Why Keep an EFT Journal?

Benefits of an EFT Journal

There are so many ways that we can increase the value of the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) in our lives that it is surprising that people don’t use most of them. One of the most effective ways to do this is to create what I call an “EFT Journal.” If you’re willing to take the few simple steps required to set one up this can make a substantial difference in the way in which EFT impacts your life.

One of the values of such a journal is the manner in which it can remind you of the benefits you have already gained from EFT. It is too easy to remember only those times when you may have used EFT ineffectively or incompletely for a certain issue. This is no criticism of you by the way — we have been hardwired to be alert to danger and to notice difficulties so that we can adapt sufficiently to survive as a species. Doing that is a very good thing when necessary. What we forget, however, is that it is equally important to recognize our successes, the things that go right in our life, and this is something to which most people pay too little attention.

How to Set Up Your EFT Journal

An EFT journal can be as simple as a three column ledger notebook obtainable in any stationery store, or it can be as elaborate and personally inspirational as those elegant “Personal Journals” with hard covers, fine quality paper and spiral binding that you see displayed in top-rated book stores. The kind of physical journal notebook you choose will reflect your personal preferences. Some people delight in journal writing while others don’t take to it at all but wouldn’t mind jotting down some bare facts. Choose what suits you.

Basically, the major use for a journal to write down the situations that you used EFT for any particular day, the EFT statements you devised to handle them, and any benefits you gained from applying EFT in each instance. You may find it valuable to record your initial intensity rating on a 0 to 10 point scale and your final intensity rating on that same scale after using EFT. However, this is not a necessity, and if it feels too cumbersome, then by all means omit the ratings.

Capturing the Gains and Making them Last

It is especially important that you write down the gains you have made from EFT before they fade from your mind.

The memory of those gains may fade very if you do not do this. What is so beneficial about a journal is that later, at times when you might feel discouraged or doubt that you can ever solve your present problems, reviewing your gains from past EFT sessions can be an instant mood boost and a great incentive to continue with your use of EFT.

In addition to keeping an EFT journal, it can be very helpful to also keep a small spiral notebook in your purse or back pocket, or use some index cards to jot down information about your use of EFT right on the spot as something occurs. You can then transfer this information to your journal at home at the end of the day. (Alternately, you can download a free EFT Journal template (PDF) that you can print. Rename it over and over again to save all of your Choices!)

To see how this works out in practice, below is a typical day’s entry in an EFT journal, written by an imagined EFT’er, “Penny,” in her daily journal.

SITUATION: Joe home from office early. Grouchy, a pain in the neck.

EFT STATEMENT: Even though Joe is grouchy, I choose to feel happy today.

EFT BENEFIT (the result of tapping): I eased up. Could get on with preparing dinner. He was friendly later on, fight avoided.

SITUATION: Kids were late for supper. Cathy didn’t arrive at all. I had cooked too much steak by mistake.

EFT STATEMENT: Even though I’m mad at the kids, I choose to enjoy the steak and use the leftovers in a great way!

EFT BENEFIT: Joe and I had a good meal together. I figured out how to make a casserole tomorrow with the rest of the steak.

SITUATION: Dishwasher jammed. Someone had dropped a spoon in the bottom and it got caught in the machinery. Couldn’t get the machine apart.

EFT STATEMENT: Even though things never work right, I choose to notice the things that are really working right.

EFT BENEFIT: I felt fine. So what if it’s stuck? I don’t need those dishes until tomorrow anyway.

You can see that the entries above are rather detailed. You may prefer to be more brief, or you may like this kind of expressive notation. Use your own style!

You will be surprised at how valuable your journal entries can be when you review them a week, a month, or many months from now. Not only will they give you ideas for EFT statements, which may prove extremely effective under other circumstances, but they will remind you of the value of EFT. Journaling is a really great way of exercising the hidden power of EFT and getting the most from it!

By Dr. Patricia Carrington