Don't Try -- Just DO!

Sunday, July 13, 2008

Have you ever thought about the word "try"? I am trying to find something, or I am trying to lose weight, or I am trying to create something. When you really think about the word "try", embedded between the letters is the implied message that you will never accomplish what you are "trying" to do. Trying is a state of attempting something, not completing something. Trying is a way of saying "Well, I'm taking steps, but I don't know if I will be able to reach my goal."

Don't try, just DO! If I say "I am doing something", then I am in the mode of following steps to accomplish what I am doing. If I say "I am trying to do something", then I give myself an out. Because of course I can try very hard and accomplish nothing, but I still get credit for trying. For example, if I say "I am trying to lose weight", then no result is expected since I have not stated an action with a result in my statement. All it means is that I have done something to lose weight, but there is no certainty of any results. But if I say "I AM losing weight", then you expect to see a result, don't you? Because with my words I guarantee you that I am doing something that has accomplishment attached to it.

And so I once again want to say that I AM losing weight. I am tired of my weight, and my doctor has promised if I don't lose weight I will end up diabetic. So it's not just about looking good (although that's what I dream about), it's also about my health. I'm tired of trying to lose weight, I just want to do it and get it done with!!

I've been making many excuses on this account. I kept saying how busy I am or how many things are going on and I don't have the energy or presence of mind to accomplish this task. But today I had a revelation -- life is NOT going to calm down. Life is NOT going to get easier. In the coming year I can already see major emotional upheavals on the horizon. Not only have we lost the cat, my friend is ill and I'm wishing I was skinny, but we have several other major "stressors" that are guaranteed to arise in then next year or so:

• Steve is coming to terms with his kidney issues and we are learning about the inevitable dialysis or transplant that will surely be here by end of 2009
• Gabriel begins kindergarten at a new school this fall
• Jeremy is in his terrible twos and getting more stubborn by the moment
• My parents are experiencing major financial upheaval as a result of the recession, and my father's heart issues seem to be rearing their ugly head
• Steve and I are working our tails off trying to grow our graphic design company so we will have adequate income to keep our family in a middle class lifestyle

And did I talk about possibly moving? Yes, we are going to try and move to the county north of Los Angeles county by next summer. We think it will be better for our family financially, but more than that, we believe by moving we can gain a community feeling which our current neighborhood does not have.

So tomorrow, once again, I embark on the voyage of the weight release train. I say release and not lose because again, the semantics of the word carries weight. When we lose something we usually want to get it back. After all, being lost implies it's something that got separated from us against our will. But when we release something, we have no intention of reclaiming it. So I release this weight which is my burden. I reclaim my health, and pray my pancreas rights itself (damaged during the aneurysm surgery and hasn't been cooperating since). And pray my doctor is correct that releasing the weight will prevent diabetes and lower my recently diagnosed high blood pressure.

I refuse to try anymore. I will only DO. Life is always going to be full of challenges, and I refuse to let that be my excuse anymore. My time has come to battle this issue once and for all and leave it hog-tied on the ground for good. I AM releasing weight. I AM regaining my health. I AM taking care of me.