HALT - How To Manage Stress at the Holidays… and Every Day
Blog post by Heidi Gustafson
Mindset & Transformation Coach
Mastering Midlife with Heidi is dedicated to helping middle-aged women live their lives with confidence and joy, instead of merely surviving.
What is the HALT method and how can it be used to manage holiday stress?
The added stress of the holidays can heighten our negative reactions to things and people. Add in a dose of the hustle and bustle and additional spending, and it’s easy for the stress to get out of control.
This can make it seem like the world is conspiring against you and that Murphy’s Law is a given - Everything that can go wrong will go wrong.
How do we avoid that? A better path forward is using the HALT method to:
Take steps to reduce your stress so that you have room to feel peace and happiness instead.
Stay connected to your needs so that you can address them instead of ignoring them for the needs of others.
Prioritize yourself in your holiday plans. Just like on a plane, you need to put your oxygen on first.
Hunger -
Am I taking time to eat? Am I eating nutritious meals that fuel me and not just grabbing something on the go because it’s fast and easy?
Know your body (and mind) and what works best for you. For me, a high carb breakfast gets me off on the wrong foot. The sugar makes me irritable and gives me a short fuse, setting me up for not handling stress well.
Anger —
Anger is a feeling that comes usually as the result of an unmet need. Maybe you’re not feeling heard or understood. Maybe you’re feeling pressured or judged. The key is to address this.
Are you quickly cleaning up toxic things in your own life as they happen or are you ignoring them and stuffing them down? Doing the latter causes resentment and anger, which is sure to boil up at the most inopportune times… like the holidays when you’re with family and someone triggers you.
Take the necessary steps to work on your anger so it’s not lurking in the shadows adding extra stress.
Loneliness —
This feeling can occur when you’re alone or in a group of people. Loneliness is a feeling of disconnection. It’s a self-imposed action due to fear of being misunderstood or judged, and results in self-doubt.
If you’re feeling lonely, make the time to connect with someone close to you. Sometimes simply talking about what you’re feeling will lift the disconnected feeling. Staying in this place of disconnection can make us reach for things that are numbing (wine, food, substances, TV bingeing) which only will exacerbate the loneliness.
Do something to reconnect as soon as you realize this is how you’re feeling.
Tiredness —
Am I ignoring how tired I am because there’s so much “to do?” Not taking time to rest will take a toll on your body and mind. And when you’re depleted from always being busy, you react and snap at situations that you normally wouldn’t when you’re rested and relaxed. Doing your best to stick to a normal night routine is best and don’t diminish the benefits of a short cat nap. Even just quieting your mind with a walk, relaxing music, or a short meditation will add energy back into your day.
The HALT method is a quick way to ensure you are focusing on some key elements that will make your holidays fun and relaxing and a time you look forward to connecting with your loved ones.
How do you use the HALT method in the moment?
Step out of the room if you’re feeling overwhelmed into a space where you’re alone and can focus on your thoughts.
Take a deep breath.
Ask yourself, “Am I hungry, angry, lonely, tired?”
Take care of any place you answered, “Yes.”
That’s it! It’s simple, effective, and a great way to keep yourself on track during a time that is full of distractions.
What if the holidays have always been especially difficult?
If you find this is a time of year you dread because of the stress you ultimately find yourself in during, or the regret you find yourself in after, reach out to me.
I can help you look forward to holiday time again!
It’s time to trade in fear. Invest in joy. Confidence. Peace.
Say goodbye to your old life and claim your FREE call to determine if coaching and/or hypnosis feels right for you.