I know, I know. Yoda (not Grogu, pictured above), said “Do, or do not. There is no try.”

With all respect to the Jedi Master, I call bullshit.

Sometimes, all we can DO is TRY.

Sometimes, trying is as brave as doing.

And sometimes, trying IS doing.

If there’s a thing you want to do, and your mind is stuck and your emotions are high, and your inner monologue is like Cruella D’Ville only meaner, I suggest that instead of “doing,” we try.

TRY writing for 5 minutes.

TRY sketching something.

TRY getting out of the chair and walking around the house.

TRY giving it a shot.

TRY calling back the prospect.

TRY.

Our culture, and late-stage capitalism, are obsessed with the doing. “Just do it.” Yes, I know I’ve quoted that slogan before, and yes, I know that it works. Sometimes.

I’m not talking about sometimes.

I’m talking about those times when we don’t even have the sometimes in our brain, and we’ve forgotten the sometimes we’ve succeeded, we’ve forgotten how to do, we’ve forgotten who we are and that we have skills and experience.

I’m talking about the times when we feel small, and stuck, and blank, but yearn with desire to feel those times when we have been motivated, and competent, and productive.

It’s in the interstices of those times that I propose “try” belongs.

Sometimes, try can get you from that in between place into the doing place.

Still don’t believe me?

This blog series, right here, the A to Z for 2023 on Writer Zen Garden, is exactly that: we tried it, and we did it.

Try.

Please.

Just try.