Loving & Accepting Yourself

Tapping Script: Negative Body Image

Tapping on issues around self-image

Most of us have really negative images of our bodies. Research shows that even women with what’s thought to be the ideal body often only see the parts of themselves that they don’t like and are blind to those parts of themselves that they might like. It’s a paradox of human awareness. Even when we’re so-called perfect, we may perceive ourselves as highly imperfect.

Let’s tap now on this whole question of body image. I’d like you to start with something challenging. I want you to tap while you do this. No need to get an intensity score right now. Just tap your karate chop point. I want you to look at the part of your body that you like the least. Maybe it’s your thighs. Maybe it’s your ankles. Maybe it’s your belly. Maybe it’s your arms. I’d like you to look at that part of your body.

Now let’s tap and think the thoughts we usually feel when looking at that part of our anatomy. While tapping your karate chop point, look at that part of your body and say this.

KC: I do not like this part of my body. I do not like the way this part of my body looks at all. I hate the way this part of my body looks. I can’t stand this part of my body.

Keep looking. Tap on your eyebrow point.

EB: This part of my body.

SE: Hate the way it looks.

UE: Hate the way it won’t change.

UN: No matter how much I diet.

CH: No matter how hard I try.

CB: My body.

UA: This part of my body.

KC: I hate this part of my body.

Take a breath. Now tap your eyebrow point. At the same time, I’d like you to put your free hand on that part of your body. If it’s your arm, put your free hand on your arm. If it’s your belly, put your free hand on your belly. If it’s your thighs, put your free hand there. Rest your free hand on the part of your body you like the least. Tap your eyebrow point with the other hand. Say this out loud.

EB: This part of my body. I hate this part of my body. I love this part of my body.

SE: Love. Hate. This part of my body.

UE: Whether I love it or whether I hate it, it’s still me.

UN: It’s a fact. This part of my body exists.

CH: It’s a fact. This part of my body is here.

CB: It’s a fact. This part of my body is the way it is.

UA: It’s a fact. This part of my body is this way.

You’ll now take your hand away from that part of your body to tap. As you tap, look at that part of your body and say this.

KC: I wish I could change this part of my body, and I can’t, and I still love and accept myself. I still accept all of me, including this part of my body.

EB: No, I don’t. I can never accept this part of my body.

SE: This part of my body is completely unacceptable.

UE: This part of my body has to change before I can love myself.

UN: This part of my body has to change before I can love myself.

CH: Until this part of my body is skinny, I will be unlovable.

CB: Until this part of my body is skinny, I can never love myself.

UA: And nobody else can love me.

KC: That’s silly. I love myself now. I have so many good qualities. Why am I fussing and obsessing about the one part of my body I like least? This makes no sense. This is a totally skewed picture of reality. It’s not true. I am a wonderful human being, and this is just one part of my body. I will love that part of me regardless of how it is. I love that part of me now regardless of how it is.

Now tap with one hand and rub that part of your body or touch it with the other hand. Say out loud, “Body, I love you.”

SE: I apologize for being so hard on you.

UE: You’re my body, and you’re doing the best you can.

UN: You’re my body. You’re part of me.

CH: You’re doing the best you can.

CB: You’ve taken so much criticism from me, and I ask you to forgive me.

UA: Please forgive me for all the harsh words I’ve said to you.

KC: Please forgive me for all the harsh thoughts I’ve had about you.

Eyebrow, while touching that part of your body.

EB: Please forgive me for not accepting you. I accept you now. I have a hard time accepting you.

SE: I have an easy time accepting you. You are part of me.

UE: And I am part of you.

UN: Part of my body.

CH: Part of my body.

CB: This is part of my body.

UA: And I accept myself.

KC: I accept myself fully and completely, including this part of my body. I accept my whole body. It’s doing the best it can.

EB: My whole body is doing the best it can.

SE: I accept my whole body now.

UE: I accept all of my body now.

UN: The parts that I like.

CH: And the parts that I don’t like.

CB: I accept them all.

UA: They’re all part of me.

KC: I accept myself fully and completely.

Take a breath and tune back into your feelings about that part of your body. The chances are that you feel much more neutral about that part of your body now. After all, your whole body is doing the best it can. Even though we may compare ourselves to others and we may have negative self-talk about our bodies and about parts of our bodies, this is our chance to tap and release all the emotional energy bound up in those negative thoughts.

Once we’ve tapped that negative energy away and once we release that tension, we can learn to love our bodies and all the parts of our bodies just the way they are. That is my desire for you, that you love your body and yourself, and you love every part of your body just the way it is and just the way your whole body was made by God.

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