The Pause That Makes Life Fuller ✨ - Edition 11 // 9.26.25

Dear curious explorer of the world,

Every life is built on rhythm. The question is: are we choosing our rhythms, or are we swept along by the noise of the world?

Over time, I’ve learned that joy and fulfillment don’t come from doing more — they come from the mindful practices I choose to anchor myself in.

✨ On Sunday nights, my husband and I begin our date night with reflection. Before the movie tickets and the meals, we pause to share our highlights, what we appreciated in each other, and what we want to carry into the week ahead. Simple questions, yet they transform how connected and seen we feel.

✨ On quiet mornings, I open the Dao De Jing with a friend and translate line by line from the old Chinese. It’s my way of coming home to my culture, and a reminder that life is not conquered by striving, but lived by returning to stillness, to balance, to the source.

✨ Each Friday afternoon, before I close my calendar, I pause. I celebrate what I’ve accomplished that week and create what’s next with intention. Instead of rushing, I end the week with clarity and joy.

Three very different moments. And yet, they all point to the same truth: practices of pause, reflection, and celebration are what make life feel grounded, joyful, and meaningful.

But in our world today, so many of us feel scattered, overwhelmed by the daily grind, or craving deeper connection beyond surface-level socializing. We long for belonging and alignment, yet we rarely create intentional space for it.

The Dao De Jing reminds us:

This is the invitation of The Grounding Room — a monthly practice for our community to return to stillness together. A space to pause, reflect on what the past month has taught us, celebrate our growth, and step into the next month with clarity and intention.

🌕 October’s Grounding Room: Harvest of Release

This October, we’ll align with the energy of autumn — a season that invites us to harvest what we’ve grown and gently release what no longer serves. Through Daoist wisdom and seasonal ritual, we’ll pause, reflect, celebrate, and step into the final months of the year with clarity and lightness.

✨ Two ways to join in October:

• Monday, October 6 | 7:00–8:30 PM PT (Online) → A guided evening circle to reflect, release, and realign with clarity.

• Sunday, October 19 | 10:00 AM–1:00 PM PT (In-Person, DTLA) → A special collaboration with a local tea house — weaving Daoist wisdom, seasonal ritual, and community belonging.

As the Dao teaches, all things return to their source. The pause is not a break from life — it is life.

With grounded harmony,
Shanshan

P.S. A question for your journal:
“Where in my life can I create a pause — to reflect, celebrate, and return to myself?”