Remember back when your bones didn’t ache? Young and immortal, you didn’t think of energy as a necessity because it was your default setting. You didn’t think of things like health or happiness or purpose because they were like air — something you always had.

It was a time where you didn’t have to think of normal things. It was a time where bad things didn’t matter. A time where if the world was at war, it wasn’t your problem to bear. A time when tragedy couldn’t infiltrate the fortress of glee that protected you as a child. You knew the world had issues but they couldn’t dull your glow or kill your vibe.

Adulthood — a common unfortunate experience we all share— is a thing that happens sooner for black people.

One day you’re a child and the next you aren’t. It's the policeman who slaughters you in the park and the family friend who's undressing your maturing but still juvenile figure. It's the world hauling you into the court of public opinion, it's the thousands of unbalanced prosecutions.

One day you wake up and suddenly your energy is a finite resource. Happiness is a perpetual succession of checkpoints between health and purpose and peace & justice — with only a choice of one. One night you go to bed carefree and the next day you can barely get up with anxiety weighing you down.

But what if there’s a way to win? A way to reclaim your vitality so you can boldly and energetically address the global issues that occupy your now experienced mind?

No, this is not a drug pitch or an invitation to a seminar. Yes, this is another piece about self-care. This is about beating black fatigue.

The depression, anxiety, boredom, complacency, rage and frustration that comes from being forced to grow up and carry the weight of injustice is something we're not taught how to maintain. But with these habits you can win the battle with yourself so you can help win the war for this nation. It starts with “Spirit Tuning.”

Spirit Tuning is when you let your body heal and center itself. This happens when you build habits that stimulate your brain’s production of serotonin. You’ve heard of the neurotransmitter serotonin, but you probably think it’s just “the happiness chemical” right? Wrong.

Serotonin is also linked to concentration, memory, learning, sexual appetite, and mood. A lack of Serotonin or an imbalance can lead to depression, mood swings, anger, complacence, and poor intellectual performance. See where I’m going with this?

The first step to restoring balance in the world is maintaining balance within (in my grandmaster Khiree voice). So here are 5 essential habits for conquering black fatigue:

“Earthing”

A movement grounded in the discovery that we get energy from barefoot contact with the earth (grass, dirt, sand, mud, water etc). Make weekly time to let the soles of your feet touch the ground and watch your happiness grow while your ailments fade.

Water

Eight cups by eight o’clock! Your brain is 85% water. One of its main functions is allowing your brain to produce hormones and neurotransmitters. The second you don’t get enough, your brain speed, memory, and all other functions are impacted. For every 1% of dehydration, you lose 5% of your brain function. Look it up!

Meditation

Stop for a moment a few times a day and focus on nothing but your breathing. Give the old cranium a rest and let it sort itself out every now and then.

Fun

Turn up! If you let the struggle keep you from ever enjoying life, you’ve already lost. Don’t let injustice anywhere ruin a good time everywhere!

Diet

Proven brain foods and serotonin builders include: avocados, blueberries, nuts & seeds, salmon, and whole grains.

Build these habits to build your stamina, cognitive capacity, and your appetite for advocacy and activism. The mountaintop is a high climb, can’t burn out on the way!

Khiree Smith

Writing since February 2017 · 1 story contributed