I believe that focusing on habit making can help to overcome racial battle fatigue.
Let me explain.
Very early in the pandemic, quarantine trapped me in a vicious cycle of repetitiveness. This cycle was not grounded in any type of positivity or productivity.
I was stuck in a state of ugh. A state of ugh that quickly and unconsciously created negative and mentally stressful habits.
I woke up at any hour of the day because…why not? I had nowhere to go. The normalcy that I previously knew was swallowed up by an unknown virus that quickly spread throughout the entire world. As the months went by, summer began to show itself as a season with immense historical impact. With the tragic murder of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, the racial battle fatigue that I once knew how to mask with school, work and life had slowly come to take over my mental health. In my house, I was faced with nothing but my inner thoughts and constant news.
My inability to leave my house left me with boredom that could only be resolved by constantly tuning in to the outside world. However, as the protest and riots erupted in Minneapolis, Minnesota, I knew I needed to find a system that would save my mental health as a Black millennial.
In The Power of Habit, Charles Duhigg stresses the importance of fighting a bad habit by breaking it down into Cue, Routine, and Reward. To Duhigg, once you understand the pattern of your old habits, you can identify the cue that prompts a specific routine. Duhigg also explains that in order for a habit to permanently change, you must believe that change is feasible.
So, how could I use Cue, Routine, and Reward to make sure that white supremacy didn’t steal my Black girl magic?
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What was my cue?
My main cue was boredom. With not much to do in my house, whenever I found myself getting immensely bored, I turned on the news. The boredom brought with it a sense of restlessness which turned my attention to my television.
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What routine did I find myself engaging in?
I ended up sitting in front of the television for what seems like hours. CNN had me hooked with their COVID-death tracker. As protests and riots sprouted nationwide, correspondents were consistently pushing out new videos while replaying the old ones. I was hooked.
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What was my reward?
My reward was the sense of fulfillment I got from knowing I was knowledgeable. I was proud of myself for keeping up with the world’s events even if it meant my own mental health was deteriorating. I was attached to that feeling.
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How did I repower this habit?
I changed my routine. When boredom hit, I turned my attention to any form of exercise such as taking a walk outside or yoga. I made the conscious effort to use my beginner practice of yoga to achieve that same level of fulfillment. My goal was to improve my practice while at the same time improving my strength and flexibility.
I believed in my ability to change this habit. As Duhigg said, believing in your ability to change a bad habit is crucial.
For me, I was tired of the sleepless nights, increased nail-biting, and being trapped in a constant state of anxiety.
The burden of Blackness in America is constantly affecting Black millennials’ mental health. With the added pressure of COVID-19 disproportionately affecting people of color, it can be difficult to stick to routines that promote positive mental wellbeing. However, it is not impossible. I believe that rewiring negative habits and implementing positive life changes into those habits can help to maintain a healthy mental health space.
Want to learn more about Charles Duhigg?
Check out his website here!
Want to read more about how to restore your sense of self in this little pandemic?
Check out our pieces: The Black Millennial’s Guide to Telemedicine Visits + A Black Millennial’s Mental Health Guide to Social Distancing!
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