ConquerWorry.org
  • BLOG
    • Guest Posts
  • Podcast
    • Podcast Support
  • Get Help
  • Speaking

SITE RELAUNCH COMING SOON!

Our mission is to inspire, educate and advocate for those who struggle with Stress or their Mental Health.

listen to the podcast

Try (Guest Post)

5/11/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture
Let me start with a quote- "Do or do not, there is no try."  Was this a famous saying of some great philosopher? Nope. Not even close. The quote is from Yoda. Yes, the Star Wars character. Taking life advice from a fictional character is not always the best way to go. That said, can you believe I was in a group therapy setting where the moderator taught this as a principle of life to be followed? Well it was. And for me it triggered despair. You see I have illness that can make me prone to all or nothing thinking. That if you aren't guaranteed success, why bother. Hearing this moderator made me even more prone to not even try at things. Despair is a harsh combination of feeling/being helpless and hopeless. And I believe that only doing or not doing with no such thing as try is a despair maker.

I want us to know that not everyone believes that there is no try. In fact, trying can be a very good thing. Webster defines try like this- 1) to make an effort to do something, to attempt to accomplish or complete something. 2) to do or use something in order to see if it works or will be successful. 3) to do or use something in order to find out if you like it. To try using these definitions is to be smart. For instance, free trials of products can save us from paying for and continuing with things that are harmful or useless.

A song I love contains this lyric- "If I limp then I will run with a limp, I'll win some and lose some but I'll make my attempt." Often to try is an act of courage. An act of conceding you don't know everything and proceeding until you can truly see if it's a good idea or bad one. By not trying many locked doors will stay locked. I dare us to at least knock on those locked doors and see what happens.

Lastly, I believe there is one form of try that can be unhelpful and even harmful. It is when we know we have the capability to succeed at something but you're content to not put your best effort in. To be happy with mediocre. This form of "try" is no try at all.

In closing, this writing wouldn't exist if I was not willing to try. This came together as I worked on it. Started with that Yoda quote in my head. And now, I have benefitted by completing this. I hope it may encourage a reader or two along the way. I leave you with the following words to ponder-

“It's not about success life is not a test, you don't pass or fail you just do your best

See the view from wings of courage, to push on through when we're discouraged

It's all about the try, all about the ride

Learning how you were meant to touch the sky

Failures are fliers who touch down, only they know what it's like to leave the ground”


Picture
My Name is Mark Barkley. I have struggled and/or fought mental illness since childhood. I am diagnosed with and being treated for Bipolar disorder and OCD. I am 42 years old and live in northwest Pennsylvania. I write blog posts to enlighten and encourage, and enclosed here is my current favorite post.

Connect with Mark

Blog- Link
Twitter- @markbarkley
Facebook - Link
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    ConquerWorry™
    Instagram

    RSS Feed


    Picture

    Build Your Action Based Stress Reduction System

    Subscribe For Inspirational Stories

    * indicates required
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture

    Popular Podcasts


    Olympian Suzy Favor Hamilton - From Fame to Prostitution to Advocacy

    Hall of Fame Basketball Star Chamique Holdsclaw on Mental Resilience

    Diana Nightingale on her husband Earl Nightingale's Principles for Mental Health Success


    JoAnn Buttaro on Date Rape & PTSD Survival

    Story: Its Never Too Late

    Gabe Howard on BiPolar Advocacy

    Phil Fulmer on Teen Suicide

    Prison, Bipolar and Mania with Andy Behrman

    Columbia Univeristy's Dr. Rynn on OCD
    Picture

    Archives

    March 2018
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    December 2014
    October 2014
    August 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013

    Categories

    All
    Addiction
    Advocacy
    Alcoholism
    Anorexia
    Anxiety
    Article
    Bipolar
    Blog
    Boundaries
    Christy Zigweid
    Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
    ConquerScope
    Depersonalization
    Depression
    Guest Post
    Guilt
    #ILiveWithMentalillness
    Infographic
    Irving Schattner
    Jay Coulter
    Matthew Lowe
    Mental Illness
    Mental Resilience
    Motivation
    MotivationalIQ
    OCD
    Online Counseling
    Panic Disorder
    Personal Philosophy
    Podcast
    PTSD
    Recovery
    Relationships
    Research
    Sally O'Reilly
    Schizophrenia
    Self Harm
    Self-harm
    Stress
    Suicide
    Suicide Survivor
    Therapy
    Therapy Animals
    Tracy Shawn
    Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)
    Two Wise Chicks
    Veterans
    Video
    Worry
    Youth

    RSS Feed

  • BLOG
    • Guest Posts
  • Podcast
    • Podcast Support
  • Get Help
  • Speaking