Feeling guilty, Shawarma seasoning, Funny moments, and Untangle your shoulder
HALT on Hump Day 4/2/25
Nobody makes good decisions when they feel Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired. HALT on Hump day looks at ways I manage those things in my life. Hopefully you’ll find something that will help your life.
HUNGRY
I love this rib recipe, but I’ve been toying with the rub. It calls for a salt-free rub because it has you salt the ribs for a few hours to essentially brine them before they go into the smoker.
Finding a rub without salt isn’t easy, but I got this one in my Christmas stocking and figured I’d give it a try. It’s a salt-free Shawarma seasoning.
I put this seasoning on some chicken a few weeks ago, and I thought it was hollow. It was missing something. It needed salt.
This was a perfect time to use it, and I’m putting it into my normal rotation now because I liked it so much.
It’s a nice reframe on traditional ribs, and you can spice it up with a harissa (or chili crunch. Always chili crunch).
ANGRY
Guilty pleasures are one thing. Feeling guilty about a misdeed is another. But it seems like most often feel guilt when we feel pulled by two (or maybe more) obligations.
Working parents get it. Their jobs demand time, but so do their kids.
We may feel this when our friends want to get together, but we have a project we should work on around the house.
Or maybe you get to go do something really awesome while someone else gets left behind.
In those circumstances (and I’m sure in many you’re considering right now) you may need a reframe so you can accept the choice you end up making and release the guilt you currently carry while you do it.
Here’s an example. I used to have a sales rep who always wanted to say yes to everything. My guess is we have some other people pleasers out there (I raise my hand). I used this reframe:
If you say yes to one thing, you are automatically saying no to whatever else you’d do. If you agree to work a Friday night for this account, then you’re saying no to time with your spouse or friends. Either way you say no to someone. Make sure you know who that is.
This prompt may help you:
What’s one thing that often makes you feel guilty, and how can you reframe or release that guilt?
LONELY
Our minds skew towards negative thoughts. It’s true with the thoughts we have about ourselves, but it’s also true for the thoughts we have about our relationships.
To combat the bad vibes, I like to litter my prompts with ones to intentionally insert positivity into my mind.
Here’s one I use for my marriage, and I can never get through it without smiling to myself.
Tuck this away for a day when you’re not feeling your best. Give yourself a boost.
What’s a funny or lighthearted moment you’ve shared recently?
TIRED
Many of us hunch over keyboards for hours on end, and it exacerbates the tension we carry in our shoulders. This technique helps ease those tight spots (which are hard to stretch).
Put a lacrosse ball (or something like it) on the floor, then lay down and position it in the space between your shoulder blade and spine.
Wiggle around until you find the tight spots. Breathe. Move around and let the ball soften those knots.
After a few breaths, you can slowly move your arm and hand above your head and really dig deep.
After you feel good on one side, switch and move to the other.
Thank you for reading. If you liked something in here, send it to a friend. There’s a good chance they will smile, I’ll definitely smile, and I bet you will, too. Trifecta!