There is a time in most people’s lives when they decide to follow or abandon their passion. Perhaps you’ve already been faced with this. Perhaps, you still need to determine your exact calling. Well, my calling was so loud and filled with so much bass, it couldn’t be ignored. Yes, I’m not ashamed to say I love bass. The louder, the better.
Do you remember the first time you went to a dance club? You either loved it or wanted to run away as fast as possible. I’m the kind of girl who rushed right in toward the flashing lights and sound.
I loved how the music was so loud you could feel it throughout your whole body; pounding in your chest. I loved how everyone gravitated to the dance floor to release that feeling. It felt sexy and right. I went there to dance and danced until my whole body was drenched with sweat.
That music I heard that captivated me was house music. I didn’t know anything about the genre and it really didn’t matter; I loved it! All I wanted to do was dance to it all of the time. So,I started buying the records the DJs were playing. And suddenly, I had enough records to be a DJ myself.
Now, let me remind you, this was at a time when girls didn’t DJ. It was an all boys’ club. Truly. It was also at a time when you had to go to a record store to buy music. And the guys behind the counter would hand over the vinyl you requested. Yes, I would get funny looks and sometimes be completely ignored at those record stores. But over time, and with a lot of determination on my part, the boys’ club let me into their fold.
I spent many years doing exactly what I wanted in life. I not only DJ’ed in clubs, I also ran a very successful internet radio station and taught DJ’ing to aspiring DJ’s. I traveled to many parts of the globe for gigs.
But then…
I got pregnant.
As a new mother, I had to reset my priorities. I had to hang up my headphones. There was no way around it. I knew the club’s late night hours and baby’s early wake up times would not happily co-mingle.
I convinced myself it was time for a change. I dove into motherhood and didn’t have time for much else, including or rather excluding myself. Then one day, I had that realization many mom’s have; it was time to get myself back into shape.
I tried your typical exercise routines-yoga, swimming. Nothing really transformed my body. Then I found Tracy. She completely changed every area of my life.
If you don’t know who, or rather, what Tracy is I’ll fill you in. It is the Tracy Anderson Method. This exercise method is not for the faint of heart. She demands that you work out almost every day (you are allowed one day of rest a week). She inspires you to push yourself to your outer limits. When you’re done, you are not only drenched with sweat, but you feel like you can take on the world.
During the countless hours on the mat exercising, I realized I needed new music to help to motivate me. I scoured the internet for DJ mixes so I’d have a continuous flow of music. It kept me going for a while, but I missed being in control of the content.
Eventually, my latent musical cravings came back to life and I got back into buying music. Listening to house music again awoke my DJ self. Hours of listening to thumping beats, while Tracy whipped me into my best self ignited my passion once again.
With my new physical strength, I challenged myself to make a mix a month and post them online. And because I love a challenge, I did just that. It was amazing to feel creative again! I realized how happy I was every time I’d put a mix together. At the beginning of the year, I turned it into a monthly podcast.
It’s interesting how a change in one area of our life can trigger other areas to come alive again. For me, committing to a strenuous exercise routine rekindled a career I thought I had walked away from for good. I am living proof that just because you may have given up your passion in life, it doesn’t have to stay dormant forever. Your passion will resurface! It may be remixed in a way you could have never predicted, but it will show up again. Listen to the cues the universe is giving you right now and you might see a path you thought had been covered up for good.
To hear the mixes I’ve put together, please subscribe to my itunes podcast: Colorsplash Mixes
Check out DJ Jolene’s Website: www.djjolene.com
