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/
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...
I had an interaction with a celebrity recently in the streets of Palermo, Sicily, and it sparked so much joy.
It made me remember to look up from my phone, because that’s when the magic happens!
Read more about glimmers of magic: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/mental-hea...
It made me remember to look up from my phone, because that’s when the magic happens!
Read more about glimmers of magic: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/mental-hea...
November 10, 2025 at 4:00 PM
I had an interaction with a celebrity recently in the streets of Palermo, Sicily, and it sparked so much joy.
It made me remember to look up from my phone, because that’s when the magic happens!
Read more about glimmers of magic: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/mental-hea...
It made me remember to look up from my phone, because that’s when the magic happens!
Read more about glimmers of magic: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/mental-hea...
There's an American phrase that sparks so much discussion: work-life balance. It’s a catch all to describe a life that includes productivity, work, joy, and fun. Why is achieving this balance so hard? Why have we been conditioned to chase it?
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/the-myth-o...
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/the-myth-o...
November 7, 2025 at 5:09 PM
There's an American phrase that sparks so much discussion: work-life balance. It’s a catch all to describe a life that includes productivity, work, joy, and fun. Why is achieving this balance so hard? Why have we been conditioned to chase it?
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/the-myth-o...
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/the-myth-o...
A big difference between how I am now after a year in Sicily vs who I was before is how fast I move and walk. I am a New Yorker at heart and it's second nature. It became part of my personality.
Being out of breath was a way of life.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/the-myth-o...
Being out of breath was a way of life.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/the-myth-o...
November 5, 2025 at 3:21 PM
A big difference between how I am now after a year in Sicily vs who I was before is how fast I move and walk. I am a New Yorker at heart and it's second nature. It became part of my personality.
Being out of breath was a way of life.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/the-myth-o...
Being out of breath was a way of life.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/the-myth-o...
My mother reminded me that racism in America existed long before me and still will after me. But I don’t have to suffer in it.
Cut to now: I'm on my balcony overlooking the sea in Sicily, drinking espresso, filled with peace.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/mental-hea...
Cut to now: I'm on my balcony overlooking the sea in Sicily, drinking espresso, filled with peace.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/mental-hea...
November 3, 2025 at 9:22 PM
My mother reminded me that racism in America existed long before me and still will after me. But I don’t have to suffer in it.
Cut to now: I'm on my balcony overlooking the sea in Sicily, drinking espresso, filled with peace.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/mental-hea...
Cut to now: I'm on my balcony overlooking the sea in Sicily, drinking espresso, filled with peace.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/mental-hea...
I tend to be guarded and most people can’t tell that anything is wrong. No one thinks I need any support so they rarely give me any. And that f*cking sucks.
At some point, I learned that the help and support I needed wasn’t coming.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/when-you-f...
At some point, I learned that the help and support I needed wasn’t coming.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/when-you-f...
November 1, 2025 at 2:38 PM
I tend to be guarded and most people can’t tell that anything is wrong. No one thinks I need any support so they rarely give me any. And that f*cking sucks.
At some point, I learned that the help and support I needed wasn’t coming.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/when-you-f...
At some point, I learned that the help and support I needed wasn’t coming.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/when-you-f...
This month, I wanted to give you an intimate look at my life as an American expat living in Palermo.
Some highlights from Oct:
-bachelorette weekend in Bari, Puglia
-Malta to work remotely for a week
-London to see VP Harris's book tour
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/photo-jour...
Some highlights from Oct:
-bachelorette weekend in Bari, Puglia
-Malta to work remotely for a week
-London to see VP Harris's book tour
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/photo-jour...
October 31, 2025 at 3:47 PM
This month, I wanted to give you an intimate look at my life as an American expat living in Palermo.
Some highlights from Oct:
-bachelorette weekend in Bari, Puglia
-Malta to work remotely for a week
-London to see VP Harris's book tour
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/photo-jour...
Some highlights from Oct:
-bachelorette weekend in Bari, Puglia
-Malta to work remotely for a week
-London to see VP Harris's book tour
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/photo-jour...
When I first started my healing journey, I thought the goal was to fix myself. I am always trying so hard to become better.
But the deeper I go, the more I realize: there was never anything broken to fix.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/when-you-f...
But the deeper I go, the more I realize: there was never anything broken to fix.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/when-you-f...
October 29, 2025 at 2:26 PM
When I first started my healing journey, I thought the goal was to fix myself. I am always trying so hard to become better.
But the deeper I go, the more I realize: there was never anything broken to fix.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/when-you-f...
But the deeper I go, the more I realize: there was never anything broken to fix.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/when-you-f...
Getting sick, alone, in a foreign country is the worst. There’s no one to make me soup or who can prepare a bath. I’m an independent woman who has the responsibility to care for myself, but when I get sick - it sucks!
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/mental-hea...
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/mental-hea...
October 27, 2025 at 2:39 PM
Getting sick, alone, in a foreign country is the worst. There’s no one to make me soup or who can prepare a bath. I’m an independent woman who has the responsibility to care for myself, but when I get sick - it sucks!
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/mental-hea...
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/mental-hea...
I hope that my Substack content on mental health and my expat journey have helped you feel more grounded while the chaos of the world circles around all of us.
Consider this my invitation to become a paid subscriber: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/an-invitat...
Consider this my invitation to become a paid subscriber: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/an-invitat...
October 26, 2025 at 2:37 AM
I hope that my Substack content on mental health and my expat journey have helped you feel more grounded while the chaos of the world circles around all of us.
Consider this my invitation to become a paid subscriber: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/an-invitat...
Consider this my invitation to become a paid subscriber: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/an-invitat...
Here’s what no one tells you when you start trying to build a slower life: slowing down costs energy. It’s intentional. It takes brain power to say no to the things I think I should do but don’t really have to. I don’t know how to sit still.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/slowing-do...
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/slowing-do...
October 24, 2025 at 3:16 PM
Here’s what no one tells you when you start trying to build a slower life: slowing down costs energy. It’s intentional. It takes brain power to say no to the things I think I should do but don’t really have to. I don’t know how to sit still.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/slowing-do...
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/slowing-do...
Lately, I’ve realized that even slowing down takes work.
Unlearning hustle culture isn’t one and done. It’s a battle between the part of my brain that thinks my value is in producing, and the part that knows my worth isn't earned through labor
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/slowing-do...
Unlearning hustle culture isn’t one and done. It’s a battle between the part of my brain that thinks my value is in producing, and the part that knows my worth isn't earned through labor
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/slowing-do...
October 22, 2025 at 3:10 PM
Lately, I’ve realized that even slowing down takes work.
Unlearning hustle culture isn’t one and done. It’s a battle between the part of my brain that thinks my value is in producing, and the part that knows my worth isn't earned through labor
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/slowing-do...
Unlearning hustle culture isn’t one and done. It’s a battle between the part of my brain that thinks my value is in producing, and the part that knows my worth isn't earned through labor
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/slowing-do...
What I do to make $$ to pay my bills isn’t a focus of conversation in Sicily like it is in the U.S. and I often think about why. I have learned that the people I’ve met are not defined by their jobs like we are.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/unlearning...
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/unlearning...
October 20, 2025 at 2:21 PM
What I do to make $$ to pay my bills isn’t a focus of conversation in Sicily like it is in the U.S. and I often think about why. I have learned that the people I’ve met are not defined by their jobs like we are.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/unlearning...
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/unlearning...
Back in 2024, I read "Homecoming" by Dr. Thema Bryant.
The book teaches you to come back “home” to yourself. My late mother always talked about “soul care” and that we have to take care of our spirit.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/mental-hea...
The book teaches you to come back “home” to yourself. My late mother always talked about “soul care” and that we have to take care of our spirit.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/mental-hea...
October 18, 2025 at 6:12 PM
Back in 2024, I read "Homecoming" by Dr. Thema Bryant.
The book teaches you to come back “home” to yourself. My late mother always talked about “soul care” and that we have to take care of our spirit.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/mental-hea...
The book teaches you to come back “home” to yourself. My late mother always talked about “soul care” and that we have to take care of our spirit.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/mental-hea...
In life, it’s not actually about sticking the landing. You're supposed to be on a continuous journey, evolving into something better. But perfect isn’t the goal, and I realize it never should have been.
It’s in the mess that the magic happens.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/letting-go...
It’s in the mess that the magic happens.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/letting-go...
October 17, 2025 at 3:33 PM
In life, it’s not actually about sticking the landing. You're supposed to be on a continuous journey, evolving into something better. But perfect isn’t the goal, and I realize it never should have been.
It’s in the mess that the magic happens.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/letting-go...
It’s in the mess that the magic happens.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/letting-go...
The 1st sport I ever loved was gymnastics. I competed until I was 15 years old, spending hours training to be perfect.
It’s no surprise that I grew up striving for perfection, only to realize it was holding me back from the life I wanted.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/letting-go...
It’s no surprise that I grew up striving for perfection, only to realize it was holding me back from the life I wanted.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/letting-go...
October 15, 2025 at 4:33 PM
The 1st sport I ever loved was gymnastics. I competed until I was 15 years old, spending hours training to be perfect.
It’s no surprise that I grew up striving for perfection, only to realize it was holding me back from the life I wanted.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/letting-go...
It’s no surprise that I grew up striving for perfection, only to realize it was holding me back from the life I wanted.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/letting-go...
I moved to Sicily without speaking any Italian.
And 1 of the lessons I’ve learned since is that I'm really afraid to suck. I live in fear of being bad at something and other people knowing it.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/moving-to-...
And 1 of the lessons I’ve learned since is that I'm really afraid to suck. I live in fear of being bad at something and other people knowing it.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/moving-to-...
October 13, 2025 at 3:14 PM
I moved to Sicily without speaking any Italian.
And 1 of the lessons I’ve learned since is that I'm really afraid to suck. I live in fear of being bad at something and other people knowing it.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/moving-to-...
And 1 of the lessons I’ve learned since is that I'm really afraid to suck. I live in fear of being bad at something and other people knowing it.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/moving-to-...
Everything in life comes down to a decision: to go after your dreams, to start/end a relationship, to move to a new place.
That’s what happened to me but it was the universe sending me signs and me taking notice.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/the-signs-...
That’s what happened to me but it was the universe sending me signs and me taking notice.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/the-signs-...
October 12, 2025 at 2:28 AM
Everything in life comes down to a decision: to go after your dreams, to start/end a relationship, to move to a new place.
That’s what happened to me but it was the universe sending me signs and me taking notice.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/the-signs-...
That’s what happened to me but it was the universe sending me signs and me taking notice.
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/the-signs-...
My entire Substack is about looking inward and working on yourself. But part of being a better person is being considerate of other people. Who cares if you’re able to heal and have an inner glow up if everyone thinks you’re a total jerk?
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/self-care-...
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/self-care-...
October 10, 2025 at 3:07 PM
My entire Substack is about looking inward and working on yourself. But part of being a better person is being considerate of other people. Who cares if you’re able to heal and have an inner glow up if everyone thinks you’re a total jerk?
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/self-care-...
Read more: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/self-care-...
A few weeks ago, I had a moment of clarity.
I was sitting near people committed to their own comfort, at the expense of everyone else.
It was self-focus to the point of rudeness. As my late mother used to say, “Zerlina, you aren’t the only one that exists in the world.”
Read more, link in bio.
I was sitting near people committed to their own comfort, at the expense of everyone else.
It was self-focus to the point of rudeness. As my late mother used to say, “Zerlina, you aren’t the only one that exists in the world.”
Read more, link in bio.
October 8, 2025 at 3:56 PM
A few weeks ago, I had a moment of clarity.
I was sitting near people committed to their own comfort, at the expense of everyone else.
It was self-focus to the point of rudeness. As my late mother used to say, “Zerlina, you aren’t the only one that exists in the world.”
Read more, link in bio.
I was sitting near people committed to their own comfort, at the expense of everyone else.
It was self-focus to the point of rudeness. As my late mother used to say, “Zerlina, you aren’t the only one that exists in the world.”
Read more, link in bio.
I'm a proud member of the 92% of Black women who voted for VP Kamala Harris in the '24 election.
We’ve always been on the frontlines of Democracy. While men get all the recognition, it's Black women who organized to ensure a better America with equity for all.
Read more at the link in my bio.
We’ve always been on the frontlines of Democracy. While men get all the recognition, it's Black women who organized to ensure a better America with equity for all.
Read more at the link in my bio.
October 6, 2025 at 3:48 PM
I'm a proud member of the 92% of Black women who voted for VP Kamala Harris in the '24 election.
We’ve always been on the frontlines of Democracy. While men get all the recognition, it's Black women who organized to ensure a better America with equity for all.
Read more at the link in my bio.
We’ve always been on the frontlines of Democracy. While men get all the recognition, it's Black women who organized to ensure a better America with equity for all.
Read more at the link in my bio.
Talking to @danharris about meditation was a great opportunity. In particular, I loved hearing about how he started small and the ways in which he encourages us to do the same.
Listen to our full conversation on my Substack: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/five-ways-...
Listen to our full conversation on my Substack: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/five-ways-...
October 3, 2025 at 4:45 PM
Talking to @danharris about meditation was a great opportunity. In particular, I loved hearing about how he started small and the ways in which he encourages us to do the same.
Listen to our full conversation on my Substack: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/five-ways-...
Listen to our full conversation on my Substack: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/five-ways-...
I can't sit still. And it's been one of the biggest barriers to me for forming a regular meditation practice.
But I'm proud to say that I'm getting better. And I've found 5 tips that really work for getting into the habit: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/five-ways-...
But I'm proud to say that I'm getting better. And I've found 5 tips that really work for getting into the habit: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/five-ways-...
October 1, 2025 at 4:30 PM
I can't sit still. And it's been one of the biggest barriers to me for forming a regular meditation practice.
But I'm proud to say that I'm getting better. And I've found 5 tips that really work for getting into the habit: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/five-ways-...
But I'm proud to say that I'm getting better. And I've found 5 tips that really work for getting into the habit: zerlinamaxwell.substack.com/p/five-ways-...
At my lowest points of grief I’ve come back to this question over and over, even when the idea of being happy seemed so far out of reach: Who am I to want to be happy, when in the midst of grief, the most you could hope for is to get out of the bed or eat food?
Read more at the link in my bio.
Read more at the link in my bio.
September 28, 2025 at 3:39 AM
At my lowest points of grief I’ve come back to this question over and over, even when the idea of being happy seemed so far out of reach: Who am I to want to be happy, when in the midst of grief, the most you could hope for is to get out of the bed or eat food?
Read more at the link in my bio.
Read more at the link in my bio.