Yes darlin, it’s that easy. It’s how the magic happens. Most of our problems will cease to exist if we just halt. And by halt, I mean H. hungry, A. angry, L. lonely, T. tired. When it comes to making decisions, avoid making them if you’re hungry, angry, lonely or tired.
HALT is a key to fix your life
We’ve all seen the commercials of someone acting ridiculous. Then someone gives them a candy bar, when all of a sudden, they turn back into themselves and stop acting a fool. They don’t call it hangry for no reason. The truth is, when we are hungry, we can often make less than healthy decisions. You know, kind of like when they say never go to the grocery store when you’re hungry. We say these things because they’re true.
Now for the obvious. Never under any circumstance should we try and address an issue when we’re angry. The most classic example I could give is…we’ve all done it…send an email when we’re angry. The kiss of death. When we are angry, there is something inside of us that seems to override common sense. As we type, we feel better. It is as if the toxic energy inside of us is leaving our body. But the truth is, we are making room for regret. It’s not too often that these “angry” emails work out for the best. Which in the same vain leads us to….
Being lonely. Ah yes…the lonely text. Or as some would call the drunk text. Be honest, you’ve sent a lonely or drunk text that you cringed at the next day, haven’t you? Being lonely can lead to lower self esteem. And when your self esteem is low, we sometimes go back to the devil we know. {Catchy, isn’t it?} But honestly, being lonely should not be an excuse to return to unhealthy behaviors, people or places. Being lonely, often leads to high risk behavior. There is a difference between alone and lonely. Know the difference.
And lastly, we get too tired. So many of us are running at full speed all day, every day. This is a recipe for disaster. I know I am guilty of it. The difference for me though, is when I am tired, I retreat. Not because I am scared of the hustle. Not because I am afraid of conflict. But because I know how counterproductive my words can appear when I am tired. And even if my words are sincere, sometimes my facial expressions are misinterpreted. So in other words, if you can’t get a hold of me, know that I am tired and showing you respect.
So there you have it. You want a quick fix for your life? HALT! I promise you, at least 50% of your problems go away over night if you do.
