Monthly Music Playlist: November Falling
It's another full moon! And this month's playlist is here!
Welcome to this month’s playlist—November Falling. This one is for those mornings when things feel just a bit lighter. When you dial in the right balance of serenity and focus. The world moves more slowly. The day is full of potential. You feel sure and capable—nothing is weighing you down or pulling at your thoughts. Perhaps you are a little bit sleepy, but you feel rested. Your mind is clear, active, and engaged.
🎧 Prefer to listen? I read this article on the voiceover (above), on Spotify, and on Apple
The Best Kind of Mornings
I’ve experienced these mornings from time to time, across a variety of activities. Running weekend errands without the kids. Heading to work a bit earlier than normal when everything—even the early morning sky—has a different energy. Spending time on a crossword puzzle snuggled next to someone I love. Feeling productive before everyone else wakes up. The morning hours before a vacation or road trip.
These mornings of calm help maintain inner confidence for the rest of the day.
Maybe you’ve had these mornings too? If so, I’d love to hear in the comments what activity you found yourself doing and what your morning energy was like.
Where to Listen
Use any of the links below, and be sure to save it to your profile. Then you can say, “Hey, Alexa/Siri, play the November Falling playlist!” I release each playlist on the full moon. A small ritual of rhythm and reflection. The next one arrives December 4th.
Listen to my monthly playlist November Falling on any of these services:
🎧 Spotify | 🎧 Apple Music | 🎧 YouTube Music | 🎧 Amazon Music
Why Even Make a Playlist?
Someone I respect emailed after reading last month’s October Voltage playlist post: “Is it business or a hobby?” he asked. It was a fair question. Why spend time on this if I should be building market gravity and attracting buyers? The simple answer: I make playlists for people anyway, so I decided to share them.
My playlists may not change the world, but I hope they add a little light to yours.
I have a few friends who panic when asked, “What should we listen to?” I’ve seen actual beads of sweat form if no one suggests anything quickly. Often the tension they feel comes from trying to come up with a “right” song or band or mood. There is so much music to pick from! How can all of it be reduced to one choice right now?
So if you ever find yourself faced with this situation, here’s a trick that can help.
First, do what Douglas Adams recommends: Don’t Panic1. Then, do a quick scan of your body. Try and notice what you’re feeling. Are you happy? Frustrated? Anxious? Sad? Next, try and think of a song that you love that matches that mood. It’s OK if you’ve heard it a million times, or maybe played it earlier in the day. Once you have a mood and a song, just start a radio and let it play. Give it a few songs.
Here’s the real trick: once the music starts, notice when you notice it. Are you in the middle of a conversation and suddenly you’re singing along to the chorus? Or maybe you’re doing the dishes and you notice the song feels “wrong” or starts to irritate you. Either way—good feedback! Either keep on grooving, or skip the song! And if you skip more than twice, it’s time for a new playlist starter. Just try again.
I think you’ll find this approach will make picking songs a bit easier. You may not feel like you’re getting any better at it, but at least you won’t panic.
— Rob Allegar
I’m a lifelong builder and advisor exploring what happens when technology stops behaving like a tool and starts acting like a collaborator. In this newsletter, I explore the space between ideas and execution, and help people build things that matter. roballegar.com
Thanks for reading. If you enjoyed this piece, hit ♥ or share it with someone else who, like me, likes to drink room temperature coffee in the mornings.
Here is the Coldplay video for “Don’t Panic”, which I’m not sure was inspired by the book Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, but is certainly a good song in its own right.