I don't know where this topic/idea/conversation came from but I've being seeing it pop up in multiple places over the past few weeks.  Definitely tiktok and instagram, but also youtube, in passing conversation in public.  Seems like the Universe is trying to get my attention.  
Fuck it, I'll bite.  

Closing open loops refers to the concept of completing tasks and programs(?) floating in your brain, taking up harddrive space.  This could be remembering to book appointments, to dos, errands, special occasion planning, questioning life and existance...all these mental tabs open in our brain are taking up space.  Sucking up precious energy from your personal battery.  Similar to when you keep open tabs on your phone or computer...the faster your battery dies.  

No wonder we burn out, or teeter on the edge of burn out constantly. (Also super fucking exhausting.) 

When we complete these open tabs by booking the appointment, writing down your list of things to do, completing your errand...you close the tabs and create more space in your body to rest.  Less drain on your internal battery. 
Fantastic but easier said than done. 

Closing loops seems like a great idea until you realize that the tasks taking up the most space are the biggest, scariest and most dangerous tabs to close.  You know, the hard shit you DON'T want to think about.
Taxes.
The state of the world.
Surviving. (Rent, food, money etc)
Career Change?!
Being present with yourself longer enough to feel your feelings.

Yuck.

Yet, when you're looking down the barrel of already having burnt out and/or collapsed once/twice/multiple times and not wanting to repeat that cycle.  Then closing those dangerous tabs becomes super important to your wellbeing. 

Well fuck. 
How do you close the tabs?

You sit in the muck for long time.  You get curious about it.  You ask it questions.  You ask yourself questions. And then you just sit and listen. 

Then you slowly but surely, and very very gently starting inches towards closing those tabs. SLOWLY! 

(Proceeds to take action at the speed of light (fight mode), crash (dorsal vagal shutdown) and then spend weeks recovering (freeze mode).) 

Because that's that what burnout teaches you, big life saving action is just as disregulating as all the trauma that got you there. You want to heal burn out, you have to move slowly so the body can build capacity of feeling safe.  (Takes forrrrrreverrrrrrrrr because you basically retraining your nervous system to operate in a completely new way.)

Small gentle actions will allow the body to feel safe as we close the tabs.  The tabs are still open because the body is guarding and defending itself, like it was designed to do.  Change is scarey.  So we need to proceed with caution. 

Think of your nervous sytem as a feral cat.  In order to gain it's trust, you need to proceed with gentle caution, slowing building up a relationtionship of trust over time. You respect the cat's boundaries and that is what creates the trust. Treat your nervous sytem the same. 

You're just a scared feral kitten all alone in a scary world.  It's time to come inside now.
Meow.