Zerlina Maxwell
@zerlinamaxwell.bsky.social
@siriusxm Radio Host: Mornings with Zerlina.
Channel 127 Weekdays 7-9am ET
Subscribe - https://zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/
Channel 127 Weekdays 7-9am ET
Subscribe - https://zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/
How has living so much of our lives online changed who we are at our core?
That question has been living in my body for years now, especially after working in politics, media, and the news cycle.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/why-you-ne...
That question has been living in my body for years now, especially after working in politics, media, and the news cycle.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/why-you-ne...
February 13, 2026 at 4:15 PM
How has living so much of our lives online changed who we are at our core?
That question has been living in my body for years now, especially after working in politics, media, and the news cycle.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/why-you-ne...
That question has been living in my body for years now, especially after working in politics, media, and the news cycle.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/why-you-ne...
I’ve been thinking a lot about who we're becoming in this digital age, not just politically divided, but also the impact on all of us psychologically, spiritually, and relationally. It's personal for me.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/why-you-ne...
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/why-you-ne...
February 11, 2026 at 3:19 PM
I’ve been thinking a lot about who we're becoming in this digital age, not just politically divided, but also the impact on all of us psychologically, spiritually, and relationally. It's personal for me.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/why-you-ne...
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/why-you-ne...
February 10, 2026 at 12:01 PM
Curious about moving out of the United States? I’m so excited to tell you that Kirsten Powers and I are hosting a workshop on exactly this topic.
Join us Tuesday, Feb. 10th for a 90 minute conversation on how we moved abroad, with plenty of time for Q&A. Sign up to join us here: luma.com/c0i4dfm5
Join us Tuesday, Feb. 10th for a 90 minute conversation on how we moved abroad, with plenty of time for Q&A. Sign up to join us here: luma.com/c0i4dfm5
February 6, 2026 at 7:03 PM
Curious about moving out of the United States? I’m so excited to tell you that Kirsten Powers and I are hosting a workshop on exactly this topic.
Join us Tuesday, Feb. 10th for a 90 minute conversation on how we moved abroad, with plenty of time for Q&A. Sign up to join us here: luma.com/c0i4dfm5
Join us Tuesday, Feb. 10th for a 90 minute conversation on how we moved abroad, with plenty of time for Q&A. Sign up to join us here: luma.com/c0i4dfm5
If watching the news feels too heavy right now, I see you. I get it. That reaction makes complete sense.
What I'm trying to learn right now is how to live my life in a world that has never actually known peace.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/trying-to-...
What I'm trying to learn right now is how to live my life in a world that has never actually known peace.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/trying-to-...
February 6, 2026 at 4:26 PM
If watching the news feels too heavy right now, I see you. I get it. That reaction makes complete sense.
What I'm trying to learn right now is how to live my life in a world that has never actually known peace.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/trying-to-...
What I'm trying to learn right now is how to live my life in a world that has never actually known peace.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/trying-to-...
You’re not avoiding the news because you don’t care. It’s because you feel depleted by it.
The problem is that you are being asked to metabolize nonstop crises without relief, resolution, or rest. That isn’t healthy.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/trying-to-...
The problem is that you are being asked to metabolize nonstop crises without relief, resolution, or rest. That isn’t healthy.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/trying-to-...
February 4, 2026 at 6:10 PM
You’re not avoiding the news because you don’t care. It’s because you feel depleted by it.
The problem is that you are being asked to metabolize nonstop crises without relief, resolution, or rest. That isn’t healthy.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/trying-to-...
The problem is that you are being asked to metabolize nonstop crises without relief, resolution, or rest. That isn’t healthy.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/trying-to-...
When I’m not working, I rest. I create space for quiet and joy. Not because I don’t care about what’s happening, but because I care too much.
Self-care isn't a distraction from activism. It's what makes activism possible.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/learning-h...
Self-care isn't a distraction from activism. It's what makes activism possible.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/learning-h...
January 30, 2026 at 10:02 PM
When I’m not working, I rest. I create space for quiet and joy. Not because I don’t care about what’s happening, but because I care too much.
Self-care isn't a distraction from activism. It's what makes activism possible.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/learning-h...
Self-care isn't a distraction from activism. It's what makes activism possible.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/learning-h...
I left the U.S. in Feb 2025 because I could feel what was coming. Being across the ocean allows for clarity in seeing how dangerous this moment is for the future of American democracy and global stability. I can see the emergency very clearly.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/learning-h...
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/learning-h...
January 28, 2026 at 3:23 PM
I left the U.S. in Feb 2025 because I could feel what was coming. Being across the ocean allows for clarity in seeing how dangerous this moment is for the future of American democracy and global stability. I can see the emergency very clearly.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/learning-h...
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/learning-h...
I cannot afford to live in a constant state of depletion. If I don’t seek out joy, I will burn out. This is something I understand now in a way I didn’t before: joy doesn’t just happen anymore. You have to intentionally choose it.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/theres-a-b...
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/theres-a-b...
January 23, 2026 at 3:45 PM
I cannot afford to live in a constant state of depletion. If I don’t seek out joy, I will burn out. This is something I understand now in a way I didn’t before: joy doesn’t just happen anymore. You have to intentionally choose it.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/theres-a-b...
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/theres-a-b...
A year ago, I noticed something outside my apartment balcony. There’s a boat docked there. On the side of it, in big letters, is the word JOY.
It felt like a clear sign for me to remember why I’m even on this planet.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/theres-a-b...
It felt like a clear sign for me to remember why I’m even on this planet.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/theres-a-b...
January 21, 2026 at 5:02 PM
A year ago, I noticed something outside my apartment balcony. There’s a boat docked there. On the side of it, in big letters, is the word JOY.
It felt like a clear sign for me to remember why I’m even on this planet.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/theres-a-b...
It felt like a clear sign for me to remember why I’m even on this planet.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/theres-a-b...
If you’re in a season of transition, and you don’t yet know what comes next, know this: the presence of fear doesn’t mean you’re doing something wrong. It usually means you’re telling the truth about how you feel.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/a-note-for...
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/a-note-for...
January 16, 2026 at 2:51 PM
If you’re in a season of transition, and you don’t yet know what comes next, know this: the presence of fear doesn’t mean you’re doing something wrong. It usually means you’re telling the truth about how you feel.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/a-note-for...
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/a-note-for...
A year ago, I moved to Sicily. It was hard, but now I’m thriving. From the outside, you see the curated version of my life and you'd probably assume that the courage I have is due to the absence of fear.
But it's not.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/a-note-for...
But it's not.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/a-note-for...
January 14, 2026 at 3:36 PM
A year ago, I moved to Sicily. It was hard, but now I’m thriving. From the outside, you see the curated version of my life and you'd probably assume that the courage I have is due to the absence of fear.
But it's not.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/a-note-for...
But it's not.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/a-note-for...
Do you know what's worse than being sick? Being sick when you're alone with no one to take care of you. And even more, being sick and alone when you're in a foreign country.
Read more about what I learned about taking care of myself: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/mental-hea...
Read more about what I learned about taking care of myself: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/mental-hea...
January 12, 2026 at 6:48 PM
Do you know what's worse than being sick? Being sick when you're alone with no one to take care of you. And even more, being sick and alone when you're in a foreign country.
Read more about what I learned about taking care of myself: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/mental-hea...
Read more about what I learned about taking care of myself: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/mental-hea...
Every year, we all set our goals. And by mid-January, most of those big goals are sitting untouched, staring back at us like an accusation. Then the guilt creeps in.
So this year, I’m doing something different.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/im-not-sta...
So this year, I’m doing something different.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/im-not-sta...
January 9, 2026 at 5:17 PM
Every year, we all set our goals. And by mid-January, most of those big goals are sitting untouched, staring back at us like an accusation. Then the guilt creeps in.
So this year, I’m doing something different.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/im-not-sta...
So this year, I’m doing something different.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/im-not-sta...
Every January, we do the same thing. We set big goals for the year ahead.
But one thing that we all have in common is sometimes we set our goals only to break our own promises on the first Monday of the new year.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/im-not-sta...
But one thing that we all have in common is sometimes we set our goals only to break our own promises on the first Monday of the new year.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/im-not-sta...
January 7, 2026 at 3:31 PM
Every January, we do the same thing. We set big goals for the year ahead.
But one thing that we all have in common is sometimes we set our goals only to break our own promises on the first Monday of the new year.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/im-not-sta...
But one thing that we all have in common is sometimes we set our goals only to break our own promises on the first Monday of the new year.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/im-not-sta...
This is how my goal setting begins for the new year: I start with the feeling.
Do I need to create a life with more peace? More joy? Do I need to cultivate more strength? More financial security? Do I want to tap into my creativity more?
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/my-soul-al...
Do I need to create a life with more peace? More joy? Do I need to cultivate more strength? More financial security? Do I want to tap into my creativity more?
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/my-soul-al...
December 12, 2025 at 3:46 PM
This is how my goal setting begins for the new year: I start with the feeling.
Do I need to create a life with more peace? More joy? Do I need to cultivate more strength? More financial security? Do I want to tap into my creativity more?
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/my-soul-al...
Do I need to create a life with more peace? More joy? Do I need to cultivate more strength? More financial security? Do I want to tap into my creativity more?
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/my-soul-al...
Reposted by Zerlina Maxwell
Happy Friday! Joining @zerlinamaxwell.bsky.social: @adamsmith.house.gov of WA-09, @duckworth.senate.gov of Illinois + Author of the book 107 Days, @kamalaharris.com!
☎️ 866-997-4748
📻 @siriusxmprog.bsky.social Ch. 127
siriusxm.us/Zerlina
☎️ 866-997-4748
📻 @siriusxmprog.bsky.social Ch. 127
siriusxm.us/Zerlina
December 12, 2025 at 11:30 AM
Happy Friday! Joining @zerlinamaxwell.bsky.social: @adamsmith.house.gov of WA-09, @duckworth.senate.gov of Illinois + Author of the book 107 Days, @kamalaharris.com!
☎️ 866-997-4748
📻 @siriusxmprog.bsky.social Ch. 127
siriusxm.us/Zerlina
☎️ 866-997-4748
📻 @siriusxmprog.bsky.social Ch. 127
siriusxm.us/Zerlina
Every December, I plan for the year to come. I review my goals and I compare it to a list of things that I actually did. It's not about beating myself up, but an accounting of what I accomplished (and didn’t) and apply the lessons to next year.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/my-soul-al...
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/my-soul-al...
December 10, 2025 at 3:13 PM
Every December, I plan for the year to come. I review my goals and I compare it to a list of things that I actually did. It's not about beating myself up, but an accounting of what I accomplished (and didn’t) and apply the lessons to next year.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/my-soul-al...
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/my-soul-al...
I’ve always wanted to speak multiple languages and I spent many years studying Spanish. I almost double majored in Spanish because I really wanted to put in all of the work I could to become a bilingual person.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/moving-to-...
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/moving-to-...
December 8, 2025 at 3:42 PM
I’ve always wanted to speak multiple languages and I spent many years studying Spanish. I almost double majored in Spanish because I really wanted to put in all of the work I could to become a bilingual person.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/moving-to-...
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/moving-to-...
November is my birthday month so you know I had to make it memorable. I tasted world famous Marsala wine, went out to a fancy dinner for my birthday, and took a spontaneous, absolutely magical trip to Paris.
Keep reading to see my November photo recap: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/photo-jour...
Keep reading to see my November photo recap: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/photo-jour...
December 5, 2025 at 6:10 PM
November is my birthday month so you know I had to make it memorable. I tasted world famous Marsala wine, went out to a fancy dinner for my birthday, and took a spontaneous, absolutely magical trip to Paris.
Keep reading to see my November photo recap: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/photo-jour...
Keep reading to see my November photo recap: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/photo-jour...
There’s a line from the poet Paul Laurence Dunbar that resonates with me: “We wear the mask that grins and lies, It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes.”
If you’re a Black woman born and raised in America, you feel that poem deeply.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/palermo-th...
If you’re a Black woman born and raised in America, you feel that poem deeply.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/palermo-th...
December 3, 2025 at 4:40 PM
There’s a line from the poet Paul Laurence Dunbar that resonates with me: “We wear the mask that grins and lies, It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes.”
If you’re a Black woman born and raised in America, you feel that poem deeply.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/palermo-th...
If you’re a Black woman born and raised in America, you feel that poem deeply.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/palermo-th...
I just celebrated over 5,000 subscribers for my Substack, The Inner Work Dispatch. I started it back in February, to document my journey to Sicily and to talk about mental health.
If you haven't joined, you can subscribe for 15% off until the end of November.
Head to zerlinamaxwell.substack.com.
If you haven't joined, you can subscribe for 15% off until the end of November.
Head to zerlinamaxwell.substack.com.
November 17, 2025 at 4:35 PM
I just celebrated over 5,000 subscribers for my Substack, The Inner Work Dispatch. I started it back in February, to document my journey to Sicily and to talk about mental health.
If you haven't joined, you can subscribe for 15% off until the end of November.
Head to zerlinamaxwell.substack.com.
If you haven't joined, you can subscribe for 15% off until the end of November.
Head to zerlinamaxwell.substack.com.
We live in a country that's collectively grieving, and yet we're on autopilot. What the heck is the point of the grind if not to feel joy??
My move to Italy came from a desire to experience happiness every day.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/mental-hea...
My move to Italy came from a desire to experience happiness every day.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/mental-hea...
November 16, 2025 at 4:55 PM
We live in a country that's collectively grieving, and yet we're on autopilot. What the heck is the point of the grind if not to feel joy??
My move to Italy came from a desire to experience happiness every day.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/mental-hea...
My move to Italy came from a desire to experience happiness every day.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/mental-hea...
Birthdays are equal parts gratitude and grief, especially since my mother passed. She was always the first person to call on my birthday.
Now the silence is deafening. I wake up on my birthday knowing she won't call. And I always cry.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/its-my-bir...
Now the silence is deafening. I wake up on my birthday knowing she won't call. And I always cry.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/its-my-bir...
November 14, 2025 at 3:56 PM
Birthdays are equal parts gratitude and grief, especially since my mother passed. She was always the first person to call on my birthday.
Now the silence is deafening. I wake up on my birthday knowing she won't call. And I always cry.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/its-my-bir...
Now the silence is deafening. I wake up on my birthday knowing she won't call. And I always cry.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/its-my-bir...
Every year, my birthday sneaks up on me, even though I know it's coming. And every year, I tell myself I’m fine.
That I’m living the life I intentionally chose and I’m leaning into joy. But every year, I wake up, and I cry.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/its-my-bir...
That I’m living the life I intentionally chose and I’m leaning into joy. But every year, I wake up, and I cry.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/its-my-bir...
November 12, 2025 at 3:11 PM
Every year, my birthday sneaks up on me, even though I know it's coming. And every year, I tell myself I’m fine.
That I’m living the life I intentionally chose and I’m leaning into joy. But every year, I wake up, and I cry.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/its-my-bir...
That I’m living the life I intentionally chose and I’m leaning into joy. But every year, I wake up, and I cry.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/its-my-bir...