I know what you mean... My wife and I had been interested in DMT and done a lot of research on it over the course of a couple years. We actually had some for well over a year but were too afraid to touch it on our own.
It wasn't until an opportunity popped up with a group of close friends that we actually took the plunge. One of our friends was experienced, two were very eager to try it.. My wife and I were sort of along to watch but intrigued. We kept it to very small doses that day, just dipping our toes in. We held conversations with each person throughout the experience and relayed back what we were seeing and feeling. As our first three friends took their turns, the looks on their faces and their descriptions had us convinced... we couldn't not try it
To keep myself from rambling, all I can say is that it was one of the most beautiful and magical days of my life, and I highly doubt any of the doses were more than 10mg but we didn't have a scale and our smoking method was less than optimal, so I hesitate to even put a number to it. I really feel like starting with small doses was the perfect choice for us at that time, in our setting. It was a nice way to get acquainted with DMT.. a friendly/awesome/beautiful "Hello DMT world" if you will
To this day I still like to start each session out with one small dose and then decide whether I want to go further with the next or stay where I'm at. Once I misjudged my small introductory and got waaay more than what I was expecting... it scared me to death and beyond but it was truly enlightening and beneficial. I wouldn't have changed it if I could. However, if that had been my first experience, I can't say I'd be eager to try again. But since I've previously had so many amazingly positive experiences with lower doses, it's taken me some time, but I am very much looking forward to my next journey.
Personally, preparing for and setting up a comfy, clean space, doing yoga, meditating, drawing or anything to help clear my mind and relax is essential.
Good luck & safe travels=)