[Note: If you find listening to instruction more helpful than reading you should check out the podcast version of this topic.]

I have some of the nicest readers in the world.

Like anyone who has an email newsletter, people unsubscribe from my list every day.

When unsubscribing there is an option to leave me a comment. Not everyone leaves one, but when they do my readers leave the nicest messages.

They thank me for my work, let me know the ways in which newsletter has been helpful, and wish me well.

On Wednesday I received an interesting note from someone who unsubscribed. She wrote:

“I am very busy at the moment and I don’t have time to practice, so I feel stressed out.”

Take a moment to let that sink in.

Her life is too busy and because her life is so busy the thought of doing something like tapping that will make her feel better is even more stressful. Instead of doing something that will make her feel better it makes more sense just to ignore anything new.

On the surface that line of reasoning seems a little silly but in fact it is really common. And there is a good reason for it.

When We Take Action
The two places we are most likely to take action are when we are really close to our goal (we are motivated by success) or when we are in a lot of pain (we want it to stop).

The place we don’t take action is when we are in what I call the “tolerable middle”. Things are bad, but manageable. Life isn’t perfect, but it could be a lot worse.

And that is exactly where this individual is:

“I am very busy at the moment and I don’t have time to practice, so I feel stressed out.”

Things in her life are not bad enough for her to take action. I’m guessing things are bad. I’m guessing that stress is impacting her health. I’m guessing she is not living the life she wants to live and that her goals feel just out of reach.

But it isn’t bad enough to motivate her to take action.

You Need To Be In More Pain!
Pain isn’t fun but it serves as a motivator to take action.

When my ankle hurts after I sprain it, the pain tells my body to stop walking on it so that it can heal. When my hand hurts from touching a hot stove, the action my body wants me to take is to move it away immediately.

Simply put, there are things in your life that you want to change but you aren’t in enough pain to spur you into action.

Being in a little more pain might be helpful.

Bring On The Pain!
I am not a masochist. I am not in favor of pain for pain’s sake. The truth is that the pain I am talking about is already in your life, it’s just that you have done a good job of ignoring it. It’s bubbling beneath surface, calling out for you to have a better life.

I am going to show you a little exercise to help you to take action by finding your way to the pain.

I want you to think about something you want to change in your life. It could anything… health, relationships, job, income, or any other issue.

Write down the answers to the following questions on a piece of paper while thinking of that thing you want to change:

• What are the 5 worst things about not making the change and staying where you are right now?
• What are the 5 biggest things it is costing you not to change this?
• What are the 5 best things you are missing out on by not changing this?

Yes, those are scary questions. Yes, they will make you feel a little (or a lot) worse.

But that is their purpose. You need to be in a bit more pain or you won’t take action.

Tapping To Take Action
Now that you are in pain I want you to tap, BUT I don’t want you to tap for the pain you are feeling right now.

You read that right. I don’t want to you tap for the pain you feeling right now. I want you to do this instead:

• Name one action you can take right now to start moving toward your goal.
• Name the reasons you are worried about taking that step.
• Tap for those fears!

By doing this you are not tapping just to be rid of your pain, but instead you are tapping to take action so you are leaving the painful place. Instead of having to tap for the pain of where you are every day, you will start moving to a pain-free place.

Not Leaving You Alone To Face The Pain
What I have just described can feel too overwhelming to deal with alone. One of the reasons for not asking those questions is if you are worried about stirring up more difficult emotions than you are able to handle on your own.

You don’t have to do this alone.

Over the last 18 months you may have noticed that I have been focusing more and more on helping clients to take action, not just to feel better. If this is the type of tapping you want to do I would encourage you join the Ruach Center.

You know those fears that you listed about taking action? Every single day members of the Ruach Center receive an email with a link to a tap-along audio dealing with those fears.

Not only do members receive reminders to tap every day for their fears, but they have access over 150 tap-along audios and over 15 hours of audio instruction on tapping to take action.

If you are tired of being stuck in the “tolerable middle” and ready to take action you should check it out.