Feeling Crispy?

About a week and ½ ago. I woke up in a shitty ass mood. I tried some yoga, nope still felt pissed off. I tried my oil diffuser with the stress away oil blend, no go. Everything irritated me, I yelled at the dog for being a dog, I glared at the cat because he was there. And I was being a total asshole to my partner. The worst part was, I recognized that I was being an asshole, but I couldn’t stop. Every time I opened my mouth, I could hear the asshole words that just flowed right out. I went to our bedroom to put myself in a time out. No dice.

This is crispy behavior. Crispy behaviors are those that we exhibit when we have reached our breaking point following a burn event. You may feel fatigued, unmotivated, and irritated. The behaviors or outward showing of our emotions can look different for every person.

Think about your own Crispy behaviors, what are indicators that you have reached the end of your rope? Do you self-isolate? Are you short tempered? Do you become very quiet and withdrawn?

Now, what helps you feel better when you are feeling extra crispy? For me it was a hug from my human partner. What helps you feel a sense of relief when you feel overwhelmed? This can range from getting a workout in to going for a walk to having a really tasty meal. I’m a big believer in the power of comfort food in recovering from burn events and crispy feelings.

We all have times where we are feeling crispy. Crispy feelings and behaviors are okay, especially right now during a time when our routines and normal coping practices may not be available. The key for me is to quickly find a way to recover when I recognize that I am in fact feeling Crispy. Grounding techniques and body scan tend to be my first go to when I need to come back to the present moment and STOP spiraling negative thoughts and feeling.

One that helps me the most is the 5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Technique.

Working backward from 5, use your senses to list things you notice around you. For example, you might start by listing five things you hear, then four things you see, then three things you can touch from where you’re sitting, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste.

Make an effort to notice the little things you might not always pay attention to, such as the color of the flecks in the carpet or the hum of your computer.

Crispy feelings are a normal part of being human. Give yourself some grace, ask for forgiveness to those who were impacted by your behavior and ground yourself so you can be on the path to recovery. After each Crispy episode, observe what lead up to that time, was there a breaking moment, and are there ways that you can implement some prevention in your wellness practices to better manage those things. Remember we all have an ebb and flow and feeling Crispy is just a part of that cycle.