Hello, fellow introverts and friends,
I am so tired of "lean in" advice that completely ignores our reality. So tired, in fact, that I'm leaning all the way OUT!
If you're an introvert, you already know why. And if you're a Black or Global Majority woman, you've likely already felt the pain of feeling invisible and overlooked despite your expertise. Career specialists like to give some version of this advice: "you should speak up more in meetings". This suggests that unless you are loud you can't be that smart or that engaged.
But that advice is damaging for introverted Black women in particular. Because it ignores the systems of oppression (white supremacy, capitalism, and patriarchy) that we're navigating daily. It ignores the colossal amount of emotional labour it takes just to show up. It ignores the code-switching - hair, clothing, vocabulary, demeanour - just to be deemed "professional". And it ignores the performance of extroversion, the masking, that's so often required just to get through the day.
And let's call a thing a thing. The push to be constantly "on," constantly producing, and constantly visible is rooted in the capitalist, patriarchal expectation that no matter what trauma you are carrying or what is happening in the world, you better just keep going and "pick my cotton". I said what I said!
All of this (waves hands wildly) is making us sick! Migraines, stress, respiratory infections and more …
So the answer is NOT to lean in. It's to pull back and protect our wellbeing.
As Tricia Hersey says: rest is resistance. Rest is part of the revolution. You do not have to perform extroversion to be excellent at your job, and your quiet face simply means that "deep brain work is going on".
How are you pushing back against the "lean in" advice?
Stay quietly powerful,
Sharon
P.S. If you are tired of the exhaustion and ready to build a life that honours your energy, I invite you to join The Recharge Method.
This is my 8-week group container designed specifically for introverted women who want to reclaim their energy, set firm boundaries, and share the medicine of their voice without burning out.
Here is what you will learn:
Protect: We will create your own personal firewall against burnout and pinpoint exactly what is draining you.
Activate: We will use the energy you’ve just protected to build authority on your terms, without performing "peppiness."
Sustain: We will establish strategic recovery practices so that protecting your deep work becomes a way of being, rather than a temporary fix.
Because this is designed by an introvert, for introverts: there are no icebreakers, and cameras are always optional. Your introversion isn't something to "overcome." It's your greatest strength.
If you crave a space where you are seen and understood by other brilliant, quiet women who just get it, your seat is waiting.
Sharon Hurley Hall is an anti-racism educator, author of I’m Tired of Racism, and founder of the SHHARE anti-racism community and of Sharon’s Anti-Racism Newsletter, which provides tools and lived experiences to fuel systemic change. A seasoned professional writer and journalist, she leverages over 30 years of experience to mentor introverted leaders, and is co-founder and co-host of the Introvert Sisters Podcast. Her recent work focuses on helping Black and Global Majority women achieve high-impact visibility and professional influence without the exhaustion of performing extroversion.
© Sharon Hurley Hall, 2026. All Rights Reserved. This newsletter is published on beehiiv (affiliate link).