did you try?

It’s my favorite question to ask myself. Whenever I feel myself brooding, or worrying, or getting into the cycle of ruminating, I ask myself, “did you try?” It’s a way to remind myself that action speaks louder than words, and action solves problems. Worrying does not.

I think millennials in particular love to brew on problems. We’re the over-thinker generation. And there is a lot of valuing of thinking things through and planning…. But we have to actually do.

I allowed myself to be stressed about my income for like six months before I told myself I needed to buckle up and make a change.

That day I walked down the street and walked into all the hotels and restaurants by the water and asked if they were hiring.

I continued walking towards a restaurant I knew and loved — but thought would never hire me because I have no experience in restaurants — and set them as my end goal. I’d keep going until I, at least, filled out an application there.

I happened to go when the restaurant was slow, so they gave me a table to fill out the application. The host checked in with me as I filled it out – no doubt trying to suss out my personality – and then passed it on to our manager.

Our general manager met with me right then and there. We talked for 20-30 minutes, and she asked me to come back in a few hours to meet a second manager. I rushed home to print out a resume and returned a little while later. I met with the second manager, and that day, they told me I was now apart of the team!

I kept telling myself I couldn’t get a restaurant job because I’d never had one, but I never actually TRIED to get one. I just told myself no, because I thought I couldn’t.

I realized that trying is the only way to know what works and what doesn’t. We can’t assume.

Because when we assume, we limit ourselves by what we can imagine.

Just go for it, and see what happens. What’s the worst thing that will happen? Someone will tell you no?

That’s fine. As artists, we’re good at hearing no.

It’s all about that one simple yes.

And sometimes all we have to do is ask for it.

So, my friends, did you try today?