Do you wonder if it is possible to be happy no matter what has happened to you?
Have you tried positive thinking, journaling, or even treating yourself to something nice, but that deep sense of joy and peace, the feeling of happiness is missing.
One thing you might not have tried is Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), also known as tapping, and it might be exactly what you need.
EFT is a simple yet powerful tool that helps clear emotional blocks, reduce stress, and increase feelings of happiness. In this post, we’ll explore what EFT is, how it works, and how you can use it to invite more happiness into your life.
What is EFT?
EFT is a mind-body technique that is a combination of ancient Chinese acupressure and modern psychology. It involves gently tapping on specific meridian points on the face and body while focusing on the negative issue or emotion. The process helps release negative energy and reprogram the way you respond to stress and challenges. (This has been proven by watching the changes to the stress response centres of the brain in an Fmri machine)
Think of EFT as emotional acupuncture—but without the needles! By stimulating these energy points while addressing emotional distress, EFT helps to calm the nervous system, regulate emotions, and bring a sense of balance back into your life.
How EFT Works
EFT works by sending calming signals to the brain, particularly to the amygdala, which is responsible for processing emotions like fear and stress. When we experience negative emotions, our bodies go into fight-or-flight mode, causing stress hormones like cortisol to rise. Tapping helps to interrupt this stress response and bring the body back to a state of relaxation.
A typical EFT session follows these steps:
- Identify the Issue – Think about what’s bothering you. It could be stress, sadness, anxiety, self-doubt, or anything that’s keeping you from feeling happy.
- Rate the Intensity – On a scale from 0 to 10, how strong is the emotion?
- Set Up the Statement – While tapping on the side of your hand, say something like, “Even though I feel [emotion], I deeply and completely accept myself.”
- Tap Through the Points – Using your fingertips, tap on specific points on your face and body (such as the top of the head, eyebrows, under the eyes, collarbone, and underarm) while repeating a reminder phrase like, “This stress” or “This feeling of sadness.”
- Reassess the Intensity – After a round of tapping, rate how you feel. If the intensity is still high, repeat the process until you feel relief. (sometimes it will feel like it has increased, this is a good sign that you are on the right track and are not accessing the stressor)
How EFT Can Help You Be Happier
Happiness isn’t about external circumstances—it’s about how we manage our emotions and respond to life’s ups and downs. EFT can help in several ways:
- Releasing Negative Emotions
Unresolved emotions like guilt, anger, and sadness can weigh us down and prevent us from fully experiencing joy. EFT helps clear these emotional blocks, making space for more positive feelings.
- Reducing Stress and Anxiety
Stress is one of the biggest barriers to happiness. By calming the nervous system and lowering cortisol levels, EFT allows you to feel more relaxed and at peace. Even when the problem is an obvious physical problem, for example a broken bone, it is amazing how worse the pain is due to stress. (get the bone fixed with a DR, but also address the emotional issues)
- Improving Self-Confidence
Many of us struggle with limiting beliefs that get in our way. We might be saying “I’m not good enough”, “I don’t deserve happiness,” “I can never make enough money,” or “no one loves me .“ EFT can help rewire these thoughts and replace them with more empowering ones.
- Enhancing Relationships
When we carry emotional baggage from our past, it affects our interactions with others in the present. When you use EFT to work through past wounds and fears, it is much easier to connect with people in a more authentic and joyful way. This usually requires you to work with a trained EFT professional to help you uncover your baggage.
- Cultivating Gratitude and Positivity
Happiness comes from focussing on what we have rather than feeling sorry for ourselves for what is missing. Tapping can help shift your mindset toward gratitude and a more positive outlook on life.
How to Get Started with EFT
The best part about EFT is that it’s simple, free, and something you can do anytime, anywhere. If you’re new to tapping, here’s how you can begin:
- Pick an Issue – Choose something that’s bothering you right now.
- Follow the Basic Tapping Steps – Use the process outlined above, focusing on your emotions.
- Be Consistent – Like any habit, the more you practice, the better the results.
- Try Guided EFT Sessions – There are plenty of EFT videos and resources online to help you follow along. Brad Yates is loved by many, and the Ortner siblings have some great videos too. Just type into good EFT and a word or two to describe what you are feeling.
Final Thoughts
Happiness isn’t about ignoring negative emotions—it’s about learning how to process them in a healthy way. EFT is a powerful tool that can help you release emotional baggage, reduce stress, and create space for more joy and fulfillment in your life.
If you’re feeling stuck or weighed down by emotions, why not give tapping a try? A few minutes a day could be the key to unlocking the happiness you’ve been searching for. After all, you deserve to live a life filled with joy, peace, and confidence.
Ready to start tapping your way to happiness? Watch this Youtube Video of how to get started.
Let me know how EFT works for you!
Kay x