Browse
Top articles
How to Meditate: Meditation 101 for Beginners
10 Science-Backed Benefits of Meditation
What is Meditation?
How to Meditate: Meditation 101 for Beginners
10 Science-Backed Benefits of Meditation
What is Meditation?
Benefits of Mindfulness: Mindful Living Can Change Your Life
Mindfulness 101: A Beginner's Guide
00:00
00:00
Personalized support for learning how to integrate mindfulness into your life. Delivered fresh everyday by our world renowned experts. Choose meditation duration:
Hey, welcome back to your Daily Mindfulness. In today's session, we're going to discuss a simple technique, an acronym, that you can use to practice better self-care and not get caught up in reactive tendencies. So have you ever had the experience where something just feels off in the moment? You say something you wish you didn't say, you do something you wish you didn't do. Maybe you're just caught up in a reactive way of being that doesn't feel like your normal self. We could chalk this up to moodiness or situational variables, but a lot of times that reactivity can come from some basic needs that aren't being met.
And one way we can help with this is through the acronym, HALT. H-A-L-T, which represents four things that we can make sure we're addressing throughout the day. So we're going to go through it one by one. The first letter is H which stands for hunger. Now part of this is physical hunger, and I think we're all familiar with the crankiness that can come when we haven't eaten in a while.
It makes us more edgy, cranky, or the popular hangry. But hunger can also refer to an emotional hunger. Perhaps a hunger to fulfill a sense of purpose or be able to express yourself or even a hunger to accomplish something. All of these things can be a form of hunger as well, that when not met often create a subconscious feeling of not being in balance with ourselves. So the first is hunger and making sure we're attuned to that.
Next is A, which stands for anger. Am I angry right now? It's a very normal experience. But again, sometimes in the rush of the day, we don't realize the pent up anger that we might be holding or something that was unresolved from earlier in the day, the week before, or even months before. So periodically checking in to see, is there something I'm angry about that hasn't been fully able to surface or be processed that's coming up in a, an unhealthy way. And this is something we can address by either having a conversation with someone, making space for it in our awareness, or maybe feeling it in a meditation practice so it can start to release.
So those are the first two hunger anger. The L stands for loneliness. Am I lonely right now? Have I been isolated all day or a whole week? I know I'm certainly susceptible to this in my work. I enjoy my alone time, but sometimes I can push it too far and then start to feel off or unfulfilled. And it's mainly because I just need to connect with other people.
Friends, a phone call or even go to a coffee shop and see strangers. So checking in. Am I lonely right now? Do I need connection? And lastly, we have T which stands for, am I tired. This might be the one where all most familiar with as a basic need that often gets neglected. But it's quite possible that you're feeling off or reactive in some way, not because there's anything wrong with you, but simply because you're exhausted.
Perhaps you need a nap or you need to prioritize your, your sleep. We're so used to pushing through our fatigue that we often forget how important it is for our emotional wellbeing to have a full night's sleep and to be well rested. So to recap, HALT helps us connect to four things. Am I hungry? Am I angry? Am I lonely? And am I tired? And as you go throughout your day, and at times when you might feel a little bit off, see if you can come back to this as a way to check in with yourself and practice some more self-care. As always have fun with it.
Thank you for your practice. And I'll talk to you soon. Take care.
HALT: A Practice for Self-Care
Personalized support for learning how to integrate mindfulness into your life. Delivered fresh everyday by our world renowned experts. Choose meditation duration:
Duration
Your default time is based on your progress and is changed automatically as you practice.
Hey, welcome back to your Daily Mindfulness. In today's session, we're going to discuss a simple technique, an acronym, that you can use to practice better self-care and not get caught up in reactive tendencies. So have you ever had the experience where something just feels off in the moment? You say something you wish you didn't say, you do something you wish you didn't do. Maybe you're just caught up in a reactive way of being that doesn't feel like your normal self. We could chalk this up to moodiness or situational variables, but a lot of times that reactivity can come from some basic needs that aren't being met.
And one way we can help with this is through the acronym, HALT. H-A-L-T, which represents four things that we can make sure we're addressing throughout the day. So we're going to go through it one by one. The first letter is H which stands for hunger. Now part of this is physical hunger, and I think we're all familiar with the crankiness that can come when we haven't eaten in a while.
It makes us more edgy, cranky, or the popular hangry. But hunger can also refer to an emotional hunger. Perhaps a hunger to fulfill a sense of purpose or be able to express yourself or even a hunger to accomplish something. All of these things can be a form of hunger as well, that when not met often create a subconscious feeling of not being in balance with ourselves. So the first is hunger and making sure we're attuned to that.
Next is A, which stands for anger. Am I angry right now? It's a very normal experience. But again, sometimes in the rush of the day, we don't realize the pent up anger that we might be holding or something that was unresolved from earlier in the day, the week before, or even months before. So periodically checking in to see, is there something I'm angry about that hasn't been fully able to surface or be processed that's coming up in a, an unhealthy way. And this is something we can address by either having a conversation with someone, making space for it in our awareness, or maybe feeling it in a meditation practice so it can start to release.
So those are the first two hunger anger. The L stands for loneliness. Am I lonely right now? Have I been isolated all day or a whole week? I know I'm certainly susceptible to this in my work. I enjoy my alone time, but sometimes I can push it too far and then start to feel off or unfulfilled. And it's mainly because I just need to connect with other people.
Friends, a phone call or even go to a coffee shop and see strangers. So checking in. Am I lonely right now? Do I need connection? And lastly, we have T which stands for, am I tired. This might be the one where all most familiar with as a basic need that often gets neglected. But it's quite possible that you're feeling off or reactive in some way, not because there's anything wrong with you, but simply because you're exhausted.
Perhaps you need a nap or you need to prioritize your, your sleep. We're so used to pushing through our fatigue that we often forget how important it is for our emotional wellbeing to have a full night's sleep and to be well rested. So to recap, HALT helps us connect to four things. Am I hungry? Am I angry? Am I lonely? And am I tired? And as you go throughout your day, and at times when you might feel a little bit off, see if you can come back to this as a way to check in with yourself and practice some more self-care. As always have fun with it.
Thank you for your practice. And I'll talk to you soon. Take care.
Duration
Play in-app
Scan the following QR code with your camera app to open it on our mobile app
Get Unlimited Access
A Mindfulness Plus+ subscription gives you unlimited access to a world of premium mindfulness content.
Email Missing
We couldn’t detect your email with the SSO provider you have selected.We are here to make a positive impact on the world. We never want to sell you something that hasn’t helped you live a better life. That’s why if you’re unhappy with any purchase from us, you have 30 days to get a full refund and your money back.
If you subscribed to Mindfulness Plus+ and are unhappy with your purchase, please get in contact with us within the 30-day period and we’ll refund your purchase.
Learn more about our Mindfulness Guarantee.
Mindfulness
We believe in a world where everybody has access to the life-changing skills of mindfulness.
Private Browsing
Congratulations on taking the first step towards a more mindful life! As a token of our appreciation, we want to offer you an exclusive opportunity to upgrade to Mindfulness Plus+ for a price you won't find anywhere else.
Mindfulness Plus+ is our premium membership that includes everything you need to learn mindfulness and keep practicing throughout all stages of life.
Take this exclusive offer to further your mindfulness skills and experience deeper levels of well-being.
Annual membership
$0
Just a small sample of the life-changing 5-star reviews we get on a daily basis.
Vidyamala’s tips on catching anger as it’s happening or about to happen are great - clear, practical, and doable.
- Vicoir
The little talks before the meditations are priceless. It's like I've found my peeps. The topics, the quotes, the goals—it all makes so much sense to me, things I want to be thinking and learning about. Most importantly, the meditations are kindness-centered, which I love. It feels like a new way to approach meditation.
- Lauren
Incredible, easy to navigate app. I would highly recommend this app to anyone who wishes to reduce stress and anxiety or simply as an aid to improve overall mental health.
- Kirtus
I love how the app gives me pointers to new things to explore.
- Lydia
So calm and soothing. I love the new bundle with Kelly Boys, she’s brilliant!
- EJ
Better than Headspace. I've had the paid version of both apps, and I must say I enjoy this one better.
- Gina, Plus+ Member
Vidyamala’s tips on catching anger as it’s happening or about to happen are great - clear, practical, and doable.
- Vicoir
The little talks before the meditations are priceless. It's like I've found my peeps. The topics, the quotes, the goals—it all makes so much sense to me, things I want to be thinking and learning about. Most importantly, the meditations are kindness-centered, which I love. It feels like a new way to approach meditation.
- Lauren
Incredible, easy to navigate app. I would highly recommend this app to anyone who wishes to reduce stress and anxiety or simply as an aid to improve overall mental health.
- Kirtus
I love how the app gives me pointers to new things to explore.
- Lydia
So calm and soothing. I love the new bundle with Kelly Boys, she’s brilliant!
- EJ
Better than Headspace. I've had the paid version of both apps, and I must say I enjoy this one better.
- Gina, Plus+ Member
Vidyamala’s tips on catching anger as it’s happening or about to happen are great - clear, practical, and doable.
- Vicoir
The little talks before the meditations are priceless. It's like I've found my peeps. The topics, the quotes, the goals—it all makes so much sense to me, things I want to be thinking and learning about. Most importantly, the meditations are kindness-centered, which I love. It feels like a new way to approach meditation.
- Lauren
Incredible, easy to navigate app. I would highly recommend this app to anyone who wishes to reduce stress and anxiety or simply as an aid to improve overall mental health.
- Kirtus
I love how the app gives me pointers to new things to explore.
- Lydia
So calm and soothing. I love the new bundle with Kelly Boys, she’s brilliant!
- EJ
Better than Headspace. I've had the paid version of both apps, and I must say I enjoy this one better.
- Gina, Plus+ Member
I am very new to meditation, and am so happy that my first introduction to it has been through this app
The first session was fantastic. I feel safe. And supported. Almost like having someone helping me through my difficult time. I’m very grateful for this app.
- Babi
You get a lot of useful tips for handling stress and anxiety in 'real life'.
- Joy
Highly recommend.
- Humanfrst
Kelly Boys is hands down the best. Everytime I click on one of her guided meditations I get excited for the calmness that lies ahead.
-
I am very new to meditation, and am so happy that my first introduction to it has been through this app
The first session was fantastic. I feel safe. And supported. Almost like having someone helping me through my difficult time. I’m very grateful for this app.
- Babi
You get a lot of useful tips for handling stress and anxiety in 'real life'.
- Joy
Highly recommend.
- Humanfrst
Kelly Boys is hands down the best. Everytime I click on one of her guided meditations I get excited for the calmness that lies ahead.
-
I am very new to meditation, and am so happy that my first introduction to it has been through this app
The first session was fantastic. I feel safe. And supported. Almost like having someone helping me through my difficult time. I’m very grateful for this app.
- Babi
You get a lot of useful tips for handling stress and anxiety in 'real life'.
- Joy
Highly recommend.
- Humanfrst
Kelly Boys is hands down the best. Everytime I click on one of her guided meditations I get excited for the calmness that lies ahead.
-
Thank you for joining us
Dive into the full library and enjoy all it has to offer!
Claim your free access
Create a mindfulness account and we’ll unlock this premium session in your account forever.
7-Days free trial, cancel anytime.
Complete a few quick questions to make your own personalized mindfulness plan.
Sign up or login to your mindfulness account to proceed.
Sign up or login to your mindfulness account to proceed.
Mindfulness
One membership to gain access to a world of premium mindfulness content created to help you live happier and stress less.