic hit in 2020 and cleared my schedule for the first time in over 25+ years, I was forced (kicking and screaming, kidding-not-kidding) to sit still—and, for the first time, actually reflect.

I remember staring down two choices:
1.Become an amateur mixologist and drink my way through it, or…
2. Try doing something that might bring in a little fun (or at least keep me out of the liquor cabinet).

Fast-forward to March 2021. I was studying energy coaching (a wild story for another time) when I stumbled across The Tapping Solution. Out of curiosity, I tried a 16-minute EFT tapping meditation.

What happened next took me completely by surprise. Wave after wave of grief (cue the ugly cry) washed over me. For the first time ever, I felt seen, heard, and validated—as if someone had finally acknowledged a weight I’d been carrying for years.

And the biggest shock? I had no idea where all this hurt, anger, sadness, and feelings of unfairness had been hiding.

Something inside me shifted that day. For years, I had unknowingly been living on autopilot, managing stress by staying busy and disconnected. But within sixteen minutes of tapping, something cracked open.

That moment marked the beginning of my journey inward—and spoiler alert—that’s where EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) came in and changed everything.

EFT allowed me to begin to admit how not ok I was and reconnect with myself on a level I didn’t even know was possible. It bridged the gap between my head, heart, body, and soul—becoming a way for me to open up to deeply listen, trust, and support myself.

It was a way for me to honour and hold space for my pain, embrace my strength, courage, and resilience, and begin to repair the damage I had unknowingly caused by living in overdrive.

A Life of Fulfillment: Moving Beyond Busyness to Meaningful Momentum

EFT helped me piece together the fragments of myself and build a life that felt fascinating, magical, and deeply fulfilling.

I want this for every woman who feels like something’s missing, yearning for deeper meaning, and who feels pulled toward something more. For the high-achiever who is tired of checking all the boxes but still feeling empty. For the woman who wants to stop living on autopilot, reconnect with herself, and reach beyond what she believes is possible. To turn herself inside out, uncover the beauty that’s been buried beneath the busyness, and become her own source of meaning, motivation, and fulfillment.

Because I’ve been where you are. And I know what’s possible when you stop pushing, start tapping, reconnect with yourself, and build meaningful momentum towards clarity, resilience, and impact from the inside out.

EFT: A Mind-Body Approach to Stress & Emotional Relief

Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), also known as Tapping, is a holistic therapy that combines both cognitive and somatic (body-based) approaches to emotional healing. It’s a highly effective stress-reduction tool that can help you manage overwhelm, reduce anxiety, and reclaim your sense of control—without needing to "talk it out" for hours. Tapping draws on the ancient Chinese practice of acupuncture (but without the needles!) and modern psychology.

Developed by Gary Craig in the 1990s, EFT has gained widespread recognition for its ability to address a range of emotional and physical challenges. From reducing stress and emotional tension to restoring energetic balance and even alleviating physical discomfort—EFT can help you navigate life's toughest moments more calmly.

This scientifically backed tool involves tapping specific acupressure points on the face and body while focusing your mental attention on a negative emotion, belief, or memory. Think of it as a reset for your mind and body—an effective way to release stress and negative emotions, and reconnect with a calmer, clearer version of yourself. And the best part? You can do this anywhere, anytime, to feel more grounded and less overwhelmed.

The Power of Acknowledging the Negative

But why focus on the negative? Because I believe nothing can truly shift unless we first get honest with ourselves and face what's really going on. Acknowledging those tough (and uncomfortable!) feelings is the first step to releasing them.

Simplicity in Action 

The beauty of EFT lies in its simplicity. You can tap on specific acupressure points (also known as meridian endpoints) while addressing emotional discomfort, turning OFF your body's stress response—right in the middle of your busiest day. In just a few minutes, it sends a calming signal to the brain, helping you handle stress with greater ease.

Science has started to catch up with this ancient wisdom, showing that EFT can lower cortisol and adrenaline levels, regulate your nervous system, boost immunity, and promote relaxation and recovery.

How Does EFT Work?

In traditional Chinese medicine it is believed that energy flows through a network of pathways called meridians. There are (12) main meridians that run symmetrically on each side of the body, with each one connected to a specific organ. When these energetic pathways are disrupted—often due to stress, trauma, or negative emotions—it creates imbalances that impact both our emotional and physical health.

EFT targets 9+ key meridian points, stimulating these pathways with our fingers to support emotional and physical detox of the organs. It’s all about recognizing and nurturing the connection between the body, mind, and heart. Our thoughts and emotions have a powerful effect on our physical well-being. Our bodies often respond to stress with physical symptoms like digestive issues, muscle tension, and fatigue.

The Science of Stress: How Your Body Reacts to Danger (and Everyday Life)

In today’s fast-paced, high-pressure world, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and shift our nervous system into PROTECTION mode. When that happens, the amygdala—the part of the brain responsible for triggering the stress response—pumps hormones like cortisol and adrenaline into our body. This stress reaction is great when we’re in danger, but not so much when we’re facing everyday challenges.

Here’s the kicker: when we’re stressed, 80% of blood flow shifts away from the brain, making it harder to think clearly, make decisions, and stay calm. Our systems shut down in reaction to the perceived threat, preparing us to RUN (or fight). And in our overstimulated world, just about anything can trigger the amygdala’s fight-or-flight response—a driver cutting you off, or being late for an important meeting.

Tapping helps clear mental, emotional, and physical tension, reduces cortisol levels, and recalibrates our body back to its normal state. It regulates our breathing and heartbeat, giving us a sense of relief. Our bodies relax and return to a state of peace, while endorphins (the happy hormone and a natural painkiller) are released.

4 Key Benefits of EFT:

Calms the Stress Response: Tapping sends a soothing signal to the brain, particularly the amygdala, which helps your nervous system realize you're not in immediate danger. This allows your body to release tension and return to a state of relaxation.

Balances Stress Hormones: Research shows that EFT helps reduce cortisol levels—the stress hormone—while enhancing emotional, mental, and physical well-being. This leaves you feeling more centered, grounded, and energized.

Rewires Your Brain: By tapping while focusing on emotional distress, you help to create new neural pathways, reprogramming how your brain and body responds to stress and negative emotions.

Promotes Healing: EFT helps clear emotional blockages, heal past trauma, and restore balance to both the body and mind, allowing for deep emotional and physical healing.

If you’re curious about the clinical research behind EFT and its benefits for your health and well-being, I’ve got you covered. Check out this easy-to-read infographic featuring research findings from Dr. Peta Stapleton, a world-leading expert in clinical Emotional Freedom Techniques.

 Image Credit: Dr Peta Stapleton EFT Research

How to Tap: A Quick Guide

Feeling ready to dive in? Tapping is a simple, safe, and effective technique, it takes as little as 5 minutes, and it can be done almost anywhere…in the car, in the shower, in between meetings, on a morning walk…though, I’ll be honest, it may look a little odd for any onlookers if done in public…which sometimes may or may not stop me, haha!

Here’s a basic breakdown of how to get started:

1. Identify Your Issue
Focus on the specific emotion or issue you want to address (i.e, self-doubt, upcoming meeting). Be specific about what you’re feeling and where in your body you feel it.

2. Rate the Intensity
On a scale of 0-10, rate how intense the emotion is. This helps track progress.

3. The Setup
Start by tapping on the side of your hand while saying a setup statement, such as:
“Even though I feel [emotion, i.e, nervous] about [specific situation], I have compassion for myself.”

4. Tap Through the Points
Tap on the following points while saying a short reminder phrase (i.e, 'this nervousness', 'butterflies in my stomach' - be as specific as possible about how it's showing up for you). Use your fingertips to gently tap on each point around 5-7 times.

Eyebrow (EB): Inner edge of the eyebrow, near the bridge of the nose. 

Side of Eye (SE): On the bone at the outer corner of the eye. 

Under Eye (UE): On the bone directly beneath the eye. 

Under Nose (UN): The space between the bottom of the nose and the upper lip. 

Chin (CH): The crease between the lower lip and chin. 

Collarbone (CB): Just below the collarbone, about an inch down and an inch out.

Under Arm (UA): About 4 inches below the armpit.

Top of Head (TH): Directly on the crown of your head.

5. Reassess
After tapping through the points, check in with yourself. Rate your intensity again.

6. Repeat
If it’s still high, repeat the tapping sequence until you feel a sense of relief.

Why Every Busy Woman Should Know EFT

Let’s be real: Women are carrying a LOT.

We’re running businesses, managing teams, raising kids, taking care of parents, maintaining relationships, keeping up with social obligations, and—oh yeah—trying to squeeze in a little self-care when we can. We’re often expected to be everything to everyone—but at what cost?
The pressure to be constantly “on” is exhausting. And the worst part? Most of us don’t even realize just how much stress we’re carrying—until it shows up as fatigue, anxiety, self-doubt, or burnout.

We’ve become masters at managing life's pressures, skipping over the fact that we’re not actually okay. We check our emails, wrangle the kids, binge a show, and crash—only to rinse and repeat the next day. But here's the truth: when the hustle becomes our normal it’s easy to miss the cracks beneath the surface . I know—I certainly did!

EFT offers us a way to press pause, check in, and release the emotional weight we may not even realize we’re carrying! And it’s a tool we can use anytime, anywhere—whether it’s before a high-stakes meeting, in the car after school drop-off, or in the bathroom stall when we just need a damn minute to breathe.

Warning! Here are some tapping benefits the modern woman may experience:

• increased energy
• sharpened focus
• greater productivity and motivation
• better decision-making
• higher performance
• improved sleep
• increase in confidence
• decrease in self-judgement, and negative self-talk
• deeper connection with self, and others
• greater sense of calm, peace, and ease

Break the Rinse-Repeat Cycle: Feel More Than Fine

If you’re feeling stretched thin, running on empty, or just tired of the endless hustle—EFT might be exactly what you need. It’s simple, effective, and scientifically backed. More importantly, it’s a way to reconnect with yourself, honor what you’re feeling, and feel more in control, centered, and capable in your daily life.

Let’s face it, how many of us are stuck in the rinse-and-repeat trap, convinced we’re fine, but secretly, something is off?

If you’re ready to dive a little deeper into EFT, you can start by trying a simple practice on your own—or, if you’d like personalized support, I’d love to connect. Book a free breakthrough coaching call, and let’s explore how EFT might be exactly what you need.

Because you deserve to feel good—not just “fine.”

Disclaimer:
EFT Tapping is a complementary and supportive practice but should not be used as a substitute for medical, psychiatric, or professional mental health care. If you have any health concerns, please seek guidance from a qualified healthcare provider.