Day 22: HALT

• Transcript

  Here on Sunburnt Souls, we explore life, faith, and our mental well-being. Here to share more is Dave Clark.

  Have you ever said something you regret? Or fired off an angry email you wish you could suck back out of the internet? Or made a decision at 2 a.m. that felt brilliant at the time but haunted you in the morning?

  I’ve done all of those — especially during manic episodes.

  One trick that’s helped me over the years is something called HALT. H-A-L-T.
  It stands for Hurt, Angry, Lonely, or Tired. If I’m one of those, I pause. If I’m two or more? I don’t do anything major — no emails, no decisions, no arguments.

  Swap in your own triggers if you need to — hungry, anxious, overstimulated — whatever fits your reality. But build the rule before the moment, so you don’t have to figure it out in the moment.

Let’s Talk

Sometimes the difference between wisdom and regret is just a few seconds of silence. The pause before you reply. The breath before you react. The moment you HALT.

When you're hurt, angry, lonely, or tired — your judgement narrows. It feels urgent, like you have to respond right now. But urgency isn't always clarity.

The HALT principle isn't magic, but it’s one of the simplest ways to disrupt the chaos before it spirals.

For me, it’s not about ignoring what I feel, It’s about honouring the impact of what I do when I feel it.

If you've ever sent a message you regretted or snapped at someone you love, maybe it’s time to build a rhythm of checking in before you charge forward. You don’t have to become emotionally numb to be emotionally wise.

You just need to notice when you're not in the place to make a call — and hit pause until your soul catches up.

Scripture

“Fools give full vent to their rage, but the wise bring calm in the end.”
— Proverbs 29:11 (NIV)

Mental Health Moment

The HALT principle — Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired — has been used for decades in recovery communities like Alcoholics Anonymous to prevent relapse and reduce reactivity. It’s simple, but powerful: check your state before you make a move.

When you're emotionally flooded, HALT offers a pause. A moment to ask: Am I really ready to respond? Or am I just raw?

This is especially helpful for anyone navigating anxiety, bipolar disorder, or trauma, where emotional overload can come fast and hit hard. But it’s useful for all of us. Because let’s be honest — we’ve all fired off that message or made that call in a HALT moment… and regretted it.

HALT isn’t a restriction. It’s a release — permission to pause until your soul catches up.

Practice for Today

Write down your personal “red flag” states.
Not just HALT — but any combo of emotional or physical cues that make you reactive. For example:

• I haven’t had a proper meal all day

• I’ve gone 48 hours without rest or connection

• I’m ruminating on a past wound

Then, next time you feel heightened — ask:
Is this a HALT moment?
If so, delay the decision. Delay the reply. Delay the damage.

A Prayer for the Unregulated

Lord,
You know how quickly my emotions can get loud.
How easy it is to react, not respond.
Teach me to pause.
To bring my chaos to You before I bring it to others.
Help me not bottle it up — but not blow up either.
Give me wisdom, grace, and space.
Amen.

Reflection Prompt

What situations tend to push you into reactive mode?
What boundary or practice could you build to protect your peace before you get there?