Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT)
Vitality in Thought
By Yang-chu Higgins
Jun 12, 2008

Vitality in thought is flexible thought. It is not rote. Let’s do an experiment... fill in the blank to the following

“Mary had a _______ lamb.”

Now in reality Mary could have any type of lamb: a red, happy, or even a busy lamb, but chances are that most of us responded with “little” without batting an eye. Vital thought is a knack for thinking twice without thinking twice. It’s like an elastic rubber band that in one instance stretches to bind a bunch of broccoli and in the next snaps back prepared to bundle something else when it is time.

Phobias as Self-Defense Systems

Phobias, such as the fear of public speaking or the fear of elevators, are rigid defense mechanisms developed by the brain to protect the individual. The problem is they do not work. Phobias are the antithesis of flexibility. This is because the brain instinctively perceives danger in mental circumstances where no credible danger exists. In the case of most phobias, whether it is testing anxiety, fear of public speaking or fear of heights, an initial incident lies at the bottom of the recurrent fear. If you suffer from such a condition, you do not need to be told that such responses dramatically and negatively affect your life quality. Bad habits, such as addictions—it can be alcohol, sugar, or talking on the phone or just plain chronic negative thought—are inflexible behaviors that are stored in the body and mind. This suggests that the best approach to attaining the high level of mental flexibility necessary to free you from a phobia or bad habit would as much include some physical component as a mental component.

Breaking the Belief Barrier

Here’s an interesting vitality exercise that you can apply to the Mary song of old. Why not sing as many versions of the song as you can imagine? Pay attention to how it makes you feel. Record your reactions. Now imagine a situation in which you are in a mental rut. Notice the similarities and differences between the “rut state” and your reactions to the new and improved Mary song. Are there possibilities from the new song that you can connect with the rut state? Do you react to your rut the same way you felt with your “improved” Mary song? What beliefs do you hold about the way the Mary song should be that is similar to the rut state you may be experiencing?

Beliefs shape outcomes. Holding certain beliefs about the way things should be establishes neurochemical pathways that impact your health, perceptions and vitality. Lively and practical means of exploring beliefs, like the Mary song, can open possibilities so you can connect with your innate vitality. Knowing this, it is still important to know how vitality of thought is executed Gain relief from Testing Anxiety and negative thinking by adding this to your belief system