Have you ever told yourself that you’re not gonna obsess over details? That good enough is good enough? Done is better than perfect?
I’ve never claimed to be a perfectionist but I felt a strong desire to “perfect” my latest Mini Mix. I'd told myself that my mini mixes were a practice for improvement, and I was happy with the concept of three songs in ten minutes or less. After new technical requirements for uploading a mix forced my initial three songs into more, I chocked it up to divine intervention to think differently, as has happened on other occasions via tech issues.
A longer mix it was. Challenge accepted.
I told myself that I’d just get it done. No obsessing over each transition. Practice over perfection.
One go felt great. Far from perfect but good enough for the purpose. I forced myself to publish it immediately to MixCloud and walk away — I had enjoyed myself and it was done.
The next day, after a few playbacks, in came another voice.
"Not so fast," the voice said. "The volume jump in the first song is a major no-no. The transition on that song isn’t smooth. Woah that bit is clunky! It’s. Not. Ready".
"It’s not good enough to put out into the world".
I gave in to that voice and spent more time over a week tweaking transition points and “perfecting” how one song played into the next.
When I finally felt like it was better, I stopped and played it back. I was still not 100% sold, but it seemed better because I put the extra time and effort in.
The next day while out for a walk with my dog, I listened to the improved mix once again.
It was so much better! I was feeling it … imperfections and all.
I was relieved. Validated in my extra effort.
When I reached into my pocket to rewind to a spot I wanted to hear again, I realized that the “better” version I was listening to was actually the first mix.
The first mix was better.
The first mix was a clear example of playful practice.
The second mix was the antithesis. It was an unproductive obsession that kept me from sharing it with you. (I’m not applying for mix of the year, here).
The second mix felt like a form of self-sabotage that I’ve come to recognize over the past several years.
I didn't need to try so hard. There was no need to doubt, push, and spend more energy because ...
The first mix was the magic.
The joy.
The freedom to play and express.
The first mix was good enough.
And as I mirror back the experience: I am good enough.
We are good enough. Let's stop forgetting that so easily.
Uplifting and a bit ethereal, WELCOME TO JOY Mini Mix is a moment to reconnect and come back to joy.
The intro song is "Om So Hum" which loosely translates to "I am the universe" ... isn't that nice? 🫶🪩✨
A bit more ...
I haven’t written much about my new adventures in DJ’ing so let me catch you up:
Two years ago I realized that I’d had a long-standing desire to learn how to DJ. As a lifelong playlist maker — ahem curator – I was always frustrated by the fact that I couldn’t transition between songs the way I wanted to. Playing with music and creating experiences around that also seemed like a lot of fun.
After seeing a literal sign, I joined a DJ training competition last year called Your Shot. I learned how to use a DJ controller and software in about six weeks and prepared a 30-minute set for the big showcase/competition. My set ended up being way under at 24 minutes but whatever, I had fun. Learning and having fun was my goal and the whole experience exceeded expectations.
Since then, I’ve been making time to play and learn between family and work life. I started making mini-mixes and posting them to Mixcloud as a way to commit to practicing and sharing ... and I loooove it.
I have so much to learn and need to pencil in time to do an online DJ training I signed up for months ago, but I’m happy with the pace. Mainly because I’m happy to just be doing the thing at all instead of wondering "what if?".
Perhaps one day I’ll be skilled enough to do an hour set (live!) with few to no mistakes. Perhaps one day I’ll learn more about working with electronic music and create my own. I have notes full of song lyrics and beats that will eventually need to go somewhere. Become something.
But for now, DJ mini-mixes are a good start. They're good enough.
Enjoy!
