I’ve talked previously about removing emotional charge and why that’s important (there’s a video explanation below if you need a refresher). Since I got a first-hand opportunity to test those principles again this weekend, I’m using my experience to illustrate the real potency of this technique.
My hope is that this would help you the next time you or someone you know is in pain.
Believe me, this works. That’s why I feel so much better today.
My Painful, Stupid Mistake
Have you heard of the intercostal muscles? Yea, I hadn’t either until a few years ago. When I tore one. And again yesterday. When I did the same thing again. Ouch.
Intercostals are the muscles that lie in between your ribs. You can strain, pull, sprain, or tear them during activity, sudden movements, or gradually over time from repetitive motion. When compromised, these muscles will hurt. SO BAD. And, the pain isn’t just intense, it’s unrelenting. Unless you don’t move, which means you’ll hurt pretty much all the time unless you find a position that doesn’t hurt and manage to stay there for 3-6 weeks (which isn’t advised, because it hampers your healing, too).
Intercostal tears will make you think you broke a rib, even though you didn’t. That’s because the muscle in between the ribs hurts, but the pain you feel is around the rib cage. With a true rib fracture, you can barely breathe (don’t ask how I know), which can be quite dangerous. So, an intercostal sprain is the “preferred” injury of the two, though I really wouldn’t wish this beast on anyone. It’s beyond horrible.
The Emotional Charge
So, when I got hurt yesterday, I immediately lost control. I heard the snap, then the onset of pain was immediate. I was in intense pain, thus crying was the natural result.
But, in addition to the pain, I felt lots of other things, too. Emotions. The kinds I write in the articles on my blog. A flood of emotions came rushing in, including these:
- Anger: That this happened to me. Again! Because I know how much it hurts and how long it takes to heal.
- Frustration: That there won’t be much I can do while this heals. Because I’m a do-er, this impacts my schedule, my routine plus my self-esteem. My business, too. I knew this would affect my productivity (and pocketbook) for weeks.
- Disappointment: About all the events and appointments I’ll have to cancel in the next few weeks, plus the opportunities I’m going to have to miss. Plus, it’s the holiday season — my favorite time of year.
- Worry: How will I explain to people? Who will I disappoint? How will I get everything done?
- Sadness: That this happened during a time when my children would be visiting, so it will hamper our activities together. Traditions may get compromised. Feelings might get hurt. If I express how I feel, I could sadden others, too.
Just an Injury?
See, the injury I sustained yesterday was really just an injury. People get injured all the time, and recover. There was no reason to think I wouldn’t heal completely, too.
But, is it really that simple?
No, and here’s why. Immediately, I began layering emotion after emotion on top of my injury. Every new layer was painful in itself. And the combination of these layers created a greater web of pain than I was already experiencing.
The injury was growing so much larger than itself.
Fascinatingly, in the human mind, this happens very quickly. And, in moments of crisis, no matter how much we understand about this stuff, we do it anyway. The habits of a lifetime plus all the examples we’ve learned from previous generations teach us us to behave this way. I was really just reacting as the product of my learning.
Releasing the Extra Layers
So, after a few minutes, I knew I needed to get my head straight. I looked at my external injury, then recognized what I was doing internally to myself. I saw I was screaming at myself, at the other person who was there at the time, at the universe for doing this to me, and at the world for being such a crappy place. Looking back, I’m impressed at the range of emotions I was able to manifest in such a short time (remember, I’m an over-achiever).
Then, I began tapping.
I tapped on all the extra layers I could find, one at a time. I worked first on the anger since it was the most intense. I moved to all the other areas I could think of, and within about 30 minutes was calm and better able to handle the pain. I followed my tapping protocol by tracing all my energy meridians and went back to calm the triple warmer. I moved to Qigong for handling the remaining feels that were stubborn to tapping, then sat in a brief meditation of gratitude, knowing I would fully heal and it wasn’t much worse.
The Result
I am feeling so much better. In pain, yes. But, in much less pain than expected, and in much less pain than last time this happened to me.
With knowledge comes power. I was able to apply these techniques with a fairly miraculous result. My pain is now isolated to a very small area, whereas it was initially very widespread.
Today, I am very optimistic. Happy even. I’m ready for an easy day of self-care, plus I’m easily forgiving myself for anything I can’t accomplish this week. And, if that wasn’t already enough, I’m grateful for the chance to personally test my skills, and the lessons I see in this experience, including the blessing of sharing this valuable information with you.
If I can explain further, please comment, or contact me privately. Keep in mind too, that in a moment of crisis, I can usually squeeze you in for a quick healing session.
Here’s that video I was talking about (there are many more on my Youtube channel):
Hoping all your days are pain-free,
As a coach, writer, recovered over-doer and busyness addict, I understand the challenges of creating a balanced, healthy lifestyle while the mind tries to sabotage your success. In my journey to vibrant health, I created a personalized health system of nutrition and supplementation, lifestyle changes, and I retrained my mind and the energy of my body. I view my success as the formula to my happy, healthy life. I now empower other women to create their own personalized formulas, including the tools and strategies just right for them! Amazing life shifts come from our relationships. I look forward to helping you, too!
Leave a Reply