The Introvert Sisters

Sometimes I need to remember my own favourite advice: done is better than perfect. I've been faffing around trying to figure out the best place to put all my learning content. But recently I realised I already had what I needed to get started: a Gumroad account. So the opportunity to become a member of my learning space is coming soon. I've started setting it up, and I bought three relevant domain names yesterday. The learning space will have three streams: 1) making impact with content 2) anti-racism and 3) introversion, none of which should be a surprise to anyone who knows me. At launch, membership will give access to the Newsletter Launchpad course (all four sessions, including the updated 4th session on launching and growing which isn't currently available as a standalone); the Newsletter Jumpstart taster session, and bonus resources (checklists and worksheets) for all the sessions. There's also a reading guide for I'm Tired of Racism, and I'll soon have an audiocast on building anti-racist habits. Later this year, I'll add the Self-Publishing Masterclass replay but for now, anyone who takes the annual all-access pass gets free access to the live class in June, and there'll also be a discount to that class for anyone taking the monthly option. I'm also planning new learning sessions on podcasting, content management, book marketing, audiobooks and more, which will become part of the space. Want to learn more? Comment ACCESS for details - there's a special bonus for the first 5 annual members. 12 March 2025 Hi, I'm Sharon Hurley Hall (she/her), educator, author, equality advocate. If you enjoyed my post, please share it so your network can enjoy it too, and follow me for more: I usually post about anti-racism, equality and learning.

? TWO MONTHS TO GO! ? Today marks exactly two months until Space To Exhale is officially out in the world! ??????? It launches on Tuesday May 6, and I can hardly wait! This moment feels both exhilarating and deeply reflective. ???? When I first put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard!), I knew I wanted to create something that would resonate, uplift, and make space for the conversations we often push aside. My early readers let me know that I did what I set out to do. I understood and executed the assignment. So grateful to everyone who made it possible for me to do so. ???? Being at this juncture where I'm close to the "finish line" (which is actually a starting line) is the best feeling ever. Knowing that more folks will (hopefully) be blessed and inspired by my words blows my mind. ?? Space To Exhale is more than a book—it’s a call for us all to pause, to breathe, to be. ?? It's a memoir AND a meditation guide that teaches us how to live gentler, happier, more grounded lives. ?? It's a reminder to us all to us all to say no to hustle culture, and yes to a life of ease. As the countdown to pub day begins, I want to say thank you. ?????? Thanks to every single person who has supported, encouraged, assisted, or held space for me on this journey—your energy and effort are felt, and your presence means everything. ???? Thanks for showing up for me in all the ways. There are too many of you to list, but you know who you are. Big love. ?? ?? Now, I have one ask: If you haven’t already, preorder Space To Exhale! Preorders will make a huge difference in getting this book into the hands of those who need it. That might be you, or it could be people in your circle. Most of my early readers have said that they fully intend to buy multiple copies as gifts, and that makes my heart happy.???? Preorders also help to signal to the publishing industry that (in my case) books written by Black authors matter, and are in demand. This in turn helps pave the way for other upcoming authors, and to make it easier for them to get published. Strong pre-orders build credibility, and lay a strong foundation for those who follow. So it's about much more than supporting me; it's about supporting and opening doors for Black authors everywhere. This is a community project. ???? Also: This little girl from Barbados has big dreams of becoming a New York Times bestselling author, and early orders help make that more possible. It truly is a numbers game. I don't have a huge budget, but I have a loving and generous community, so I'm asking for your support, and thanking everyone who has already gotten their copies. Stay tuned, because there are some special surprises coming for early supporters! Can't wait to tell you all about it! So, will you take this journey with me? Let’s make a little space to exhale—together. ??? Link to pre-order is in the comments. Let's go!!! ?????????? #SpaceToExhale #TheGreatExhale ??: Fred Sly for pocstock ??: Tina Megan Solano

Pondering legacy. ?? As we enter the last week of Black History Month, and as we see more and more attempts to erase Black people and Black stories from this earth, that's what is weighing heavy on my mind. But guess what? No matter how hard they try, we shall not be moved, and we will not be erased. ??? We shall carry on. Luvvie Ajayi Jones, my coach at The Book Academy, always says "History is written in ink," and she's right. We must tell our stories, in our voices, from our points of view. Our lens is the one that counts. We must contribute what we can, however we can. We must leave signals and secrets for future generations. But long before Luvvie said those words to me, I saw the drive and ability to author our own narratives played out in my own family. On the days when the publishing journey feels hard, this is part of what keeps me going. ???? ?? In the photo, the top three books are written/translated/edited by my dad, E. Anthony Hurley, Professor Emeritus of Africana Studies at Stony Brook University. ?? The second two books are by my big sis Sharon Hurley Hall (she/her), Curator-In-Chief of Sharon's Anti-Racism Newsletter, author of "Exploring Shadeism" and "I'm Tired of Racism," and former Senior Journalism Professor at Coventry University in the U.K. ?? The last pic is the cover of my first book Space To Exhale. Now, I have ZERO plans of going into teaching like Daddy and Sharon, lol, but to know that I’m following in my father’s and sister’s footsteps as an author means everything to me. ?? This is part of my family tree, and I love it. Some of my favorite lines from the Barbados national anthem are: “We?write?our?names?on?history's?page?? With?expectations?great,?? Strict?guardians?of?our?heritage,?? Firm?craftsmen?of?our?fate.”?? It feels like we have done and are doing that. We are guarding our heritage, each in our own way. And our names will be written on history’s page. History. Is. Written. In. Ink. If you have a story that’s on your heart that you want to see come to life as a book, definitely reach out to The Book Academy and let them do for you what they did for me: move you from inertia to implementation, so you can: ?? Share your story. ?? Cement your legacy. ?? Carve your narrative in the annals of time. Happy Black History Month, y’all. ?? (Ok, let me stop procrastinating and get back to proofreading this manuscript. ??) ?????????????????? ???? Hi, I’m Lisa, Founder of The Great Exhale, and author of Space To Exhale, a book that’s ideal for anybody who’s ready to reject hustle culture, embrace ease, beat burnout, and get some rest. Space To Exhale drops on May 6, and is now available for pre-order. Get your copy today! Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, IndieBound, Bookshop [dot] org, and of course from my awesome publisher Wiley. Learn more at SpaceToExhaleBook [dot] com. Links are in the comments. #SpaceToExhale #TheGreatExhale

"In the lives of public figures, the Working While Black Effect looks like former Vice President Kamala Harris, with her stellar reputation, experience, credentials, eloquence, policies, and (ahem) actual plans, losing the 2024 election to an unqualified felon who should never have been allowed to run in the first place." - Lisa Hurley Today, I published the second and final extract from Space To Exhale in Sharon's Anti-Racism Newsletter. It shows exactly why Black women especially need breathing room and healing. Check it out, then run, don't walk, to pre-order Lisa's book. https://lnkd.in/e-WDkmjG

File this one under "introverts can do challenging things". Today, I was the guest speaker for a group of Black and Global Majority folx studying Black health. It was a two-hour session. As always, I was nervous before I started. There was a little tension in my heart and my stomach. My notes: 62 words, formatted as a list. Probably the shortest set of notes I've ever done for a speaking gig. Soon it was go time and I started speaking. As I did, the nerves started to dissipate. I probably spoke for an hour in all, and took questions for the other hour. Once the questions started, I was in my element. I felt calm, relaxed and knowledgeable. And the people in the room were open, curious and fully present. As the end of the session approached, I could feel myself starting to flag (a common thing for introverts) but I was buoyed by the evident interest of the participants. And I was happy with my own growth, in doing the session without a full script or even slides. Ten minutes after the end, I got this feedback by email: "Thank you so much. You are such an engaging speaker!" And in that moment, I was very proud of myself. Because public speaking is not an obvious choice for an introvert. And yet, it's something we can do well, especially with the right support. My journey to speaking started with the written word: my newsletter and my self-published books. I'd love to support other introverted Black women on a similar journey. As an introvert, I work best 1 to 1. You'll get my full attention for up to 6 hours to make progress in a day that would otherwise have taken months. Sound good? Send me a DM or add a note to your connection request. February 13 2024

Have I got a treat for readers of Sharon's Anti-Racism Newsletter today - the first of two excerpts from Space to Exhale, the forthcoming book by my sister Lisa Hurley. The excerpts deal with the raison d'être of the book - the Working While Black Effect. Today's excerpt starts with these words: “You can't sit here. You have to sit at the back of the bus.” And yes, this happened in the 21st century. You'll want to read this. Link in the comment thread.

No time like a Friday for a little fun! Apart from the writing itself, one of the most enjoyable parts of this whole book publishing process has been getting my author headshot done. My pocstock family came all the way through, and made it super-difficult - in the best possible way - for me to choose the photo that will go in my book Space To Exhale. ???? So I need y'all's help! Which is your favorite pic? These are the options: 1. Real Housewives of Bl.ack Writerhood ?? 2. Standing On Business ?? 3. The Grass Is Greener ?? 4. Gimme A Smile ?? Drop your choices in the comments! So excited to see what you think! ?? Shoutout once again to pocstock for over-delivering. If you're in the market for any brand, personal, or lifestyle photography, book them today. Their studio is conveniently located in downtown Newark. To get started, reach out to any of the awesome pocstock folks: Derrick Larane, COO; DeSean Brown, Chief Relationship Officer; Steve Jones, CEO. Makeup??: Tina Megan Solano Photography: ?? Fred Sly Retouching ?: Andrii ?????????????????? ???? Hi, I’m Lisa, Founder of The Great Exhale, and author of Space To Exhale, a book that’s ideal for anybody who’s ready to reject hustle culture, embrace ease, beat burnout, and get some rest. Space To Exhale drops on May 6, and is now available for pre-order. Get your copy today! Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, IndieBound, Bookshop [dot] org, and of course from my awesome publisher Wiley. Learn more at SpaceToExhaleBook [dot] com. Links are in the comments. Ring my bell ?? so you don’t miss any posts, and follow my hashtags to catch all the vibes ??: #SpaceToExhale #TheGreatExhale #pocstock

Speaking of not building your house on rented land (see my post earlier this week), I quietly launched a new email list towards the end of the year. It's where I send occasional emails about all the things I do that aren't related to anti-racism. Because, hey, why would I do just one thing, right? We are limitless beings, so why limit myself - or you? I'm excited about what's coming up this year. In addition to my deep and unwavering commitment to SHHARE and SARN (check my about section for more details), I'm also planning on: - more courses (including an all-access option for new stuff this year and a kind of academy where people can access everything I've done so far) - a few 1:1 immersion experiences (more details of options for that coming soon) likely tied to my upcoming travel plans (yes, you could get to spend a day with me focused on the issues you most want to solve) - a new live show - pretty short, and just me to start with, beginning later this month - and much more Seriously, I have no shortage of ideas. But here's the important bit.? As I start to talk more about what's coming up, I'll be reaching out to past and current clients first, and to people on my email lists next, before bringing it to these LinkedIn streets (especially because the shadow-banning is real, y'all). I know a lot of you already subscribe to SARN, and some of you may even be on my occasional Sharon Unlimited email list, but the list you really want to be on to learn more about these things is the one I set up on Kit last year. I'll drop the link in the comment thread (and on the off chance that it gets lost, you can always DM me and I'll share it directly.) See you there! 16 January 2025

Like many of us, especially Black and Global Majority women, I don't give myself anywhere near the amount of grace I extend to others. So I've been beating myself up about not having done all the things I wanted to in the past few weeks. Or even told people what I'm planning for the first quarter. Even though I had a good reason - the bug I got before Christmas has proved difficult to shake and has resurfaced again, so rest is the order of the day, as it should be. But though my socials have been quiet, I've been harnessing my introvert power of listening and paying attention, so here are some disparate thoughts: The people decimating their DEI programmes never really cared and were just as performative as we thought. This is not a surprise. And I'm still waiting to see how long the commitment of those who have recommitted publicly lasts in the face of a punitive regime. The US is entering a period of known unknowns - where someone who was pretty disastrous in his last term will have fewer checks and balances - make that practically none. Will we give the same scrutiny to the homegrown dictator as we give to those in other countries? Related to that, it's going to make life much harder and more dangerous for those in his sights. The bigots have already been emboldened and are getting worse. Advocates, it's time to show what you're made of. People are still getting shadow banned and deplatformed for talking about freeing Pal-S-Tine, Sudan, Congo and for highlighting oppression, racism and anti-Blackness. As always, my answer is to have my own spaces for discussing issues - don't build your house on rented land. Finally, community is where it's at. None of us can do this alone. And I'm not just talking about the SHHARE community, but about all the communities. It's time to start thinking about how we make more impact together. Onward! P.S. I'll update you on Q1 plans in the next couple of days. -- Have we met? I'm Sharon Hurley Hall (she/her) , educator, author, equality advocate and founder of the SHHARE anti-racism community (accepting new members now) and Sharon's Anti-Racism Newsletter. Please share this post with anyone who'd be interested, and follow me for more content on these topics. 14 January 2025