As a physical therapist, it is part of my DNA to encourage people. We encourage people, hopefully including ourselves, to be our best self. Hopefully that includes our best spiritual, or emotional self, as well as physically balanced self. We all hear it all the time … try harder, try better, try deeper. We hear it in school, we hear it as children, we hear it as parents.

 But this is the deal – “trying” is terrible. It’s not conducive at all. Why is trying actually not helpful? I never in a million years would have learned this lesson if not from a dear friend. A dear friend who was a student of mine many years ago. One of those friends who you know is always there for you when you really need them. Maybe it seemed like she needed me for so long – to give advice, to help guide. But really I learned more from her. That’s what life’s about. We never know where our next lesson shows up. Or possibly how big of a lesson we are about to learn. But when communication and conversation come from the heart – be prepared.

 And that’s the thing about “trying”. Its not real. It’s not helpful. Because “trying” doesn’t come from the heart. “Trying” comes from the ego -the source of all things inauthentic and insincere. “Trying” comes from an attempt to please someone else, or something else. We say we “try” or “will try” because the intention is to make someone else proud of us, or proud of our achievement.

 The truth is, we either do, or we don’t. The truth is, effort either comes from that place inside of us that is so pure, that is so connected with the truth of our intention that we just DO – we don’t even have to try – or effort comes from a lackluster place to temporarily appease someone else. If we have to try, then we force ourself to do something that is not coming from a sincere place in our heart.

 And trying is doomed to fail. It just is.

Think about it. When we try to diet, when we try to be a better spouse, when we try to make our teachers proud, does it work? Maybe, and maybe not. But it never works the same as when our heart leads the way.

When the heart leads, we are unstoppable. When the heart leads, we thrive. Our eyes light up, our chest lifts, our spirit soars. There is a magnetic quality about our energy that inspires and lights those around us. The world becomes lighter. There is no trying. There’s just doing. And we do it from a place of love. Time stands still. Our inspiration is immeasurable. Because we don’t attach to it. We are not attached to outcome. We are not acting to see how great we can be.

 We are not doing to see what rewards we can get. Those intentions never work out. Because those intentions are not sincere. When we just do, we are doing because the world needs us. The world needs more love in whatever form we are offering it. We may feel that the world has seen similar offerings before, and that is true. But the world has never before seen your gifts, in the exact and unique way, that you are able to share.

Sometimes “trying” does becomes “doing”.  Trying becomes doing only when judgement is not part of the equation. Trying becomes doing when we are not attached to expectation. Trying becomes doing when we are open to truth, and unswayed by the whispers, or roars, of fear.  Like a lighthouse guiding vessels though the depth of darkness, our soul lights our path and guides with unwavering clarity.  We just have to clear doubt out of the way so we can see our own light, the wisdom that calls out from our soul, and trust, and believe, and do. 

So please, listen to when you are prompted to “try”, and when you feel compelled to “do.” Feel the difference. And feel the love. From yourself. And the universe supporting you in this effort to “do.” “Do” from the most beautiful and inspiring place in your heart and in your soul. And you will soar. And the world will soar with you.