How Do You Hold Your Vision?

"Do you know how hard it is to hold onto a vision when so many people and situations are telling me I can't do this?" Alana asked. "I find myself getting caught up in the reality of what I see and hear, and then, before I know it, I've lost touch with my dream. I just don't know what to do about that."

I could relate to what Alana was saying. How many times had I gotten sidetracked or dropped a dream because I just lost faith that I could create it?

It is my opinion that when we really want something, our biggest enemy is ourselves. Our biggest challenge is learning how to simply shut off the thoughts (I call them "inner conversations") that seem to run rampant in our heads. Once they're quieted, we are far more able to hold onto the vision.

But here's the question: How do you quiet that inner conversation? How do you shift your focus from the fearfulness that that conversation brings, and hold the vision of what you want?

One of the best and easiest ways to do this is with EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) tapping. Here's why. Tapping softens the power of your negative feelings. And when the intensity is softened, the inner conversation gets quieted.

Gary Craig, the creator of EFT, had a powerful visual example of this in his trainings. He would ask about six members of his audience to come up and stand on either side of him (say 3 on each side). Then, he'd instruct one side to start yelling negative things in his ear when he gave the signal. Things like "You're an idiot!", "You can't do anything right!", "What were you thinking!", and so on. Members of this group stood close to him. He instructed the people on the other side to say nice things at the signal, but to whisper them. For example, "Go, Gary!", "You can do it!", "That was awesome, Gary!", and so on. He had this group to stand much farther back behind him. Then, he gave the signal for everyone to let loose.

The negative screamers were all anyone in the audience could hear.

But, as Gary started to tap, the screamers began to get quieter and quieter while the people who were whispering positive things began to get louder and louder. The negative ones became a whisper and they moved to the back, while the positive ones grew to a volume of shouting as they moved forward. This visual was so powerful because it so beautifully represents what happens when we tap. The negative screamings in our own heads become whispers, and the positive whispers become what we hear the loudest.

I, personally, have experienced this over and over and over again in my life. And I have seen it happen in the lives of my clients, my family, my friends, and my colleagues.

Are there other ways to hold the vision? Absolutely. But if you want to clear those negative conversations out -- and do it fast -- EFT tapping is a very effective way to do it.

Your Action Steps

1. Become present to your own inner yellers and whisperers. Become aware of what they are saying.

2. Begin to tap on those nasty little comments. Even a little tapping every day on just one conversation will make a big difference over the course of a week or a month.

3. Watch to see how your life begins to take shape as you tap through some of the disempowering thoughts and beliefs -- because it will!

4. Watch to see how much easier it is to hold your vision of what you want in your life once you are using EFT on a regular basis.

5. Be patient. Change sometimes takes time.

6. Have fun with it! Enjoy it. Life is meant to be fun.