“Floating along, for me, means reconnecting with the present moment and navigating circumstances while following curiosity. I’ve been reminiscing about how passionate I was when I first started playing guitar and drawing. I had a deep interest in learning and practicing the arts. However, I’ve recently become distracted with philosophy and psychology, particularly around living well and productivity. The discussions often felt repetitive and drawn from the same pool of books. Perhaps I was trying to apply general knowledge to my unique self, leading to confusion. Ultimately, I returned to what had worked for me in the past.
Some advocate for detailed hourly schedules, while others suggest prioritizing tasks on a weekly schedule and allocating large time blocks. I had been incorporating some of this advice into my life, such as setting goals and breaking them down into a daily to-do list. Yet, I found myself adding more goals, contrary to sound advice, and struggled to balance everything. This resulted in incomplete tasks and rushed, subpar work. When I heard the suggestion to extend timelines and focus on a smaller, essential weekly to-do list, it felt like a step in the right direction. However, I believe decision-making based on past experiences limits foresight compared to reacting to current situations, which compels one to concentrate on the crucial aspects.
Meanwhile, I had unconsciously been transitioning to this model, albeit with some awareness. I realized that my attempt to be overly organized might not align with my personality and could be hindering my natural progression. My experiences as an intuitive artist, as well as during my student years, kept pointing me back to Taoist philosophy – specifically Wu Wei, the art of non-doing and effortless action. I wondered if trying to adhere strictly to structured goal-setting was counterproductive, leading me to focus more on being present with myself and my motivations.
Motivation, I realized, is akin to hunger and its relation to eating a banana – you are most motivated to eat when hungry. Similarly, waiting until you feel ready to act, trusting your mind to perform at its best times, or choosing not to act can sometimes be more effective. Establishing habits has also been beneficial for me, such as engaging in music production in the morning and playing guitar before showering. I am currently integrating art and video production habits into my routine. Additionally, I’ve discovered that incorporating easy and enjoyable exercise routines and recovery practices is ideal. During my break periods, I opt to play basketball, which feels like a leisure activity but serves as exercise, meditation, and recovery.
A key aspect of embracing the ‘Float Along’ approach is returning to the present moment, akin to awaiting the start of a journey. Regardless of the situation we find ourselves in, we can release the burdens of past traumas and future anxieties and simply navigate as best as we can.”
My single Float Along is out. You can stream it here. I used the drawing for the cover and I started this orchestral electronic track with my fretless bass. I added a modular electronic drum kit and synths and brought in horn samples from the street.
