My husband just shared a CNN article about Justin Bieber that stopped me in my tracks. In a raw and honest social media post, the global superstar opened up about feeling unworthy despite his massive success - and it perfectly captures what I hear from my clients every day.
"Like I was a fraud," Bieber wrote. "Like when people told me I deserve something. It made me feel sneaky like damn if they only knew my thoughts." He went on to share his inner struggles with being judgmental and selfish, admitting that most days he feels "unequipped and unqualified."
Reading his words, I couldn't help but think of the countless conversations I've had in my practice with successful, accomplished people who carry these exact same feelings. Have you ever felt like a fraud despite your achievements? Like somehow you've managed to fool everyone around you, but deep down you're certain you don't deserve the praise or success you've received?
The Shared Human Experience of Unworthiness
These feelings aren't just common - they're practically epidemic. When Bieber shared his struggles with feeling "sneaky" and "unequipped," he gave voice to what many of us experience silently. That nagging inner voice that whispers, "If they only knew my real thoughts..." or "I'm not as good as they think I am."
Why Traditional Solutions Often Fall Short
Here's what makes these feelings so persistent: they aren't just thoughts - they're stored in your body as physical sensations. That's why simply trying to "think positive" or rationalize these feelings away rarely works long-term.
Here's what many practitioners don't tell you: attempting to overcome unworthiness through willpower or affirmations alone often misses the crucial body component. Your rational mind might understand that you're accomplished and worthy, but your nervous system may still be operating from old programming.
"I spent years trying to convince myself I deserved success," shares Thomas, one of my clients. "But it wasn't until I started addressing these feelings through my body that things really shifted. The tapping gave me a way to release what my body had been holding onto for decades."
Creating Safety in Your Nervous System Through EFT
EFT offers a unique approach by working directly with your body's stress response system. Here's a gentle sequence to try:
Connect with Your Body
Place one hand on your chest, or where you feel the unworthiness most strongly
Invite a gentle breath into that space
Tune in and guess the intensity of the feeling (0-10)
Begin the Tapping Sequence
Side of hand: "Even though my body holds this feeling of not being enough, I'm choosing to be gentle with myself right now"
Top of head: "This deep feeling of unworthiness"
Eyebrow: "The way it sits in my chest"
Side of eye: "All these years of trying to prove myself"
Under eye: "The exhaustion of never feeling good enough"
Under nose: "Letting my body know it's safe now"
Chin: "These old protective patterns"
Collarbone: "Giving my nervous system permission to relax"
Under arm: "Choosing to hold space for all these feelings"
Take a Gentle Breath and Notice
What shifted in your body?
Where do you feel more spacious or relaxed?
Rate the intensity again
The Path Forward
Remember, feeling unworthy doesn't mean you are unworthy. These feelings didn't develop overnight, and they won't dissolve instantly either. Your body has been trying to protect you through these patterns, and it deserves gentle acknowledgment for its efforts. Through consistent EFT practice, you can begin to release these old patterns and create new, more supportive beliefs about yourself.
🌿 From Silent Struggle to Embodied Self-Worth
If you recognize yourself in these patterns of unworthiness—despite your skills, experience, or success—you are far from alone. For so many women in business or coaching, the pressure to perform, hold space for others, and maintain a composed exterior can disconnect you from your own emotional truth.
But here’s the good news: your body also holds the key to coming home to yourself.
If you’re ready to shift out of the cycle of holding it all in and start reconnecting with your sense of calm confidence, I invite you to book a free consultation. In this gentle one-on-one session, we’ll explore what’s been keeping you in survival mode and how to begin releasing the subtle tension of “not enough.”
Together, we can:
Identify the stress patterns that may be blocking your momentum
Reconnect you with a sense of safety, clarity, and self-trust
Explore body-based tools to support deep, lasting change
Because you deserve to feel deeply aligned—not just accomplished.
With compassion and support,
🌿 Kay
Thanks for reading Empowered EFT with Kay!
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