The HALT Check: Before Reacting, Ask If You're Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired
Before reacting, check if you're Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired — most overreactions trace back to one of these four.
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Self-awareness
You can't change what you don't see. Self-awareness is the unglamorous skill of noticing your own patterns — what triggers you, what drains you, which stories you tell yourself. The advice here helps you observe yourself honestly without drowning in self-analysis.
Keep a "Done" List Instead of a To-Do List on Bad Days
On low-energy days, track what you've done rather than what's left — it restores a sense of agency when everything feels impossible.
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Do a Weekly Mental Health Check-In
A weekly five-point self-check turns vague "I feel bad" into patterns you can actually do something about.
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Create a Personal Emotional First Aid Kit
A personal crisis list made in advance means you don't have to figure out how to cope in the moment you're least able to think.
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Build a "Low Energy" Routine for Hard Days
A pre-planned minimum routine for hard days removes the need to make decisions precisely when you can't.
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The 10-10-10 Rule for Emotional Decisions
Before acting on emotion, ask how you'll feel about it in 10 minutes, 10 months, and 10 years — most urgent feelings only optimize for the first.
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Process Your Day Before Sleep
A five-minute end-of-day review keeps your brain from processing unfinished emotional business during sleep.
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Identify Your "Stress Tells" Before You Crash
Your body signals stress long before you crash — learning your personal early warnings lets you intervene in time.
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Curiosity Is the Antidote to Judgment
Replacing judgment with curiosity — about yourself or others — turns a dead end into an open question.
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