I’ve been poking around quite a bit in psychology recently, what with school and all the reading I do about introverts, emotions, and how brains work. In both my fiction and nonfiction reading, the acronym HALTT has shown up quite a bit recently. It’s also common in the world of recovery. For those who aren’t already familiar with it, it stands for:
- Hungry
- Angry
- Lonely
- Tired
- Triggered
As in, if you are in any of these states, your behavior is more likely to be… unlike what you would prefer.
Not for Me
Truth is, I really don’t like HALTT. It’s negative, coming from a place of lack. Keeping an eye out for a deficit does not keep my tanks full, it just keeps them from drying out. And so, I’ve converted HALTT to RISSC, as in, looking at my readiness to take a risk. Which for me, makes tons more sense anyway. It works like this, am I:
- Rested
- Interested
- Sated
- Supported
- Content
Because, when my tanks are full, I’m in a much better position to take on the scary. When I have a strong foundation, I can handle it if something goes wrong. When I feel emotionally and physically nourished I am more likely to know when to stop and how much further I want to go.
The Emotional Symphony
Each part works in concert with another to create what is, in effect, the symphony of that moment. When you’re highly nourished at each level, they combine to form the perfect background for supporting your next choice. And when one is out of harmony, then it can throw the others out of harmony too.
If I’m tired, I’m more likely to make bad choices regarding food. If I haven’t eaten properly, I’m more likely to be distracted and misinterpret what other people say. Those conditions combine to create a place where I have no business making myself vulnerable because I’ll end up defensive on top of everything else.
I’m still learning to see what I need to have in order to set myself up for success when trying something new. I know I’m better off when rested, showered, fed and watered. It helps significantly when my home is clean and organized, too. I like to know as much as possible about what will happen next, whatever “next” happens to mean in that context.
What are your necessary conditions for taking risks?
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We’re being open here, sharing and saying things we don’t always say out loud. What helps: Sharing your stories and Ideas. Cheering and telling what works/worked for you. What hurts: shoulds, harshness, and such. (I used to teach first grade, I can’t help it.)
Tags: Awareness, baby steps, choice, comfort zone, fear, hsp, overwhelmed, patterns, shy
