highly sensitive power

Years ago, a close friend of mine involved in a 12-step program told me about one of their handy tools for tuning in and staying grounded. Easy to remember because of its acronymn, the tool is referred to as H.A.L.T., which stands for hungry, angry, lonely, tired. The idea is that if one is any of those things, then HALT, just stop and take care of the hunger, anger, loneliness, and/or tiredness first, before trying to do anything else. I’ve used this tool for a long time now, long enough that it’s embedded into my early warning system and comes flying up into my consciousness when I start feeling that things aren’t going well. Invariably, addressing what’s out of balance on the H.A.L.T. list helps, even if only enough to provide more thinking and processing room to solve whatever the bigger issue is.

The H.A.L.T. tool fits in well with the saying “First things first.” It’s tough to move forward on the big things when the little things aren’t stabilized, when the footing is iffy. Taking the time to put first things first, like eating when hungry, or peeing before racing out the door, or even calling ahead to make sure the store is open this late, can actually bring the bigger things closer sooner by diminishing overwhelm and unnecessary activity.

Doing enough of this kind of foundational checking in and aligning creates habit. And as the habit of basic self-care becomes stronger, everything tends to become easier. When the little things no longer make the big things go off track, the foundation stabilizes and positive change on a grander scale has the opportunity to arrive sooner.

Think of it as a mantra: HALT. First things first.