Mind Set | written by: JAMIE DALTON, Co-Founder, Gold Coast Mahjong
From left: Gold Coast Mahjong founders Jamie Dalton and Emily Brown with their partner Claire Mohamed / courtesy Gold Coast Mahjong
hen I left my career in banking to stay home with my children, I found myself searching for something that was just for me.
Like many women entering a new season of life, I was trying to rediscover who I was outside of my career and outside of being “Mom.” I tried tennis but quickly learned hand-eye coordination wasn’t exactly my strength. I took up needlepoint, which I loved, but it wasn’t very social. I also began learning Chinese Mahjong to reconnect with my Chinese heritage and honor my grandmother, who lived to be 102 years old.
Thinking I’d become an expert in Chinese Mahjong, I signed up for a class. What I didn’t realize was that it wasn’t Chinese Mahjong at all, it was American Mahjong.
That happy accident changed my life.
When I arrived, I found myself at a table with people I didn’t know. One of those people was Emily Brown. We spent the afternoon learning, laughing, asking questions and getting to know one another. We quickly realized we shared a passion for bringing people together and that mahjong is the perfect conduit for that—it gives people something to do together first, which allows authentic relationships to develop naturally.
That friendship became Gold Coast Mahjong.
Since we launched Gold Coast Mahjong in June 2025, we’ve taught thousands of students and noticed something remarkable: People rarely leave talking about the hand they won. Instead, they tell us, “I didn’t look at my phone for three hours,” or, “I haven’t laughed that hard in weeks.” Others arrive knowing no one and leave with lifelong friends.
Mindfulness is simply being fully present, and mahjong asks us to do exactly that. As you study your tiles, watch the discards and adapt your strategy, there isn’t much room left to replay yesterday or worry about tomorrow.
But what I love most is that the game gently asks us to show up for one another.
A game works best with four people. When you commit to playing, your table is counting on you. On days when you’re feeling overwhelmed, lonely or tempted to stay home, that quiet accountability is often exactly what gets you out the door. More often than not, people leave feeling better than when they arrived.
Mahjong is also wonderfully low-pressure. You don’t have to be athletic or the loudest person in the room. You don’t have to drink if that’s not your thing. It levels the playing field. Around one table, you might find a physician, a stay-at-home mom, a teacher, a business owner or someone new to town. Different ages, professions and life experiences all begin in exactly the same place.
Once the tiles are dealt, everyone is simply another player.
As someone who considers herself a “gregarious introvert,” I especially appreciate that some days I feel more social than others. If I don’t feel like talking, the game gives me something to focus on. The connection still happens.
A Gold Coast Mahjong gathering at Noroton Yacht Club in July / courtesy Gold Coast Mahjong
One of the greatest joys of Gold Coast Mahjong has been watching women discover new purpose through our community. Several of our instructors first joined us simply looking for connection. Many were stay-at-home moms searching for something that belonged just to them. Today, they teach classes, mentor new players, earn income and build community themselves.
Our partner, Claire Mohamed, who leads our partnerships and experiences, often reminds us that people may forget the details of an event, but they’ll always remember how it made them feel. Every welcoming table and thoughtful touch is designed to create a space where connection is innate.
Mahjong also offers something increasingly valuable as we age. Every game exercises memory, strategy, concentration, adaptability and pattern recognition while bringing people together socially. That combination of mental stimulation and meaningful connection is one reason the game has endured for generations.
Because I am half Chinese, it’s especially meaningful to introduce people to a game with roots in Chinese culture that later evolved within Jewish communities before finding new life today. Around our tables, we honor both histories while welcoming everyone.
When we started Gold Coast Mahjong, we thought we were teaching people a game. Instead, we found ourselves building something much bigger: a community where strangers become friends, women rediscover confidence and purpose, generations connect and people remember what it feels like to be fully present.
Maybe that’s the real magic of mahjong.
It isn’t just about building a winning hand.
It’s about building a life filled with connection—one seat at the table at a time.
Editor’s note: For more about Gold Coast Mahjong, visit goldcoastmahjongclub.com or find them on Instagram @goldcoastmahjong.
