Travel Lighter: A Simple Technique to Help You Release Unwanted Emotional Baggage

One thing we can all agree on is that travelling is always memorable — but ideally, for the right reasons. It’s meant to be exciting, fun, and inspiring… and often, it is. But sometimes, stress, worry, fear, or overwhelm can creep in and take over the experience. If you feel like your mind might be getting the best of you, this simple technique can help you regain a sense of calm and control, so you can enjoy the journey the way it’s meant to be.

But before we dive in, let’s take a moment to acknowledge something important: wherever you are in your journey, you’ve already come a long way — and that deserves recognition. Take a second to appreciate your own dedication.

Now, if the journey so far hasn’t been the smoothest and you feel like you’re carrying some unwanted emotional baggage, this technique can help you unload it.

Equally, if you’re feeling apprehensive about any upcoming part of your trip, this method can help you feel more centred and at ease.

EFT/tapping: a simple yet powerful technique

The technique is called EFT — short for Emotional Freedom Technique, also known as tapping. It’s based on the same principles as acupuncture, but instead of needles, we use our fingers to gently tap on specific points along the meridians — the energetic pathways identified in Chinese medicine.

When we experience stress, fear, or emotional overwhelm, our energy flow can become blocked or dysregulated — and that shows up not just in our mood, but often in our physical body too. By tapping on specific acupressure points, we are encouraging energy to move freely again. EFT tapping becomes a tool that allows us to connect with our body’s energetic system and positively influence it, in order to gently restore balance.

But EFT tapping isn’t just about unblocking energy. Back in 2002, researchers confirmed the discovery of a vascular system that runs throughout our body and brain, and closely aligns with the meridian lines. This network is known as the Primo Vascular System. When we tap on the acupressure points, we also stimulate this system and send calming signals to the brain — specifically to the amygdala.

The amygdala is responsible for assessing the danger around us — it releases cortisol, the stress hormone, if it perceives that we are in a fight or flight situation. By tapping, we are essentially telling our amygdala that it can lower its guard (as well as cortisol levels) which calms our nervous system and in turn makes us feel more relaxed and at ease.

When the brain believes we’re in danger, it hyper-focuses on the perceived threat — leaving little room for alternative thoughts or solutions. We get stuck in what I call the loop of doom.

But by tapping to reduce stress, worry, or overwhelm, the brain becomes free to access other resources and perspectives. This opens the door to a mindset shift and allows space for more constructive and positive outcomes.

Because the brain is constantly learning and adapting, this new way of thinking becomes a new neural pathway — which is why EFT not only brings immediate relief but also supports lasting change through neuroplasticity.

The EFT/tapping acupoints

The traditional tapping points are on the face and upper body and follow an easy-to-remember sequence. Even in public, you can usually find a private corner or step into a bathroom stall to tap. There’s no set amount of time — just tap for as long as it feels helpful.

It starts with the karate chop point, located on the side of the hand (the spot you’d use to break a board in martial arts). This is where you say your setup statement.

The following points are part of the tapping round and can be repeated as many times as you like, on either or both sides of the body:

1. Eyebrow (start of the brow, near the bridge of the nose)
2. Side of the eye (at the temple, end of the eyebrow)
3. Under the eye (on the cheekbone)
4. Under the nose (between nose and upper lip)
5. Chin (in the crease below the bottom lip)
6. Collarbone (just below the hard collarbone, slightly to the side)
7. Under the arm (about 4 inches below the armpit — near the bra strap area)
8. Top of the head (centre of the crown)

Then, return to the eyebrow and begin another round if needed.

If you can’t find privacy, you can use discreet tapping points on the hands — it’s beautiful how interconnected our bodies are. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve tapped under a scarf, beneath a table, or in my pockets during travel!

The hand acupoints are located near each fingernail. If you hold your left palm facing up and look at the back of your hand, the point is on the fleshy area to the right of each fingernail. On your right hand, it’s on the left side of each nail. You can tap, rub, or simply apply pressure — all of these methods help stimulate the points. 

How to tap

First you need to identify the emotion you’d like to release. Then you give it an intensity number from 0 to 10 (10 is most intense).

Use the setup statement while tapping the karate chop point and repeat it three times: Even though I feel [insert emotion], I deeply and completely accept myself.

Then tap through the points, repeating variations of your emotion. For example, if it’s stress, you can tap on each point saying ‘this stress’, ‘the stress that I feel’, ‘I am feeling stressed’, ‘all this stress’. If you feel it in your body you can add that too: ‘all this stress on my shoulders’, ‘my shoulders feel really tight’.

You can repeat the round as many times as needed until the intensity goes down.

Why do we repeat the negative?

Saying the negative emotion might seem counterintuitive, but it’s actually key to EFT’s effectiveness. What we resist tends to persist — and when we acknowledge and name our feelings, we create space for release. Tapping while repeating the emotion helps the nervous system process it safely and gently.

Give it a go

EFT tapping is extremely versatile and can be used for any emotion, topic or concern, at any stage of your journey.

Travel lighter. Releasing emotional weight is truly available — right at your fingertips. 

Written by: Juliana Zapp EFT/ NLP Therapist 

Juliana, an avid EFT tapping practitioner — in both senses of the word. She has used it in her personal life for many years, she is also a certified therapist. As an expat, a nomad, and a traveller, she has experienced the transformative power of this technique first-hand and apply it at every stage of her journey and in every aspect of her travels.
https://www.julianazapptherapy.com/
https://www.instagram.com/juliana.zapp

Image by katyveldhorst from Pixabay