Spiritual Fitness Toolkit- H.A.L.T.

H.A.L.T. 

When you feel off, frustrated, angry or depressed HALT(Stop) apply this simple acronym.  

H-ungry 

Sit down and eat a meal. Ask yourself when was the last time that you ate a meal. Not a snicker bar or snack but a full meal. Food especially a hot meal can have powerful effects for morale and our mental well-being. Additionally, we need food to fuel the activities that we do. Our brain is the largest consumer of calories and if we are low on blood sugar it can affect our mood and degrade both physical and cognitive capability. Take the time to eat.  

A-ngry 

Stop and identify the what and why of your anger. try to identify what the source of your anger is. A person? An event?  

L-onely 

Connect. Reach out and have meaningful connection with friends and family. Cultivating relationships for your support structures is important. The person you connect with doesn’t need to have answers, they just need to listen. Being heard or feeling understood is a basic human need.  

T-ired 

Sleep/ Take time for self. Sleep is an essential human need. When we lack sleep our cognitive and physical capabilities degrade. Just losing one night of sleep can increase irritability, ability to focus and fine motor skills. Create a sleep routine if you are having difficulty sleeping. These habits help to prime your body to rest and your mind to relax. Look up sleep hygiene to see what habits you can implement to help you maximize your sleep.  

 

Sometimes our tiredness stems from mental or emotional exhaustion and rather than sleeping what we need is the time to process and reflect. Set aside time to think. For some journaling or drawing helps process. For others going on a run or driving is the quiet space and time. Find what works for you and be intentional in creating the habit of solitude.