Arrogance?

showing your beauty or talent is not arroganceHas anyone ever called you arrogant?  It can be a hard thing to hear, particularly if you feel that your behavior has been misunderstood.  Imagine that, like the peacock, you have a feature, skill, or talent that is pretty spectacular.  Are you supposed to pretend that you don’t?  When you are at the zoo do you hope the peacock will spread its tail or do you scorn it when it does? I personally love to see that big beautiful tail.  There are times in our lives when we dare to shine but other people call us arrogant or overly proud.  I can even remember feeling proud of an accomplishment and someone reciting the pride goeth before a fall admonition.  That can make us worried and scared to express our greatness.

That is what the next tapping is about.  It isn’t really promoting arrogance. Instead it is about discerning arrogance from appropriate pride in an accomplishment or situation.

 

illustration for karate chop pointSetup (Karate Chop Point): I hate being told that I am arrogant, particularly when I just feel like I’m being happy.  It makes me reluctant to speak of the positive things that I’ve done, seen, or accomplished.  Even with these jumbled up feelings I choose to deeply and completely love and accept myself.  Even though I have a lot of unresolved feelings about being called arrogant and wanting to be happy about things I’ve done, I choose to remain calm and speak my truth.  Even though being called arrogant could be a consequence of sharing my happiness with others, I choose to respect myself and anyone else that is involved in the situation.

diagram of the tapping pointsEyebrow…He called me arrogant

Side of Eye…And that really hurt

Under the Eye…What also hurt

Under the Nose…Is that I believed it

Chin…At the time it seemed like he might be right

Collarbone…And maybe it wasn’t ok to be happy about my success

Under the Arm…But looking back

Top of Head…I’m pretty sure that I wasn’t being mean

Eyebrow…I wasn’t trying to make myself better tha anyone else

Side of Eye…I wasn’t gloating

Under the Eye…I was just amazingly excited and happy

Under the Nose…It’s nice to receive awards

Chin…And it doesn’t make sense to pretend that I don’t enjoy it

Collarbhone….I suspect he was just unhappy because he didn’t get an award

Under the Arm…And thought he could make himself feel better

Top of Head…By making me feel bad

Eyebrow…And I fell for it

Side of Eye..That may be the worst part of it for me now

Under the Eye…I can be my own worst enemy

Under the Nose…And it has stopped me from showing my happiness

Chin…Many times since that first incident

Collarbone…I have even tried to pre-empt the potential problem

Under the Arm…By downplaying my successes before someone else can take me down

Top of Head…I don’t get to feel happy then either

Eyebrow…I’m glad I care about how other people feel

Side of Eye…And I really don’t want others to feel badly as a result of my successes

Under the Eye…But for the most part, I can’t control how they feel

Under the Nose…I believe I should be careful

Chin…With my words, attitudes, and tone of voice

Collarbone…But if those are appropriate

Under the Arm…Someone else’s reaction isn’t because of me

Top of Head…They are then completely responsible for their response

Eyebrow…I choose to shine when I can

Side of Eye…Without flaunting or bragging

Under the Eye…And know that expressions of pride and happiness

Under the Nose…Can be completely appropriate

Chin…I affirm that happiness is NOT arrogance

Collarbone…I affirm that utilizing my strengths and assets

Under the Arm…is NOT arrogance

Top of Head…I affirm all that I am.

 

Take a deep breath and let it out slowly.  Notice if you are holding any tension in your body after completing this exercise.  If you do notice tension, spend a few minutes tapping to release it from your body.