Explore EFT by language and region

  • Login


  • signup now | forgot password?

EFT International

A global nonprofit supporting learning, practice and professional standards for Emotional Freedom Techniques.

On 7th November, 2026 join us for the EFTi Symposium EFT with Children and Young People Early Bird Registration now open
Honouring Trustee Craig WeinerVisit Our Memorial Page
  • Home
  • Discover EFT
    • What is EFT?
    • Find a Practitioner or Trainer
    • EFT Research Database
    • Articles Library
    • EFTi Resources
  • EFT Training
    • EFT Trainings & Events
    • Training Overview
    • Getting Started
    • Training Levels
    • Accredited Certification
  • Membership Info
    • Join EFT International
    • Membership Levels & Fees
    • FAQs
    • Keeping EFTi Credentials Valid
    • About Accreditation
  • About Us
    • About EFT International™
    • Media Resources
    • Meet the Teams
    • Policies & Procedures
    • Contact EFTi
  • Search
  • Contact

How Fear of Moving Forward in Life Kept Her From Success

By: Sandy Zeldes | 21 June, 2014
Categories: Core Issues, Reversals, Self-Sabotage, Trauma, Weight and Fitness

After a series of negative experiences or disappointments, anyone can become terrified to "move forward" with life. But the negative downward spiral can be self perpetuating as well when the steps taken are with free and repeat old patterns.

The way to move forward is to literally let go of the past hurts, beliefs and disappointments wherever they are without judgement. In other words thinking "I should have already been over this already" or "I already worked on this in therapy" or any other thought doesn't really work here.

The only question I think that is relevant is this: How do you actually feel when you think about both the past events that troubled you, and how do you feel about reaching your stated goals?

If you don't know the answer, the proof is always in the pudding right? What shows up in your life?

My client "Joan" came to me to lose weight, create her business and be in a fulfilling relationship in her life. In every area of her life she felt totally and utterly stuck and scared to do anything about it.

When we began tapping we realized there was this very powerful fear of moving forward in her life because she had a long list of things that had gone painfully wrong in her recent past in all of her relationships, leaving her wanting to not put herself "out there" in any way so as not to get hurt again. This has a tendency however to effect many people in many ways, not just in relationships but in finances and with health of course and she was no different.

Upon tapping for this fear we discovered the real roots to the problem: a childhood pattern she picked up watching her mother suffer with her father's neglect and abuse.

For faster tapping I ask the following questions about any presenting issue in someone's life (so we aren't just tapping on the re-growing leaves on the tree, but actually getting at the roots.)

1. What does this current problem remind you of?
2. When was the earliest time you can recall feeling this way, or the worst time?
3. Who, what, when or where is this symbolic of in any way?
4. Is there a downside or otherwise negative consequence to either getting what you say you want (ie: weight loss, a relationship, money)
5. Can you picture yourself without this current problem, and if so how does it feel?

Usually these questions can point to deeper concerns.

For "Joan" the issue of a downside was absolutely huge. She was terrified of getting into another relationship and getting hurt again and repeating her lifelong pattern of attracting men who "left" her in some way. This in turn was having her put weight right back on after losing it every single time. She would lose 5 pounds only to get terrified she was getting thin and start being attractive again and then what? She might get what she wanted, a new relationship and then lose it again.

She developed a massive fear of "moving forward" in her life because of this old childhood learned pattern.

When we released the old pattern from childhood, she began to lose weight without fear... and I'm sure soon will be attracting a healthy love relationship too. I'll keep you posted. 🙂


Sandy Zeldes
San Francisco, California, US
www.EatLikeAGoddess.com

From the EFTfree Archives, which are now a part of EFT International .
Originally published on Jun 21, 2014.

Share Your Comments & Feedback Cancel reply

EFTi Comment Policy
Comments represent the views of the individual; posting of a comment on EFTi's website does not indicate the organisation's endorsement of the opinions expressed. While we welcome healthy debate, we encourage commenters to use a respectful tone. We reserve the right to remove comments that are obscene, offensive, or demonstrably false; that engage in blatant self-promotion without adding meaningfully to the discussion; or that do not relate to the topic of the article on which they were posted. Comments will not appear immediately, but the team of volunteers that reviews them makes every effort to post them in a timely manner.

Search EFT Articles

Browse Articles by Category:

  • Community News (28)
  • The Science Behind EFT (29)
  • Areas of EFT Practice (471)
    • Abundance (14)
    • Abuse (7)
    • Addictions (17)
    • ADHD (1)
    • Aging (7)
    • Ancestral issues (6)
    • Anger (19)
    • Animals (21)
    • Anxiety (59)
    • Business Success (20)
    • Caregiving (2)
    • Children (36)
    • Dentistry (2)
    • Emotional Intelligence (10)
    • Ethics (6)
    • Exhaustion (2)
    • Families & Parenting (33)
    • Fear (37)
    • Grief and Loss (28)
    • Insomnia (2)
    • Law of Attraction (15)
    • LGBTQ+ Issues (1)
    • Motivation (14)
    • Natural Disasters (7)
    • Peak Performance (23)
    • Phobias (22)
    • Physical Issues (116)
      • Accidents (5)
      • Allergies (6)
      • Cravings (17)
      • Infertility (1)
      • Pain (21)
      • Serious Disease (23)
      • Skin (5)
      • Weight and Fitness (39)
    • Procrastination (9)
    • Racial issues (2)
    • Relationships (46)
    • Self Care (38)
    • Self-Acceptance (52)
    • Self-Sabotage (24)
    • Sexual issues (2)
    • Spirituality & Metaphysics (14)
    • Stress (43)
    • Suicide (1)
    • Trauma (93)
  • EFT Training Resources (320)
    • All Tutorials (7)
    • Borrowing Benefits (8)
    • Complex Issues (41)
    • Core EFT Skills (129)
    • Core Issues (39)
    • EFT Strategies (141)
    • Geo-Specific EFT (4)
    • Inner Child EFT (35)
    • Inner Visuals (21)
    • Mentoring (4)
    • Reversals (30)
    • Surrogate Tapping (26)
  • Integrated EFT (84)
    • Acupuncture (3)
    • Affirmations (16)
    • Emergency EFT (6)
    • Matrix ReImprinting (15)
    • Spanish Language (8)
  • EFTfree Archives (0)
Join Our Community Newsletter

Contact, Help & Support

Please use the Contact EFTi page to select which department you would like to reach.

EFT International
66 Paul Street
London EC2A 4NA
United Kingdom

EFT International (EFTi) is a not-for-profit Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO), registered in England and Wales, Charity number 1176538.

Our Mission

EFT International is dedicated to advancing and upholding exemplary standards for education, training, professional development, and the skillful and ethical application of EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques or "Tapping").

We are committed to supporting the growing body of evidence-based research into the efficacy of EFT, and are actively working to integrate EFT into the mainstream.

Quick Links

  • Discover EFT
  • EFT International Policies & Procedures
  • EFT Practitioner Directory
  • EFT International Volunteers
  • Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
  • Privacy Policy

Languages & Regions:

  • AR
  • AU
  • CA
  • DE
  • ES
  • FA
  • FR
  • HK
  • IN
  • IT
  • NL
  • NZ
  • SP
  • UK
  • US

© 2026 · EFT International Registered in England and Wales, Charity number 1176538