EFT Tapping: The Simple Tool to Calm Your Nervous System Anywhere
How tapping can help you calm anxiety and create more presence in your day-to-day life.
The Beginner’s Guide to EFT Tapping for Stress Relief and Emotional Balance
Anxiety doesn’t wait for the “perfect” moment. It chooses to show up in the middle of your morning routine, during family chaos, or even right before bed (yikes). One of the simplest tools I use to meet those moments is EFT, also known as tapping.
EFT combines gentle tapping on acupressure points with acknowledging what you’re feeling out loud. You can think of it as a nervous system reset: you’re moving stuck energy, calming the stress response, and creating space for clarity.
Why I Love EFT (and How I Use It)
I often start my day with a few minutes of tapping while doing my skincare and looking at myself in the mirror. There’s something about making direct eye contact that feels powerful. The eyes are known to be the window into your soul, and when you pause to truly see yourself, the practice lands on a much deeper level.
This simple ritual helps me regulate my nervous system before the day takes over. It feels like a moment of self-connection that grounds me and sets the tone for feeling present. I also like to think of it as a habit-stacking practice. By pairing tapping with something I already do daily, like skincare, it naturally becomes part of my routine and helps me get the most out of it (aka habit stacking)
Ways to Use EFT in Everyday Life
EFT is one of my favorite “anywhere” tools. Here are some ways to bring it into real life:
Morning Reset: Pair tapping with your skincare routine or while you make your first cup of coffee or chai (lately, I’ve been loving Sherpa Chai in the mornings). If you’re making breakfast and need a quick reset, you can slip into the cupboard, the garage, or any quiet spot for 30 seconds when no one’s looking and tap there on your own. Even a short round can shift how you start the day and help you feel more clear and ready for whatever comes next.
Quick Break at Work: Step away for a couple of minutes whenever you feel stress creeping in. Excuse yourself to the bathroom, a hallway, or any private spot where you can tap without interruption. At home, you can even sit in the tub or tuck yourself into your closet if that’s what it takes. Just two minutes of tapping can help reset your nervous system after a stressful email, meeting, or moment.
Kitchen Calm: Tap while cooking if the kitchen is chaotic or your family is stressing you out. If you have kids, sometimes the best thing you can do is step into the pantry or a cupboard space for a couple of minutes, or even take a quick bathroom break and close the door to tap in peace.
I also recommend practicing tapping right in the middle of the chaos when you can. Learning to calm your nervous system in the moment builds resilience, helps you handle stress better over time, and can even turn those stressful moments into character-building ones.
Before Bed: A short round of tapping can quiet racing thoughts and signal to your body that it is safe to rest. I like to do this right after I tuck myself into bed or during my nighttime skincare routine. It’s a simple way to release the day and relax so I can fall asleep more easily.
How to Tap (Step-by-Step)
Identify what you’re feeling. Pick one thing, like stress, worry, or frustration.
Rate the intensity. On a scale of 0–10, notice how strong the feeling is right now.
Create your setup statement. Acknowledge the feeling with self-acceptance. Example:
“Even though I feel anxious about this situation, I deeply and completely accept myself.”Tap through the points: Side of the hand (karate chop point), eyebrow (inner edge near the nose), side of the eye, under the eye, under the nose, chin (crease below the lip), collarbone, under the arm (a few inches below the armpit), and the top of the head. Repeat your statement as you tap each point gently 5–7 times.
Pause and reassess. Take a deep breath and rate the intensity again. If it’s still high, repeat the round.
Why EFT Works
Tapping interrupts the fight-or-flight response and helps your body feel safe again. When your nervous system is calm, your mind follows. You can think clearly, respond intentionally, and release tension that you’ve been carrying.
How to Practice EFT Tapping Daily for Anxiety and Stress Relief
If you have never tried tapping, start small. Stack it with something you already do, like your morning skincare, evening journaling, or even your daily walk. The more you link it to an existing habit, the easier it is to integrate.
If you want to explore practices like EFT on a deeper level, I often incorporate nervous system tools like this into my 1:1 support sessions for even more guidance.
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With love and alignment,
Jess 🌿
Reiki Healer, Akashic Records Guide, and Founder of Vibrational Bloom
🌀 The Bloom Collective | 🌐 vibrationalbloom.com | 📱 @vibrationalbloom
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Ohhh I love EFT tapping!