Short answer: identify the cue, routine, and reward and change the routine.

Several days ago I was mindfully reviewing my daily life patterns while in the we voice. Clearly one of my patterns, let’s him News Guy, was dominating a large part of the day incessantly checking Internet news, but without any actual benefit to the whole of us, of me.

The change procedure was to mentally rehearse a new routine. And when the internal urge hit again I went straight to the Internet…but spent a couple of hours instead studying some meditation texts. Lovely switch of routine. Now News Guy is still a part do “we” and “I” and but perhaps not so dominant.

Google Charles Duhigg’s new book The Power of Habit for all the details. Very helpful for self directed personal change, and another one for the toolkit!

The set up phrase for Faster EFT is “I release and let go of….[insert negative memories, feelings, beliefs etc].” Accompanied by tapping, or mental tapping, or no tapping.

I used it last night on uncomfortable sensations in the mid core area and after a few short rounds got a state of warmth and peace. So much so that the non dual state of bare sensory awareness emerged from the background with no effort or conscious intent. Sweet, indeed.

Of course I modified the set up phrase to include all four voices. “I release….we release…this body releases…impersonal thought and mind releases…” Then devoted one or more rounds to each.

Robert Smith is the creator of this specific technique, an NLP variation as I understand it. See http://www.fastereft.com and his many videos on YouTube for much more detail.

This set up phrase is a definite addition to the pragmatic practitioner’s toolkit of self-directed personal change techniques!

UPDATE: For even faster EFT, I now may use the set up phrase without pronouns. Just say “Releasing and letting go of ….etc.”

UDATE 2: Add in rapid eye movement while saying “releasing…letting go….” while keeping mindful attention on the uncomfortable sensations. I just did that and got even quicker releases followed by new, conscious, creative thoughts. Another great combo technique for the toolkit!