The 5 Minute Reset Every High Performer Needs (But No One Talks About)
- viviennerosediamon
- Jul 18
- 6 min read
You know that feeling when you are drowning in your success?
When your to-do list is longer than your grocery receipt, your phone won't stop buzzing and you are running on fumes disguised as productivity? When everyone thinks you have got it all figured out, but inside you are one email away from screaming into a pillow?
Yeah. That feeling.
Here is what nobody tells you about being a high-achiever: your nervous system doesn't care about your impressive LinkedIn headline. It just knows you are in survival mode and it has been keeping score.
Trauma expert Bessel van der Kolk reminds us: "Neuroscience research shows that the only way we can change the way we feel is by becoming aware of our inner experience and learning to befriend what is going inside ourselves."
In other words, that restless energy, that constant vigilance, that feeling like you are always "on"? It is not something you can think your way out of or power through. You have to turn inward and listen to what your body is telling you.
What if I told you there is a 5-minute technique that top performers use to reset their nervous system? Something that looks unconventional but works faster than your third cup of coffee - and doesn't require a meditation retreat or months of therapy (though I am all for both when you have the time)?
It is called Tapping and it might just be the reset button you didn't know you needed.
Why Tapping Works?
Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT or Tapping) combines modern psychology with acupressure points, gently shifting your body out of stress mode and back into balance.
You speak your truth as it is. No pretending. No glossing over. Just gentle awareness and release. You don't need to "push through" — you need to pause, connect and allow your system to reset.
Like a Rose that has been bracing through a storm, tapping invites your inner self to soften, open and return to centre.
Tapping Sequence #1: When I Feel Overwhelmed
Before We Tap: A Moment to Pause
Take a breath. Let yourself land softly in this moment. There is nothing to fix — just notice what is here.
If you have been juggling too much, carrying the weight of responsibilities, deadlines and emotions, it is understandable that overwhelm has crept in.
Let us use the SUDs scale (Subjective Units of Distress) to tune in:
0 = calm, grounded, at ease
10 = overwhelmed, mentally scattered, emotionally stretched
Where would you place yourself right now? There is no wrong answer. Just meet yourself honestly and gently.
Setup Statements: Repeat the three setup statements while gently tapping on the Side of the Hand (SOH) point, saying aloud:
"Even though I feel overwhelmed and stretched too thin, I deeply and completely honour and accept how I feel."
"Even though it feels like everything is piling up and I can't keep up, I choose to love and accept myself anyway."
"Even though I feel exhausted and overloaded, I deeply and completely love and accept myself."
Tapping Through The Points
Top of Head (TOH) Point:
Located directly on the crown of the head.
o "All this pressure I have been holding."
Eyebrow (EB) Point:
Located at the start of the eyebrow, near the bridge of the nose.
o "I have been trying to manage so much."
Side of Eye (SE) Point:
Located on the bone at the outer corner of the eye.
o "And it has been wearing me down."
Under Eye (UE) Point:
Located on the bone directly under the eye.
o "I feel like I can’t stop, but I am so exhausted."
Under Nose (UN) Point:
Located between the nose and the upper lip.
o "It has all felt like too much."
Chin (CP) Point:
Located in the crease between the lower lip and chin.
o “I have been holding everything together for so long."
Collarbone (CB) Point:
Located just below the collarbone, about 2.5 cm (1 inch) from the base of the throat.
o "This heaviness in my mind and body."
Under the Arm (UA) Point:
Located on the side of the body, about 10 cm (4 inches) below the armpit.
o "I honour how overwhelmed I feel."
Take a slow, deep breath. Let your shoulders soften. Check back in with your SUDs number - has it shifted even slightly?
Tapping Sequence #2: Returning To My Centre
When overwhelm leaves us untethered, we can begin gently calling ourselves home, back to the breath, back to the body, back to the ground beneath us.
Setup Statements: Repeat the three setup statements while gently tapping on the Side of the Hand (SOH) point, saying aloud:
"Even though I feel scattered and ungrounded, I deeply and completely accept myself."
"Even though my thoughts have been racing and I feel trapped, I give myself permission to honour how I feel and accept myself as I am."
"Even though I have felt lost in the noise, I choose to deeply and completely love and accept myself."
Tapping Through The Points
Top of Head (TOH) Point:
Located directly on the crown of the head.
o "I feel scattered, like I am not fully here."
Eyebrow (EB) Point:
Located at the start of the eyebrow, near the bridge of the nose.
o "My thoughts are swirling in every direction."
Side of Eye (SE) Point:
Located on the bone at the outer corner of the eye.
o "It is hard to focus, hard to land."
Under Eye (UE) Point:
Located on the bone directly under the eye.
o "I feel like my energy is floating above my head."
Under Nose (UN) Point:
Located between the nose and the upper lip.
o "So much happening all at once."
Chin (CP) Point:
Located in the crease between the lower lip and chin.
o “This buzzing, unsettled energy inside me."
Collarbone (CB) Point:
Located just below the collarbone, about 2.5 cm (1 inch) from the base of the throat.
o "I have been caught in the chaos and rush of it all."
Under the Arm (UA) Point:
Located on the side of the body, about 10 cm (4 inches) below the armpit.
o "And I want to feel steady again."
Round 2 - Grounding in Safety:
Top of Head (TOH) Point:
Located directly on the crown of the head.
o "I am gently coming back to myself."
Eyebrow (EB) Point:
Located at the start of the eyebrow, near the bridge of the nose.
o "Feeling the breath move in… and out."
Side of Eye (SE) Point:
Located on the bone at the outer corner of the eye.
o "Letting go of what I don’t need right now."
Under Eye (UE) Point:
Located on the bone directly under the eye.
o "It is safe to slow down."
Under Nose (UN) Point:
Located between the nose and the upper lip.
o "Rooted like a tree, grounded and still."
Chin (CP) Point:
Located in the crease between the lower lip and chin.
o “I give myself permission to pause."
Collarbone (CB) Point:
Located just below the collarbone, about 2.5 cm (1 inch) from the base of the throat.
o "I feel the earth beneath my feet - I am supported."
Under the Arm (UA) Point:
Located on the side of the body, about 10 cm (4 inches) below the armpit.
o "I am steady, calm and present."
Take a slow, grounding breath and let it go.
Now gently check in with your SUDs score again, from 0 to 10.
Has anything shifted? Even a small drop is a sign your nervous system is responding and softening.
These small shifts matter. Just like a Rose doesn't bloom all at once, your nervous system doesn’t reset in a single moment. Each round of tapping is a gentle turning toward yourself, a way of reclaiming presence, steadiness and emotional clarity.
In the middle of a demanding professional life, coming back to ground isn’t just a luxury - it is a leadership skill. When you are rooted in yourself, you make clearer decisions, respond instead of react and show up with calm confidence - whether in the boardroom or at your desk.
Let this practice be a resource. Return to it whenever you need a reset.
Ready To Take This Further?
If you are feeling that spark of curiosity about how tapping could shift things for you, whether it is finding your voice in tough conversations, staying calm when the stakes are high or simply feeling more like yourself again, I would love to explore that with you.
Drop me a message on LinkedIn or grab a quick 15-minute clarity call here. No pressure, just a genuine conversation about what is possible when you give yourself permission to slow down and tune in.
Here is the thing: you don’t have to choose between success and serenity. You can have both.
Ready to discover what happens when you stop pushing and start flowing? Let's talk.🌹
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