Issue #78: soft. focus. boundaries.
time from a Chinese medicine perspective, some things we are focusing on, and setting intentions and boundaries for the season to come.
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from @_tiny_feelings and @emoryhall
The holiday season is beginning to unfold around us — with its invitations, expectations, celebrations, and familiar rhythms. This time of year can be beautiful, meaningful, and connective. It can also feel full. So this month, we’re choosing to move gently. To remember that our presence matters more than our performance. To let softness be our guide as we return to what feels nourishing rather than what feels draining.
We’re giving ourselves permission to prioritize the things that truly support our well-being: rest, connection that feels good, practices that keep us steady, and time to simply be. And just as importantly, we’re practicing boundaries — the kind that honor our peace, our health, and our happiness. Boundaries that help us stay rooted in what is real for us, not what is expected of us.
As you move through the next weeks, we invite you to ask yourself: What would feel supportive to me right now? Let that question be your compass. Let it shape your choices. And let this season feel a little lighter, a little slower, a little more like you.
a few notes from the clinic…
image with oranges: @elo_ditcequelleveut
Did you know acupuncture is an eligible expense for most FSA/HSA plans? This is the perfect time to use those funds to support your health and well-being — while also giving back. Through the end of the year, we’ll be donating $10 from every acupuncture treatment paid with an FSA or HSA accounts to a local organization feeding those in need.
Acupuncture can be a great addition to support hormonal and menstrual health, fertility and conception preparation, stress, anxiety, and sleep, as well as both acute and chronic pain. It can also aid in digestive and gut repair, provide relief from headaches and migraines, and help ease symptoms of perimenopause and menopause.
Take care of yourself while helping nourish our community.
ICYMI on social, just the beginning of the month reminder to do your monthly breast self-exam! If you’re menstruating, mark your calendar to check 3-5 days after your period ends. The more we know our body, the better we can care for ourselves.
Download our free Breast.Health WOVXN Wellness Guide.
meet ELLA…
We wanted to take a moment to introduce our amazing intern Ella. We are lucky enough to be a part of an entrepreneurship program through the school of business at UWM. Ella has been a fantastic addition to the team and is helping us with so many things from social media to organization! This week she was telling us about her monthly apartment reset and it inspired us to think about our own focus and reset for the month.
some things we are focusing on this month…
Boundaries… Since opening the clinic, we have been trying to figure out the rhythm of our week. Balancing the clinic schedule with other IW projects and some down time. I (Rebecca) realized that I would feel so much better if I block a day of the week for projects- no meetings, appointments, coffee dates. So I am prioritizing that!
2026 podcast and dance party planning… we are excited to share more soon!
Prioritizing hydration… If you missed last week’s newsletter all about hydration, it is worth a look. A Chinese medicine tip for how to drink your water…sip on warm water (cold water overtaxes the body and dampens the digestive fire) throughout the day- skip water with meals and drink some upon waking and before bed!
Start the week with one pot of soup and one meal (whether instapot or this week’s sheperd’s pie from costco;) This has been a game changer and has alleviated so much stress at the start of the week.
Walking after meals when we can…recent studies suggest that short walks of 10–15 minutes (some even say 2-5 minutes) immediately following meals can meaningfully reduce glucose surges and contribute to long-term improvements in metabolic health.
Reading…my daughter recently expressed excitement about reading and so we are low key trying to make it fun. Trip to the coffee shop with our books sort of a thing. Grabbed a few that looked good (see cookbook below) and am trying to get back to reading for fun before bed too.
TASTE: Third Culture Cooking. We’re the type of people who can’t walk past the new-books shelf at the library without pausing—especially when it’s stacked with pretty cookbooks. And the new cookbook by Zaynab Issa, Third Culture Cooking, made it in the take home pile.. It’s a warm, personal, beautifully-designed book that reflects Zaynab’s voice—rooted in her East African and South Asian family background, influenced by the meals she grew up eating in suburban America, and shaped by her travels. Beyond the recipes, the book also guides the reader: how to stock a pantry, how to cook with intention, how to host with heart. Her Substack recipes and newsletter carry the same vibe—accessible, rich in culture, inviting you into her kitchen (and hopefully into yours).
SEE: Traditional Chinese Medicine Organ Clock. The TCM Organ Clock offers a beautiful rhythm to how we move through our days, showing that each organ system has a two-hour window when its energy is strongest — guiding when we nourish, rest, move, and restore. In Chinese medicine, these organs aren’t just physical structures, but also carry emotional and energetic roles, which is why things like waking at certain times or craving certain routines can be meaningful. For example, the Lungs (3–5am) relate to breath and grief, the Stomach (7–9am) is strongest for a warm, grounding breakfast, and the Liver (1–3am) supports detox, making restful sleep essential. When we soften into these natural rhythms, we shift from pushing our bodies to listening to them — aligning daily rituals with the body’s wisdom rather than against it. Click on the images below for more details and tips!
SMELL: How to Know if You will Benefit from a Humidifier. As the weather turns cooler and we crank up our heating, indoor air can become seriously dry — and that drop in humidity can wreak havoc on your sinuses. For someone like me with a long history of sinus issues, adding a humidifier isn’t just nice-to-have—it’s essential. When I keep a humidifier running at about 30–50 % humidity, I notice smoother breathing, less congestion, deeper sleep, and a big difference in how my sinuses feel the next morning. Running a humidifier can also help with dry/itchy skin, reducing the risk of viral infections, improving sleep, plus even protecting your wood furniture and houseplants.
HEAR: Community Monthly Mixtape Project. Each month, music therapist and sound-massage practitioner Abby Jacobi, whom we met this past weekend at the Evolve Mindful Market, invites song submissions tied to a theme—October’s was Reclaim, and the playlists are now available to explore on Spotify and on her website. November’s theme is Gratitude, and you’re welcome to submit the songs that help you feel rooted, open-hearted, or thankful. Alongside the mixtape project, Abby also offers one-on-one sound healing sessions and community sound events (like the Music as Medicine Series: Relaxation this Sunday or the Community GiveBack Sound Session
at Mother Lion - benefitting Pink Umbrella Theater Co. next Wednesday at Mother Lion Rest & Retreat) all centered around connection through vibration, frequency, and presence.
TOUCH: A Beginner’s Guide To Tarot. At last weekend’s event we all had the opportunity to pull a tarot card (see our cards below;) The Good Trade’s guide to reading tarot reminds that it’s not about predicting the future, but about setting a clear intention and asking an open-ended “What…” question, like “What do I need to know right now?” Each card invites a moment of reflection, letting the imagery, symbols, and colors speak in subtle ways. Seeing everyone’s cards and how they resonate with life currently is always a fun way to connect and reflect.
What is appealing to your senses right now? What are you reading? watching? cooking? wearing? loving? obsessed with? We would love to share some of your picks in future newsletters!
And we leave you with…
from @stardust
Have a great weekend!
