HALT -

When I was a freshman living in the dorm, our dorm lady - I think she was call our "RA" - put a piece of paper on each door that read "HALT!"  And it stood for:
Hungry
Angry
Lonely 
Tired

If you, as a freshman, were any two of those things you had to HALT!! and fix at least one of them - eat something, call someone, take a rest, etc. I assume many freshman were either 
A) good at eating, sleeping and socializing and the anger would come in when they got kicked out of school or 
B) terrible at maneuvering the world, suddenly, in such a different way and needed someone to tell them to eat something for Pete's sake.  

My college years were before the days
when we could express our angst with grumpy cat.

Luckily I was somewhere in the middle.  Of all the things I (semi) "accomplished" (a term used loosely in this sense) in college I think about "HALT"  a lot.  

When I use to work outside my home like a normal person I would often "HALT" myself first thing at work in the mornings.  Making sure I didn't get too busy to drink the coffee or breakfast I brought and making sure to reach out to friends in some way first thing - this made me happier the rest of the day. Obviously "Halting" yourself when you get in the evenings is important too. 

As a Tired Girl I know that if any of these things (hunger, anger, loneliness of fatigue) get away from me, like get too big - I am doomed.  There will be tears and a mini-meltdown.  (Aren't there tears every day you ask? Yes of course there - I am a Crier, but still).

Here is a quick word on each of these - the Tired Girl way: 

I like this flavor best and they do fill me
up for a breakfast on the go if I am short on time.
They count for 6 points on weight watchers.

Hungry - if I get too hungry, I get hangry (it's a thing) and I don't even know it's happening I just can't think and then I melt down. I carry a a granola bar or a Belvita pack in my purse - just in case.  I also try not to get too hungry or I effing binge! - I forget to purge though so that means I don't have disorder. 

Angry - I get more anxious than angry - either way a phone call to mom or my husband usually does the job there. Exercise is also my biggest ally in anger and anxiety, but that is not always feasible. So then I ask myself a VERY dangerous question "If you could do anything right now to feel better what would it be?"  Luckily the answer is usually something realistic like "move around my house to neaten it up, cry a little, look at sale items on J.Crew, and call my mom." 

A good ol' call to my mom fixes some things.
I did not edit this photo except to make it black and white,
the fact that we took this in a bathroom
shouldn't have made us look so plastic.

Lonely - I am happy being alone, but I do like to feel connected to the world. The key here is not to put all your eggs in one basket - don't just text one friend and sit there and wait for a reply.  I will email/ facebook like 6-10 friends when I feel lonely  - and write a short sentence or two about something we talked about last and ask how they are.  I like to know specific things about my friends - so I ask them what they had for dinner or what are they watching that night on tv, something that makes me feel right there with them. usually atleast two will write me back right away and I can go from there.  Also, commenting on a few people's post on Facebook makes me feel connected as well - don't psycho-anlayze me or tell me why that's nuts - just let me have this. 

Dogs doing human things is another favorite past time
when I am tired and looking for a pick me up. 

Tired - well I write a whole blog about it so I am like all over the tired thing. Alot of times though when I need to be less tired in the a.m. then coffee and movement do the trick. Tired in the evening I work to go to bed early, take a power nap or get on ebay as it strangely relaxes me.

Something we Tired Girls never want to hear, because our sole goal is to sit down, 
BUT exercise fixes things too.  
Here I am in my old lady easy spirit slip on shoes and my pajama pants. 
Check your judgement elsewhere.  

As a Tired Girl I will always need help helping myself.  How do you HALT yourself?