Hi, I’m Shirin and this is Press Pause, an archive of reflections on the things that brings us joy.

When I began publishing the newsletter, I envisioned it as a container of shared experiences that could eventually converge into a community. My goal was to provide a space for friends to share moments of rest and joy with the hope to inspire others. In a ruthlessly fast, distraction-filled world like ours pressing pause can be a revolutionary act.

After almost two years since the inception of this project, I am turning this space into a venue for my reflections on life. Due to radical circumstances in my own lived experience, I have undergone a substantial evolution in the past years and so my perception of the world and myself has irremediably changed. The ultimate goal of both this newsletter and my own journey has however remained unchanged: to pause and look for joy in the mundane are still tethered to the core of what I do. I am also interested in what constitutes the process of becoming ourselves across time, the obstacles the inward life faces in our modern age, and the ways in which cultivating our own attention could actively benefit others on a collective path of resistance against the oppressive and extractive forces of capitalist and neoliberal hegemony.

You can expect occasional musings on joy, stillness, attention and also illness, which has been my reality for a while. Part of my thinking and writing practice is rooted in imaginary conversations with artists and thinkers, so these letters will also act as repositories of wisdom from brilliant minds. What’s more, I will still be inviting friends and internet pals to share their ideas and insights, so look out for their contributions.

Lastly, in writing this newsletter I wish to follow in the footsteps of Mary Oliver’s “instructions for living a life”:

“Pay attention.
Be astonished.
Tell about it.”

Thank you so much for visiting, I hope you stick around :)

Click on the button below to subscribe!