Nick Ortner's Blog

Ever notice how you can know what you should do, but then… you just don’t do it?

Or you know what you should NOT do, but you do it anyway?

You’re about to speak up in a meeting to share a great new idea you had…  but when the moment comes, you hear yourself saying “Nothing from me!” instead. 

Or you swear to yourself you’re only going to watch ONE episode of the TV show tonight and work on your passion project instead… but then 3 hours later you haven’t left the couch. 

You walk away wondering why…. Why do I fall into these same old patterns over and over again, even when I know better? 

Here’s what I’ve come to understand: Your brain has a very specific job, and that job is not to make you happy, successful, or fulfilled. Your brain’s job is to keep you safe. 

And here’s the kicker: your brain thinks “safe” means “exactly what we’ve done before.” Even if what we’ve done before was miserable.

This is what I call the familiarity trap. Your nervous system will choose familiar suffering over unfamiliar peace because the familiar pattern, no matter how painful, feels safer than the unknown.

Think about that for a moment. Your brain isn’t sabotaging you on purpose just to make you miserable. It’s trying to protect you… by keeping you in the safety of the familiar.

So let’s explore three sneaky ways your brain keeps you “safe” by keeping you small (and what you can actually do about it).

#1. It turns rejection into a life-or-death situation

Someone doesn’t text back. You don’t get the job. Your idea gets turned down. And your body reacts like you’ve been physically attacked. Heart racing, stomach dropping, mind spiraling into catastrophe… 

For our ancestors, rejection from the tribe literally meant death; you couldn’t survive alone. Your brain still operates on that ancient wiring. So when you experience any form of rejection, your nervous system treats it as a genuine survival threat. 

This leads you to play incredibly small. You don’t apply for the job. You don’t share your work. You don’t express your needs. You don’t say no. Because your brain has learned that staying invisible hurts less than the possibility of rejection. 

#2. It keeps replaying old situations that have nothing to do with now

You’re about to speak up in a meeting, and suddenly you’re 12 years old again, being laughed at in class. You’re about to try something new, and you’re instantly back to that time you failed publicly. In those moments, the memory comes back so fresh and the feelings are so charged that it feels like it’s happening right now.

Your brain has created what I call a “reactive loop” based on past experience – an automatic program that says “this situation = danger.” Even though the current situation is completely different, your nervous system has linked certain cues (speaking up, trying something new, being visible) with old pain. 

And so, it replays the past to warn you about the present. Your brain is keeping you “safe” by ensuring you never risk experiencing that old pain again, even if it means never experiencing anything new.

But in reality, this just means that decades-old experiences come to dictate your current choices. 

#3. It makes success feel more dangerous than failure

You’re on the verge of a breakthrough. Things are actually going well. And then, inexplicably, you sabotage it. You pick a fight, you procrastinate, you make a silly mistake that derails everything.

Here’s what’s at the heart of it: Success means change. Change means unfamiliar. Unfamiliar means your nervous system sounds the alarm. 

Additionally, if success wasn’t safe in your past (maybe you were criticized for standing out or faced increased pressure when you succeeded), your brain has learned that success brings danger. Your brain is following its programming perfectly; it’s keeping you in the familiar zone where it knows how to keep you safe. 

Failure feels safer than success because at least failure is known territory. 

The Real Problem (And the Real Solution)

Here’s what all of these have in common: Your brain isn’t actually keeping you safe; it’s keeping you familiar. And there’s a massive difference.

The good news is, this information can help us be a little kinder to ourselves. We aren’t just “doing it wrong” or “flawed” or “don’t have enough willpower.” 

We simply have a brain that is doing its best to keep us safe, even if it’s operating on outdated information. Our brains learned what was dangerous years ago (maybe decades ago) and it’s still running those old, automatic programs.

So, what do we do about it? 

Once you understand that these “protective” behaviors are just old programming, you can start to update the program.

That’s where Tapping becomes so powerful. 

When you tap while acknowledging these patterns (not trying to force them away, but recognizing what’s happening), you’re essentially telling your nervous system: “I see what you’re trying to do. I understand you’re trying to keep me safe. And I’m showing you that I can handle something new. It is safe to step into the unknown.”

With Tapping, you’re interrupting the automatic loop and creating space for a new response. 

Over time, your brain learns that unfamiliar doesn’t always equal dangerous. That change can be safe. That you can handle more than your nervous system thought you could.

So, are you ready to start interrupting these old patterns?

In The Tapping Solution App, we have 1,000+ sessions designed to help you recognize and interrupt old protective patterns:

Unpacking Unhelpful HabitsChange Unhelpful Thought PatternsMotivate Me to Start Something NewI Choose Peace and Patience As I Face the UnknownMicro Boost of Safety

These sessions help you move from “safe and small” to “safe and expansive.” And you deserve to expand, to evolve, to step into a vibrant future full of possibilities.

Until next time… Keep Tapping!
Nick Ortner

P.S. Which of these patterns do you recognize most in yourself? Sometimes just naming what your brain is trying to do is the first step to choosing something different. Feel free to share your reflections in the comments below.

The post 3 Sneaky Ways Your Brain Keeps You “Safe” (By Keeping You Small) appeared first on The Tapping Solution.

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When you’re diagnosed with Lyme disease, you get handed a lot of information.

Treatment protocols. Supplement lists. Dietary restrictions. Referrals to specialists.

But there are some crucial truths about the healing process that almost nobody mentions. And honestly? These missing pieces might be exactly what’s been keeping you stuck.

After years of treating Lyme patients, and navigating her own recovery from neurological Lyme disease, integrative medicine practitioner Jennifer Boyd has discovered something important:

The people who heal aren’t necessarily the ones with the “best” treatment protocols. They’re the ones who understand these five overlooked truths about healing.

Today, I’m going to share those truths. And I think at least one of them is going to shift something for you.

But first, let me introduce you to Jennifer.

Meet Jennifer Boyd

Jennifer Boyd is a Physician Associate and Ecopsychologist specializing in treating Lyme disease and complex chronic illness. As Director of Integrative Medicine at Thrive Wellness and founder of Boyd Wellness, she uniquely blends science, somatic wisdom, and spiritual insight. 

As a recovered neurological Lyme disease patient herself, Jennifer knows firsthand what it’s like to feel exhausted, overwhelmed, and desperate for answers. Her personal journey has shaped a style of care that is both expertly informed and profoundly empathetic. Her Tapping meditations support resilience, self-trust, and healing on every level. 

You can learn more about her work at www.Boydwellness.com

5 Things Nobody Tells You About Healing from Chronic Lyme

In conventional medicine, the focus is almost entirely on killing the infection. And while that’s important, it misses something crucial.

Your body’s ability to heal is deeply connected to your nervous system state, your beliefs about what’s possible, and how you show up for yourself each day.

These truths aren’t secrets exactly; they’re just not part of the standard conversation. But they should be.

So let’s talk about them now.

Truth #1: Hope Isn’t Optional. It’s Actually Essential Medicine

“Stay positive!”

If you’ve heard that advice one more time, you might scream. Let’s be honest, it can feel dismissive and unhelpful when you’re really struggling.

But here’s what nobody tells you: hope isn’t about pretending everything’s fine or forcing yourself to “think positive.” It’s about staying genuinely open to the possibility that things can get better… that healing is available to you. 

And the fascinating part? Hope is physiological. When you believe healing is possible, when you’re open to trying new things and determined to find your way forward, your nervous system shifts. You move out of that constant survival mode and into a state where recovery can actually happen.

Jennifer has seen this time and time again in her practice. “Through my many years of experience, and my personal experience as a recovered neurological Lyme disease patient, I’ve learned that hope is an essential ingredient in the healing process. People who are open to trying new things, who believe they can heal, and who are determined they will find their way—those are the people who end up getting better.“

Now, you’re not failing when you struggle with hope. You’re human. This journey is hard. But you can cultivate hope, even when you don’t feel it yet. You can connect with what you’re striving for, who you want to be, and what you want for your life, and let that vision pull you forward, day after day.

Want support with this? Try Jennifer’s Tapping meditation in The Tapping Solution App:

Truth #2: The Stress-Symptom Cycle Is Keeping You Stuck (And Breaking It Changes Everything)

Living with Lyme is stressful. Understandably, undeniably stressful. 

But that stress isn’t just making you feel worse emotionally… it’s actually creating a vicious cycle that exacerbates your physical symptoms.

Here’s how it works: When you’re under stress or feeling anxious, your body responds with increased cortisol levels, heightened inflammation, and all sorts of reactions that make your symptoms worse. When you’re not feeling well, it increases your stress… which then makes your symptoms even worse… and the cycle keeps going and going.

This means that one of the most powerful things you can do for your physical healing is to address your nervous system and release stress. Not as a “nice to have” but as essential medicine.

Jennifer explains it this way: “Tapping helps us send calming signals to the brain and body. When we release stress and relax, we can move our minds and bodies into a healing state that supports our recovery.”

With Tapping, you have a tool that can help you break the cycle.

Want to try it? Tap along with Jennifer here:

Truth #3: Burnout Isn’t Just Tiredness, It’s Your System Begging You to Advocate for Yourself

If you’re dealing with chronic Lyme disease, chances are you’re also dealing with burnout. The demands of chronic illness are high and ongoing. Doctor appointments, treatments, research, managing symptoms, plus all your regular responsibilities… it’s exhausting.

Luckily, burnout isn’t a life sentence. It’s actually a message from your body, asking you to show up differently for yourself.

There’s often a pattern underneath the burnout. Taking care of everyone else, neglecting your own needs, feeling like you have the weight of the world on your shoulders, dealing with this all on your own… does any of that sound familiar?

Jennifer has noticed this pattern in so many of her clients: “Through years of working with clients, a common pattern emerges of taking care of everyone else and neglecting your own needs. And this can be a lonely experience. We feel like we have the weight of the world on our shoulders, dealing with this condition and all these responsibilities all on our own. We are worn out, feeling unseen, unsupported, and so, so tired.”

But here’s the truth: You don’t need everyone else to understand what you’re going through. You need YOU to understand. You need YOU to show up for yourself with compassion and care. 

This looks like saying no when you need to. Asking for what you need. Giving yourself permission to rest. Trying new things. Being gentle with yourself. Finding communities that do see you and support you.

This is your chance to be your own advocate. To validate yourself rather than waiting for others to do so. To make choices that help you feel empowered. To set boundaries and speak up for yourself.

This session with Jennifer is a great opportunity to support yourself in this area:

Truth #4: Your Body Hasn’t Forgotten How to Feel Energized. The Spark Is Still There

Energy is one of the things people with Lyme struggle with most. It can feel like you’re constantly running on empty, making it hard to engage with life the way you want to. 

But that spark of energy – your life force – it’s still within you. Always. Even when you can’t feel it.

Have you ever noticed how you can feel completely exhausted, and then a friend calls and suddenly you find yourself perking up, laughing, feeling more energized? Or maybe you’ve experienced that spark when you hear a favorite song, or step outside on a beautiful day, or go for a walk? That’s proof. 

The energy is there. And there are ways to access it more regularly.

You don’t need to push yourself to access it. But you can choose to do something different right now to help yourself feel different, and cultivate the energy within that’s always available to you. Every positive choice that connects you to what feels joyful and light will help awaken your body’s natural vitality.

Small doses of joy make a difference. Stepping outside to visit your favorite tree. Putting on music that makes your heart sing. Light stretching or gentle movement. Creative expression. Any movement, any moment in nature, any moment of joy, it all can help you tap into and cultivate the natural energy within. 

Try this Tapping session to start finding more energy within your body:

Truth #5: You Get to Be the Author of Your Own Healing Story

Here’s something nobody tells you: You don’t have to wait until you’re “better” to start living your life. You don’t have to put everything on hold until Lyme is in the rearview mirror.

You have the power to write a new chapter, by making powerful choices each day that support your healing, learning to honor your needs, and discovering your own path to greater freedom.

This is your healing path, and you get to walk it your way.

You don’t have to have it all figured out. But each time you choose to rest when you need rest, to move when you need movement, to make space for joy… you are walking your path to freedom and healing. 

Jennifer puts it beautifully: “With every choice, with every step, you are creating new pathways. You are becoming more of who you truly are—someone who listens to their body, who honors their needs, who knows their worth.”

Tap along with Jennifer now to walk this path now:

Your 5-Day Journey Awaits

Some part of you, maybe the part that’s been fighting so hard for so long, is ready for a different approach… Ready to try something that doesn’t require you to push harder, but instead invites you to soften, to breathe, to give your body the nervous system support it’s been craving.

That’s why we created a complete 5-Day Chronic Lyme Disease Support Series with Jennifer in The Tapping Solution App. It’s designed to walk you through these truths and more, giving your mind and body the support they need to move into a healing state.

The full journey includes:

Day 1: Opening to the Possibilities of Hope and HealingDay 2: Releasing Stress & OverwhelmDay 3: Supporting Yourself Through Burnout & Reclaiming Your PowerDay 4: Finding Energy in Your BodyDay 5: Embodying Healing and Walking the Path to Freedom

Each session combines Jennifer’s expertise with the nervous system-calming power of Tapping to help you release stress, reclaim your energy, and feel more empowered to navigate your healing journey. 

Start Day 1 Now

Tip: Click the links above on your mobile device to go straight to this series in the app. Or search for “Lyme” in The Tapping Solution App.

Explore More with Jennifer Boyd

If you’ve been struggling with chronic Lyme disease, the most important thing to know is you can find the support you need. 

Jennifer Boyd offers all sorts of resources through her website, including an online program called Healing Resilience: A Medicine Wheel Roadmap for Chronic Illness, which is perfect for Lyme patients.

Jennifer has graciously created a discount code for this program, exclusively for The Tapping Solution community. Enter “Tapping” at checkout to get your discount. 

And don’t forget to check out her Midlife Metamorphosis Retreat in India running from Feb 14-26, 2026. 

Remember: Every choice matters. Every step counts. You’re not alone on this journey, and you’re already making progress just by being here and opening yourself to new possibilities. Your healing path is uniquely yours. And you’re doing an amazing job walking it.

Until next time… Keep Tapping!

Jessica Ortner

P.S. If you know someone who’s struggling with Lyme disease, please share this article with them. Sometimes the most powerful gift we can give is hope and a new perspective on what’s possible.

Important Note: While the information in this article and the Tapping meditations listed provide valuable support, they are not a replacement for professional medical advice or treatment. Always consult with a qualified health provider for any medical concerns or if you are experiencing new or unknown symptoms.

The post 5 Things Nobody Tells You About Healing from Chronic Lyme (But You Need to Hear) appeared first on The Tapping Solution.

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A few weeks ago, I was outside cheering on my daughter Lucia as she learned to ride her bike. In the midst of this family milestone moment, I noticed something extraordinary: a beautiful white bird watching us, completely unafraid.

An Unexpected Visitor

The bird, which we soon discovered was a white homing pigeon, didn’t fly away when I approached. My instincts told me this wasn’t a wild bird; it was clearly domesticated. We left out water and food, hoping we were helping.

The next morning, I saw the bird was still there. When I told my brother Nick he immediately said, “Call Kris Carr – she’s rescued pigeons before!”

What happened next was a beautiful example of community in action. Kris, who lives just 20 minutes away, is a New York Times bestselling powerhouse who has helped thousands improve their lives from the inside out – and who is a great friend to our family and The Tapping Solution. As it turns out, she’s also an avid animal lover who knew exactly what to do. dropped everything and arrived with a dog crate, supplies, and the knowledge we desperately needed to care for it. 

She explained that this was likely a white homing pigeon, the kind of birds used in dove releases. We couldn’t figure out where she came from, but we learned that these kinds of birds can’t survive on their own. It was a miracle our visitor had survived even one night.

Sophie Joins Our Family

Together, we gently caught the pigeon, put it in a crate, and brought it inside.

Lucia immediately named her Sophie, and our family embarked on an unexpected journey of caring for a new being. 

We took her to the vet, and learned that Sophie was very young and didn’t yet know how to fly properly. Our days became filled with feeding schedules and the sweetest moments – like Lucia sitting cross-legged on the floor, reading picture books aloud to Sophie. Nick’s kids (see in the photo below) even joined us for some cousin bonding time with Sophie.

The Power of Being Present

As we cared for Sophie, I kept thinking about our “I am present with those I love” card from the Daily Guidance Card Deck. The synchronicity was undeniable; Sophie looked exactly like the family of white birds depicted on that very card.

But beyond the visual connection, Sophie reminded me of what that card truly means. Being present meant:

Dropping our regular routines to care for a creature in needComing together as a family around a shared purposeWatching my children develop empathy and responsibilityExperiencing the divine in an ordinary moment in our backyard

Community Makes All Things Possible

After having Sophie for a while, we learned that pigeons mate for life and are deeply family-oriented. Sophie needed to be with her own kind.

Through a wonderful Facebook community dedicated to pigeon rescue, we found a loving woman who drove two hours to give Sophie a forever home with another pigeon named Avery in northern Connecticut.

When she sent us a photo of Sophie snuggled up with her new companion, it gave me chills.  She was where she was meant to be.

Lessons from Sophie

Sophie’s brief time with us reminded me that:

Help often comes from unexpected places (thank you, Kris, my kids, the Facebook community, and everyone involved!)Community is essential; we couldn’t have saved Sophie aloneBeing present with those we love sometimes means expanding our definition of familySmall acts of care can become profound family memoriesThere are miracles in our everyday moments if we’re present enough to see them

Today, Sophie is living her best life with her new pigeon family. And our family? 

We’re left with a beautiful chapter in our story; one that began with a simple moment of presence in our backyard and turned into an experience of love, community, and divine synchronicity.

Sometimes the universe sends us exactly what we need to remind us of what matters most: being truly present with those we love.

Until next time… Keep Tapping!
Jessica Ortner

The post Sophie the Pigeon and the Art of Being Present appeared first on The Tapping Solution.

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In our family, a tradition we share every year is a trip to the beach. 

We’ve been doing this for years now, and it’s so fun to get to see all the cousins (my two kids, Jessica’s two kids, and Alex’s three kids) play and spend that quality time together as a family. 

We take a photo of all the kids lined up every year, and it’s been so fun to look back over the photos through the years to see how our family has grown and changed and evolved.

Check out a few from over the years here:

 

 

 

Here are some more from this year’s 2025 trip:

Have you been enjoying your summer? What summer traditions have you been enjoying lately? Share in the comments below. 

Until next time… 

Nick Ortner

The post Through the Years: Photos from Our Annual Summer Trip to the Beach appeared first on The Tapping Solution.

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As we navigate through life, many of us find ourselves fearing what lies ahead in the coming chapters. We worry about our changing bodies, shifting relationships, and evolving identities. 

But what if aging didn’t have to be something we dread?

What if, instead, we could approach our later years with excitement, curiosity, and joy

Today, I’m thrilled to share insights from a remarkable collaboration with Cheryl Richardson, a bestselling author and pioneer in the field of self-care.

Through our work together creating the 5 Day Aging Mindfully Series for The Tapping Solution App, Cheryl has illuminated a powerful truth: You can make the rest of your life the best of your life.

And we’re about to show you how.

Meet Cheryl Richardson

Cheryl Richardson is a New York Times bestselling author, coach, and longtime leader in the field of self-care and mindful living. 

For nearly three decades, she has helped people prioritize their wellbeing and live with greater intention. Her bestselling books include Take Time for Your Life, Life Makeovers, The Art of Extreme Self Care, Waking Up in Winter, and the audiobook Self-Care for the Wisdom Years. 

Cheryl was the first president of the International Coach Federation and led the “Lifestyle Makeover” series on The Oprah Winfrey Show. She’s been featured in Good Morning America, The Today Show, and O Magazine. 

Today, Cheryl continues to inspire people to embrace self-care, age with grace, and live more mindfully through her writing, teaching, and community. Learn more at www.cherylrichardson.com.

5 steps to make the rest of your life the best of your life1. Rewrite the rules of aging

The first step in aging mindfully is to challenge the beliefs we’ve absorbed about what it means to grow older. Society often tells us that aging is synonymous with decline, irrelevance, and loss. But Cheryl invites us to question these assumptions.

What if aging could be about expanding rather than shrinking? What if it could be about growing more alive, more awake, and more authentically yourself than ever before?

As Cheryl shares in our Redefining Aging meditation:

“You can write a new story of your own. You can do things differently. You can age mindfully, in your own way. You are the boss of you.”

The key is recognizing that the stories we tell ourselves about aging are just that – stories. And we have the power to write new ones.

Try the Redefining Aging Tapping meditation in the App to release old, unhelpful beliefs and open yourself to the exciting possibilities that await:

Play Now2. Reconnect with your true self

As we move through life, we often build identities around our roles – parent, employee, caregiver, professional. But what happens when these roles shift or fall away?

Cheryl explains that the second half of life offers us an incredible opportunity: the chance to shed outdated identities and rediscover who we truly are beneath all those labels.

This isn’t about losing yourself – it’s about finding yourself. It’s about asking: Who am I when I’m not defined by my accomplishments, my roles, or what others expect of me?

The answer to this question can be both liberating and transformative. When you give yourself permission to let go of identities that no longer serve you, you create space for your most authentic self to emerge.

Experience the Shedding Old Identities and Meeting Your Authentic Self Tapping meditation to begin this powerful journey of self-discovery:

Play Now3. Fall in love with your body again

One of our greatest fears about aging often centers around our changing bodies. We worry about wrinkles, reduced energy, and declining health. But Cheryl offers a revolutionary perspective:

“Whatever age you are at, whatever state your body is currently in – you get to choose how you support your body. You get to choose how you take care of your body. And in doing so, you claim agency over your quality of life.”

This isn’t about denying the reality of physical changes. It’s about shifting from a relationship of fear and criticism to one of love and partnership with your body. It’s about recognizing that every healthy choice you make is an investment in your future wellbeing.

Try the Befriending and Taking Care of Your Aging Body Tapping meditation to build a new, more loving relationship with your body:

Play Now4. Examine and enrich your relationships

As we age, our relationships naturally evolve. Some deepen, others fade, and new ones emerge. Cheryl encourages us to be intentional about the connections we cultivate.

Ask yourself:

Which relationships energize and uplift me?Which ones drain my energy?What boundaries do I need to set?How can I cultivate deeper, more meaningful connections?

As Cheryl reminds us: 

“Your energy is precious. The way you spend your time is precious. So it’s important to be intentional with your relationships, to make choices that serve you, your energy, and your vitality.”

Explore the Reevaluating Relationships and Cultivating Conscious Connections Tapping meditation to gain clarity on how to create more fulfilling relationships in this phase of life:

Play Now5. Find joy and adventure in every day

Perhaps the most inspiring aspect of Cheryl’s approach to aging is her emphasis on staying fully alive at any age. She challenges us to step out of our comfort zones, try new things, and approach each day with curiosity and wonder.

Think of someone you admire for how they’ve aged – someone who became more playful, spontaneous, and adventurous as they got older. Now imagine embodying those qualities yourself.

As Cheryl says in her meditation, “You can live this way, every single day, through all the remaining days of your life. You can walk briskly through life, opening new doors, doing things that make you feel so incredibly and fully alive.”

Experience the Feeling Fully Alive at Any Age Tapping meditation to ignite your sense of adventure and possibility:

Play NowTap with Cheryl in the app 

I’m incredibly excited to share that all five of these transformative Tapping meditations are now available in The Tapping Solution app as part of our 5-Day Aging Mindfully Series.

The response to this series has been absolutely incredible. Here’s what our community members are saying:

“Wow! Amazing! I have started on the Aging Mindfully Collection with Cheryl Richardson. I tapped on Befriending and taking care of your body… This tapping is inspirational and so encouraging I can’t wait to try them all.” – Myra

“This is fabulous, on my second ’round’ of these! Thank you everyone at Tapping Solution!” – Pauline

“I really needed this one today. I’m closer to 80 than I am to 70… The minute I saw that you wanted to redefine age, I knew that this was a needed message.” – Linda

“This and the entire series has appeared like magic, or a miracle, just when I need it. I’ve spent weeks in limbo deliberating where and how I want to Live La Vie Vitale, my idea of my remaining years. Thank you as always.” – Honor

Your next chapter starts now

Aging mindfully isn’t about denying the realities of getting older. It’s about approaching this phase of life with intention, self-compassion, and an open heart. It’s about recognizing that you have more agency than you might think in determining how you experience your later years.

As Cheryl so beautifully reminds us, it’s never too late to:

Release limiting beliefs about agingRediscover your authentic selfBuild a loving relationship with your bodyCultivate meaningful connectionsLive with joy and adventure

The rest of your life truly can be the best of your life.

Ready to begin your journey of aging mindfully? Download The Tapping Solution App and start the 5 Day Aging Mindfully Series today.

Learn more with Cheryl

To dive deeper into Cheryl’s wisdom on self-care and aging mindfully, visit her website at www.cherylrichardson.com, where you can explore her books, resources, and community offerings.

I’m deeply grateful to Cheryl for sharing her profound insights and for creating these transformative Tapping meditations with us. Her message that we can make the rest of our lives the best of our lives is one that I believe we all need to hear – and more importantly, one that we can all live.

Until next time… Keep Tapping!

Jessica Ortner

The post Aging Mindfully: 5 Steps to Make the Rest Of Your Life the Best of Your Life appeared first on The Tapping Solution.

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I know that some days it’s just a little bit harder to keep our pep in our step and to feel optimistic.

And that’s okay. That’s normal! We all have up days and down days. 

But if today is one of those days where things are feeling a little more tiring, a little less inspiring, a little less exciting… I’m happy you’re here. 

And if you are already feeling good, I hope that what you hear today will help to boost those feelings. 

I have some affirmations to uplift us and carry us into the day ahead on a hopeful note. 

7 Affirmations to Uplift Your Day

Listen along – and if you feel inspired to, repeat after me either in your mind or out loud.

https://www.thetappingsolution.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Daily-Inspirations_Affirmations-to-Uplift_FINAL_128.mp3

 

This is one of our Daily Inspiration audios from The Tapping Solution App. Each day, 365 days a year, you can pop into the App and listen along for thoughts and ideas to uplift and inspire you throughout your day. 

Until next time… Keep Tapping!
Jessica Ortner

The post 7 Affirmations to Uplift Your Day appeared first on The Tapping Solution.

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In the world of first responders, where facing pain and trauma is a daily reality, the emotional and psychological toll can be immense. 

Many of these brave individuals face their struggles in silence, carrying the weight of their experiences without having a clear path to healing. 

But what if there was a way to transform that pain into new life, and step into a life filled with hope and purpose?

Introducing Adam Davis: a former police officer who found himself at a crossroads in one of the darkest moments of his life.

Adam’s story is one of profound transformation and resilience. 

Read on to meet Adam, discover his life-changing words of wisdom, and watch him tell his story.

 

Meet Adam Davis

Adam Davis is a former patrol officer, criminal investigator, and hostage negotiator. Today, he is a renowned transformational coach, bestselling author, and professional speaker. He uses his experience and passion for living life to the fullest to empower others to step into who they really are.

Adam specializes in helping first responders experience authentic breakthroughs so they can show up 100% for their families, for their careers, and for themselves.

His foundation, Live Unconquered, is dedicated to extending support, resources, and community to those who dedicate their lives to serve our communities.

 

Words to Live By – 10 Inspiring Quotes By Adam Adavis

I had the incredible privilege to work with Adam, to get to know him, and to interview him. And I’ve been blown away by the wisdom he has to share about dealing with past pain, navigating healing, and creating a beautiful life full of purpose and meaning. 

Here are some of my favorite quotes by Adam. They are truly words to live by!

“Hope is not meant to be small.”“We can’t do anything about the pain that has occurred in the past. But we can change how we respond to it.” “You don’t understand what’s under the surface of the pain you’ve pushed down… but underneath all of that is new life.”“Expect the ebbs and flows, the mountains and the valleys. But have a plan to come out of the valley.”“The thing that keeps me from experiencing miracles most often is between my ears.”“Our minds can be a very beautiful place, or a nightmarish playground. I choose to make my mind a place that is beautiful.”“The hardest person I’ve ever forgiven is the one in the mirror.”“Love is the ultimate healing salve of our deepest wounds.”“Be relentlessly kind and compassionate.”“Healing is not a clean line; it’s like a wild ride. It’s a beautiful journey, and one worth taking.”

Want more of this kind of wisdom? Be sure to watch the full interview with Adam below for more insights.

 

Watch the full interview

I had the honor to sit down with Adam for a deep and intimate conversation all about his ongoing healing journey. 

In this moving, unfiltered one-on-one interview, Adam recounts his struggles with hopelessness, the moment that saved him at rock bottom, and how discovering EFT Tapping helped him on his path to healing and renewal. 

 

Tap with Adam in The Tapping Solution App!

As Adam learned to process his past and navigate healing, Tapping became one of his most trusted tools in his toolbelt. 

In his words, “It is a phenomenal, effective tool. It will do wonders for you.”

It has been my great honor to collaborate with Adam to bring new Tapping meditations into The Tapping Solution App, designed specifically for first responders. 

Adam guides 8 sessions in our First Responder Support Collection – which live in our The Tapping Solution Foundation category. This means that these sessions, along with all the others in the collection, are all free, all the time. 

If you want to tap along with Adam, head to The Tapping Solution App right now. 

You can click on any of the images below using your mobile device, or search the meditation title into the search bar () at any time.

 

Connect with Adam 

Adam believes our lives are meant to be lived with intentionality, passion, and love, but pain often keeps us from living this way to the fullest.

With a creative approach and years of experience, Adam helps others break free from their limitations and find the strength to live their best lives.

His books, speaking, in person training, and virtual courses are all designed to help first responders thrive – both in the line of duty and in their personal lives. 

If you are ready to experience real growth, remove the blocks, and discover what it means to Live Unconquered, you can learn more about Adam’s work here.

And while you’re at it, make sure to grab a copy of his book Behind the Badge: 265 Daily Devotions for Law Enforcement. 

We are SO grateful to Adam for sharing his story, for collaborating with us to launch new sessions for first responders, and for the work he is doing to touch so many lives across the country.

Be sure to share the interview and the Tapping sessions in the app with anyone you know who might benefit. 

Until next time… Keep Tapping!

Jessica Ortner

P.S. Which one of Adam’s 10 quotes resonates the most with you? I personally love #10

 

 

The post From Despair to Hope: A Former Cop’s Transformative Journey with Tapping (Exclusive Video Interview) appeared first on The Tapping Solution.

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Have you ever felt like you’re doing all the “right” things for your emotional wellbeing, but somehow still feel stuck and defeated?

On paper, you might be doing everything “right” – meditating daily, journaling, exercising, talking about your feelings, practicing positive affirmations. Yet something still feels off. You can’t shake the sense that you’re missing a crucial piece of the puzzle.

After working with thousands of people on their emotional healing journeys, I’ve discovered something fascinating: The most profound breakthroughs often come not from working harder at healing, but from understanding how healing actually works – and it’s rarely what we’ve been taught.

The truth is, most of our cultural understanding about emotional healing is backward. We’ve inherited approaches that sound logical but actually work against how our brains and bodies naturally process emotions.

Let’s explore five counterintuitive truths about emotional healing that might completely transform your approach – and finally create the breakthrough you’ve been seeking.

1. Accepting negative emotions makes them less powerful, not more intense

“What you resist, persists. What you accept, transforms.”

Most of us were raised with the idea that negative emotions are problems to be fixed, suppressed, or overcome as quickly as possible. We learn elaborate strategies to avoid feeling sad, angry, anxious, or disappointed.

It might sound strange, but the emotions you’re most afraid to feel are usually the ones most needing your attention. And here’s the paradox: the more you accept these emotions, the less power they have over you.

Think about that for a moment.

When you resist feeling anxiety, the anxiety about feeling anxious creates a compounding effect, amplifying the original emotion. It’s like emotional quicksand – the more you struggle against it, the deeper you sink.

But when you turn toward the emotion with curiosity rather than judgment, something fascinating happens: the emotion begins to shift and transform all on its own.

The bottom line:
Your emotions need acknowledgment, not fixing. They’re messengers, not enemies. When you fight them, the struggle amplifies them. When you welcome them with curiosity, they deliver their message and naturally begin to transform.

2. Your “negative” patterns are actually sophisticated protection mechanisms

Do you ever wonder why you keep repeating patterns you consciously want to change? Why, despite your best intentions and awareness, you fall back into the same old reactions?

Here’s a perspective shift that changes everything: What you perceive as your worst emotional habits are actually your nervous system’s best attempts to keep you safe.

Your brain’s primary job isn’t to make you happy; it’s to keep you alive. 

Many of our most frustrating patterns – people-pleasing, perfectionism, avoidance, control issues – developed as protection strategies during times when we had limited options.

Perfectionism, for example, might have been your only reliable strategy to avoid criticism and gain approval. Your nervous system learned that mistakes were dangerous.

By honoring the protective intention behind your patterns rather than fighting them, you can begin a dialogue with these parts of yourself. Instead of trying to force them away, you can acknowledge their service and gradually introduce new, less costly ways of creating safety.

The bottom line:
Healing begins when you stop fighting against your patterns and start understanding what they’ve been trying to do for you. When you recognize even your most frustrating habits as protection mechanisms rather than character flaws, you can engage with them from a place of compassion rather than combat.

3. You can’t just think your way out of emotional problems

Have you ever noticed how you can logically understand something about your emotions, yet still feel stuck in the same patterns? There’s a neurobiological reason for this.

Your emotional responses aren’t just stored in the thinking part of your brain. They live in your body, sometimes in places that don’t respond to logical reasoning.

Trying to solve emotional problems with just your mind is like trying to fix a computer by talking to the screen. You’re not addressing the underlying system where the issue actually resides.

This is why “knowing better” rarely translates to “feeling better” or “doing better.” Your body needs different input than just your mind to create change.

Research in neuroscience confirms this disconnection. Studies using brain imaging show that the regions processing emotional responses (like the amygdala) operate separately from the thinking brain (prefrontal cortex). This explains why you can intellectually know something isn’t a threat while your body still reacts as if it is.

The bottom line:
Emotional healing requires approaches that engage both the body and mind together. When you work with both systems simultaneously, seemingly intractable patterns begin to shift with surprising speed.

4. Comfort isn’t always what leads to healing

We’ve been conditioned to believe that feeling better is always the goal of emotional work. But what if temporary discomfort is sometimes exactly what’s needed for deeper healing?

Here’s a fascinating truth: Growth happens at the edge of your comfort zone, and healing often requires moving toward discomfort rather than away from it.

This doesn’t mean traumatizing yourself or engaging in emotional masochism. Rather, it means developing the capacity to safely feel difficult emotions instead of automatically avoiding them.

The people who make the most profound healing progress aren’t those who avoid all discomfort; they’re the ones who’ve learned to stay present with difficult feelings or experiences while maintaining a sense of safety.

The bottom line:
Healing happens when you face what’s difficult while simultaneously keeping your nervous system regulated. It’s not about forcing yourself into overwhelming situations; it’s about expanding your capacity to be with discomfort while maintaining your center.

5. Healing is cyclical, not linear

We’ve been conditioned to view healing as a linear process: identify problem → apply solution → problem resolved. This works beautifully for fixing a broken pipe or solving a math equation. But emotional healing follows an entirely different pattern.

Emotional healing moves in spirals, not straight lines.

This means you may revisit the same themes and patterns multiple times, but ideally from a higher perspective each time. What feels like regression is often the system bringing up deeper layers of the same issue for processing.

I’ve watched countless people beat themselves up for “still dealing with this issue” when they were actually engaging with it at a deeper level – a sign of progress, not failure.

The bottom line:
What feels like going backward is often healing at a deeper level. The spiral nature of healing means themes will repeat, but this doesn’t mean you haven’t progressed. The key questions become: “How am I responding differently this time?” and “What new understanding is available now that wasn’t before?”

From Knowledge to Transformation

These five counterintuitive truths have profound implications for how we approach emotional healing. Here’s a quick recap of the key points:

Accept emotions rather than fighting themHonor the protective intention behind “negative” patternsEngage the body, not just the mindDevelop capacity for discomfort rather than always seeking comfortRecognize the cyclical nature of healing

But here’s the thing… Knowing these truths intellectually is just the beginning. 

To experience their transformative power, you need approaches that work with these principles on a deep, profound level.

This is where Tapping (also known as EFT) has proven to be remarkably effective. What makes Tapping unique is how it aligns with all five of these truths simultaneously:

It creates a context for accepting emotions while providing tools to process themIt honors protective patterns while gently introducing new possibilitiesIt engages the body and mind together for complete processingIt allows you to face difficult emotions while keeping your nervous system regulatedIt supports the natural, cyclical unfolding of the healing process

In The Tapping Solution App, we have several guided sessions that incorporate these principles, helping you create transformation that goes beyond temporary relief. Here are a few categories of sessions that can help:

Emotional Freedom CategoryChange Your ThinkingSupport Your BodyCreating Lasting Change AudiobookAnd so much more!

If you take one thing out of this, let it be this: the most powerful shifts happen when you align your approach with how healing actually works, rather than how you think it should work.
So, what can you do today to put these learnings into practice? 

Until next time… Keep Tapping!
Nick Ortner

P.S. Which of these counterintuitive truths resonates most with your experience? Share in the comments—I’d love to hear your perspective!

The post 5 Counterintuitive Truths About Emotional Healing That Change Everything appeared first on The Tapping Solution.

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The first time I tried Tapping, it was on a stubborn neck pain. And it vanished in minutes. My skeptical brain went: “Wait, what just happened in my body?”

Maybe you’ve had a similar experience with Tapping (also known as EFT or Emotional Freedom Techniques). You tried it for stress or anxiety, and noticed unexpected physical changes that went beyond what you expected. Or perhaps you’re curious but skeptical about this whole Tapping thing.

What’s fascinating is that rigorous scientific research has been documenting what Tapping practitioners have observed for years: Tapping doesn’t just change how you feel emotionally—it creates profound, measurable shifts in your physical body… changes that have been documented in peer-reviewed medical journals!

Let’s explore five scientifically-proven ways Tapping affects your body, backed by published research that might surprise even experienced Tappers.

1. It Dramatically Reduces Stress Hormones 

When you face a stressful situation—whether it’s a work deadline, financial pressure, or relationship conflict—your body responds by flooding your system with cortisol, the primary stress hormone. While this response is helpful in true emergencies, chronically elevated cortisol disrupts nearly every system in your body, from immune function to digestion to sleep.

Here’s where the science gets exciting:

In a randomized controlled trial published in the Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, Dr. Dawson Church and colleagues measured cortisol levels in 83 participants before and after either a one-hour Tapping session, traditional talk therapy, or rest. The results were remarkable: The Tapping group experienced an average 24% decrease in cortisol levels. In contrast, the talk therapy and rest groups only experienced a 14% average reduction.[1]

This wasn’t a one-off finding. In 2020, Dr. Peta Stapleton and her team conducted another randomized controlled trial published in Psychological Trauma, specifically designed to replicate the original cortisol study by Dr. Church. This time, they found an even more dramatic 43% reduction in cortisol after one hour of Tapping.[2]

What this means for you: 

Tapping sends calming signals directly to your brain’s alarm center, triggering a cascade of hormonal changes that rapidly reduce stress chemistry in your body. This happens regardless of whether the stressful situation has actually been resolved—your body responds to the tapping signals by shifting out of fight-or-flight mode within minutes.

Think about that for a moment. While you’re tapping on meridian points and focusing on a stressful issue, your brain is literally changing its chemical output in real time. This isn’t subjective—it’s a measurable biological response that explains why you often feel physically different after tapping, even if your circumstances haven’t changed.

2. It Rewires Brain Networks Involved in Pain 

Pain is far more complex than most of us realize. It’s not just a simple signal from an injured body part to your brain—it’s an intricate experience influenced by your emotions, past experiences, stress levels, and neural pathways.

Recent brain imaging research has revealed something remarkable about how Tapping affects pain:

In a 2022 study published in Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, Dr. Peta Stapleton and colleagues used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to examine the brains of people with chronic pain before and after a six-week Tapping program.[3] 

After Tapping, participants showed decreased connectivity between the medial prefrontal cortex and areas in the posterior cingulate cortex and thalamus—regions directly involved in pain processing and catastrophizing.

In plain language, this means that Tapping actually changed the neural networks involved in how people experience and interpret pain. These changes in brain activity correlated with participants reporting:

21% reduction in pain severity26% reduction in pain interference with daily life37% reduction in anxiety13% reduction in depression7% increase in quality of life

What this means for you:
Tapping doesn’t just temporarily mask pain—it actually rewires the brain networks that process and amplify pain signals. This explains why people often experience sustained pain relief after Tapping that goes beyond the session itself. By calming the emotional centers that intensify pain perception, Tapping may create a lasting change in how your brain interprets pain signals.

This finding is particularly significant given that other studies have shown Tapping’s effectiveness for specific pain conditions, including fibromyalgia, tension headaches, and post-surgical pain. The neural rewiring helps explain why these benefits persist over time.

3. It Changes Gene Expression Related to Health and Immunity (Yes, For Real!)

This might sound like science fiction, but it’s supported by published research: Tapping can influence which of your genes get turned “on” or “off”—a field known as epigenetics.

In a pioneering study published in Energy Psychology, researcher Marjorie Maharaj analyzed the expression of genes in saliva samples taken before and after a 50-minute Tapping session. The results were remarkable: 72 genes showed differential expression following Tapping, with many of these genes related to immunity, inflammation, and stress regulation. The researchers found that genes associated with immunity were upregulated (turned on more strongly), while genes associated with inflammation were downregulated (turned down).[4]

In a more focused study published in the American Journal of Health Promotion, researchers found that a 10-session Tapping program for veterans with PTSD created measurable changes in the expression of six specific genes related to inflammation and immunity.[5]

What this means for you:
Your genetic code isn’t your destiny—it’s more like a complex switchboard where certain genes can be amplified or muted based on your experiences, including stress levels. Tapping appears to affect which genetic instructions get read and implemented by your cells, potentially supporting healing and immunity at the most fundamental level of biology.

This research helps explain why regular Tapping often creates improvements in seemingly unrelated areas of physical health. By altering gene expression patterns related to stress and immunity, Tapping may support your body’s natural healing capabilities across multiple systems.

4. It Improves Multiple Cardiovascular Markers

When your body is chronically stressed, your cardiovascular system takes a significant hit. Stress contributes to high blood pressure, increased heart rate, and reduced heart rate variability (HRV)—all factors associated with increased risk of heart disease.

A comprehensive study published in the Journal of Evidence-Based Integrative Medicine examined the effects of a 4-day Tapping workshop on multiple physiological markers in over 200 participants.[6] The researchers found that after Tapping:

Resting heart rate decreased by 8%Systolic blood pressure decreased by 6%Diastolic blood pressure decreased by 8%

What this means for you:
Tapping doesn’t just help you feel more emotionally resilient—it creates measurable improvements in cardiovascular function that can be objectively measured. This provides a physiological explanation for why people often report feeling physically lighter and more energetic after Tapping.

What’s particularly remarkable is how quickly these cardiovascular changes can occur. While lifestyle interventions like diet and exercise typically take weeks or months to significantly improve cardiovascular markers, Tapping sessions often produce measurable improvements within a single session.

5. It Enhances Immune System Function

Have you ever noticed how you tend to get sick during or after periods of high stress? This isn’t a coincidence—chronic stress suppresses immune function by diverting resources toward immediate survival mechanisms.

Research has shown that Tapping not only reduces psychological stress but also might actually affect immune function itself.

In the comprehensive study mentioned earlier (published in the Journal of Evidence-Based Integrative Medicine), researchers found that after a 4-day Tapping program, participants showed a 113% increase in salivary immunoglobulin A—a critical antibody that serves as the first line of defense against pathogens.[6]

What this means for you:
Every time you tap to reduce stress, you’re not just helping yourself feel better emotionally—you’re creating biological conditions that support optimal immune function. This explains why regular Tappers often report improved resilience to common illnesses and faster recovery when they do get sick.

What’s fascinating is that this effect creates a positive feedback loop: Tapping reduces stress, which enhances immune function, which reduces the physical stress of fighting infections, which further reduces overall stress levels.

Bringing It All Together: The Science Behind Tapping’s Effects

What we’ve explored isn’t speculation or anecdotal evidence—it’s documented in peer-reviewed scientific journals. Tapping creates profound physiological changes:

It significantly reduces cortisol and other stress hormonesIt rewires brain networks involved in pain processingIt alters gene expression related to immunity and inflammationIt improves multiple markers of cardiovascular healthIt enhances immune system function

These physical changes explain why Tapping often succeeds where willpower, positive thinking, or conventional approaches fall short. It’s working directly with your body’s biological systems, not just your conscious thoughts.

The most exciting part? These benefits are accessible to everyone. In The Tapping Solution App, you’ll find guided sessions specifically designed to help you experience these benefits, including:

Release StressRelease General PainSupport Your Body: High Blood Pressure/HypertensionSupport Your Body: Heart HealthInstant Boost of HealingSupport Your Healing: Colds (Upper-Respiratory Illness)

These sessions combine the science-backed benefits we’ve explored with expert guidance to help you create lasting transformation.

Which of these scientifically-proven effects of Tapping do you find most surprising? Have you noticed any unexpected physical changes after your Tapping sessions? Share in the comments—I’d love to hear about your experiences!

Until next time… Keep Tapping!
Nick Ortner

 

Church D, Yount G, Brooks AJ. The effect of emotional freedom techniques on stress biochemistry: a randomized controlled trial. J Nerv Ment Dis. 2012;200(10):891-896.Stapleton P, Crighton G, Sabot D, O’Neill HM. Reexamining the effect of emotional freedom techniques on stress biochemistry: A randomized controlled trial. Psychol Trauma. 2020;12(8):869-877.Peta S, Oliver B, Tom O, Bhuta S. Neural changes after Emotional Freedom Techniques treatment for chronic pain sufferers. Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2022;49:101653. doi:10.1016/j.ctcp.2022.101653Maharaj, ME. Differential Gene Expression after Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) Treatment: A Novel Pilot Protocol for Salivary mRNA Assessment. Energy Psychology Journal. 2016;8(1):17-32. doi:10.9769/EPJ.2016.8.1.MMChurch D, Yount G, Rachlin K, Fox L, Nelms J. Epigenetic Effects of PTSD Remediation in Veterans Using Clinical Emotional Freedom Techniques: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study. Am J Health Promot. 2018;32(1):112-122. doi:10.1177/0890117116661154Bach D, Groesbeck G, Stapleton P, Sims R, Blickheuser K, Church D. Clinical EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) Improves Multiple Physiological Markers of Health. J Evid Based Integr Med. 2019;24:2515690X18823691. doi:10.1177/2515690X18823691

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Here are a few pictures and a short video of our cute puppy having her first swim!And here are a few more cute puppy (and a silly boy) pictures

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