Every letter I share a story about my life in a way that you can hopefully relate to. I believe we are all here to share our journey, both the highs and the lows, as this is how we collectively raise the consciousness of this planet. If anything resonates with you, please share! š
Welcome back friend!
When I go too long without writing here, I start to get antsyāor feel guilty about the new folks whoāve subscribed to this publication.
(Welcome to my newest paid subscriberāthank you, Sandra! š)
Iāve been going through a super busy stretch recently. In the past, that would stress me out. So much to do, so little time!
Lately, Iāve been prioritizing self-care. Whether itās 20 minutes of meditation in the morning, Spanish lessons on DuoLingo, or working on my DJ skills, Iām learning to carve out time for the things that bring me joy.
And writing? Itās something Iāve been consistent withāsort of. Iām actually on a 68-day streak of writing a daily marketing email. One of my new coaches challenged me, and itās been a fun experience.
These are quick, story-based emails, usually around 200 words, that donāt get too deep. If youāre looking for some daily podcast inspiration, check it out here.
But this kind of writing? This is the harder kind. The kind that asks you to be vulnerable. The kind where you have to share whatās in your heart.
What Iāve come to realize over these past 54 years is that, as clichĆ© as it sounds, it really is a journey. Iām learning to be kind to myself and focus on the 1% improvements I make daily.
The key is becoming more self-aware of the areas where I can grow. How do I become a better listener? How do I become more patient? Where am I repeating patterns year after year that I need to finally address?
All of this requires silence and space. It may seem obvious, but I know I need to make time to listenāwhether thatās to my higher self, intuition, God, Spirit, or the Universe (choose the one that resonates for you).
And the funny thing? Creativity works the same way. It needs space, time, and flow.
Getting In The Flow
One thing I love about long work stretches is having a DJ set jamming in the background. Itās definitely my flow music.
And as tends to happen, I inevitably hear new tracks that catch my ear.
Call it my DJ ear. Itās one of my few musical superpowersāI can hear just a few bars of a track and immediately know if it belongs in a set.
Since I donāt play an instrument, the closest I come to creating music is curating it.
Iāve heard many, many DJ sets over last few decades (ha! that felt weird to type out). When done well, they create magic.
But Iāve also seen many fall flatāor worse, be so forgettable that I stop playing them a few minutes in. Itās a vibe for sure.
Thatās why I take it seriouslyācurating a set thatās consistent from start to finish.
If you visit my SoundCloud page, youāll find mixes going back 14+ years. Itās wild to look back.
And every year, I tell myself this is the year Iāll produce four mixes. You can probably do the math on how thatās panned out.
But Iāve learned to be gentle with myself. Sometimes life takes over, and years go by without me making a mix. Inevitably, though, the dance muse comes calling.
Once I start, it takes effort to get into the flow. As much as Iād love to record an hour-long set in one take, it rarely works that way. It typically takes weeks to curate the music.
Mostly, I have to record in chunks, then stitch them together into a rhythmic flow. Some additional mastering helps balance the sound. Then thereās the cover art and giving credit to all the producers. Once itās ready, I upload it to SoundCloud.
Now that the creativity is flowing, I take it furtherāpiecing together a collage of video snippets, merging them with the mix to create something visually engaging. I then upload that video to YouTube.
Once everything is live, I craft posts for SoundCloud, Instagram, X and Facebook. š I knowāitās a lot. But when Iām promoting something Iām proud of, it feels effortless.
And thatās when it hit meāwriting is the same way.
The Art of Creating (Anything)
I was reminded of this today by Erick Godsey. His recent post, "How Iāve Written an Article (Almost) Every Week for 10 Years," jostled something loose.
He shared this quote, and it stuck with me:
"Our beautiful broken world is full of gods with amnesia, souls disconnected from their dharma, who, if by chance or grace, catch a glimpse of someone honestly trying to wake up and help out, they remember."
There is a group of unique people on this planet who will respond to your shares.
These people need you.ā
So if my words or my mixtape get you thinking (and moving), Iām smiling.
Harry ādjhdā Duran
š¤ If youāre ready, a few ways i can helpā¦
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š what iāve created recentlyā¦
/// djhd - In The Mix
djhd026 Midwest Winter Heat - My latest DJ mix.
/// podcast junkies
PJ363: How Eytan Bensoussan Built NorthOne for Small Business Banking
I actually use NorthOne as the bank for my business. I noticed Eytan hosted a podcast about entrepreneurship. On a whim, I reached out on LinkedIn and asked if heād be up for a chat on the show. Thankfully he said yes! This was a wonderfully inspiring conversation..
PJ364: The Power of Personal Narratives: April Adams Pertuis on Storytelling
I was connected to April through a past guest Ben Albert, and Iām really glad he did. Aprilās energy was infectious and we had a great chat covering everything from broadcasting to storytelling.
/// vertical farming podcast
Ep.155 - Dickson Despommier - A Vertical Farming Podcast Tribute
Dickson Despommier passed away last month. His book, The Vertical Farm: Feeding the World in the 21st Century, completely changed the way I thought about food production, sustainability, and the future of agriculture. Reading it in 2019 was a turning point for meāit was the spark that led to the creation of this podcast.
Ep.156: Rick Langille/Harvest Today - Harvest Wall 2.0: Engineering the Next Generation of Farming
Rick returned for Round 2 on the podcast to share exciting developments with their Harvest Wall technology.
Ep.157: Mat Halter/TerraFerm - Transforming Beer Waste into Vertical Farm Gold
Mat, a plant scientist turned entrepreneur, shares his journey from researching biofuels to developing an innovative system that captures CO2 from brewery fermentation for use in vertical farms. His patented technology promises to significantly boost crop yields while reducing carbon footprints.
Great thoughts good sir, going to pump the tubes at work this week and know that they were created/curated by a fellow traveler