Feeling tired or burnt out?

Don’t allow it to let you off the hook.

The pandemic has introduced new things into our vernacular that we never could have imagined previously. One of these phrases is “quarantine fatigue.” I probably don’t need to describe what that is, because while it looks different for all, almost everyone can relate to some version.

Similarly, there’s been fatigue attributed to the firehose of the anti-racism movement. Many allies and organizers report feeling tired or burnt out — and we can all imagine that this kind of fatigue pales in comparison to experiencing racism yourself.

What people need to realize is how normal and even expected it is, and that it is OK — with the caveat that it is not an excuse to let yourself off the hook.

As with any other kind of burnout, those feeling affected need to practice self-care in some form. One thing that has been helpful for me during my exploration of all things anti-racist is talking with friends who are on the same journey, even better if it can be done over a safe socially distanced walk.

Of course allyship is hard. But being marginalized is harder. Do what you need to take care of yourself so you can stick with it.

And if you haven’t yet begun on that journey, start small. And build. And just keep going.

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Yesterday’s post here.

First post in this series of 30 exploring the the history of white privilege, racism and so much more here.