Go try & Make Do
the story
If I were to pinpoint the exact moment the first seeds for GO TRY & MAKE DO were planted, it would have to be the summer of 2012. After graduating college, my good friend and I decided to save up our money to backpack Europe for several months. We wanted to experience more of the world before jumping into our respective careers.
That trip was one for the books! From experiencing different cultures, to jumping out of airplanes, it was a crash course in stepping outside our comfort zones.
After returning to America, I spent several years working in corporate settings. On paper, I was living a "successful" life. Below the surface, though, something felt missing. Why was my heart hurting? I was grateful for my blessings, while at the same time harboring guilt for not feeling happy or content.
My mind constantly wandered back to 2012.
What was it about that trip that felt so fulfilling?
Why was I feeling so discontent day to day?
Are other people similarly struggling to find joy in their lives?
Could there be a "formula," of sorts, to enrich my life, now?
After diving head first into these questions, I woke up one day with the phrase "go try and make do" swirling through my thoughts: a four-part, actionable lifestyle mantra that could help not just myself, but others. As I began to make life changes in line with this new mantra, my friends and family noticed a whole new energy about me. "What's your secret?" they'd ask.
And so, GO TRY & MAKE DO was born. I hope, if even in some small way, the stories shared here help you cultivate the joy or fulfillment you may be seeking in your own life. Thank you for joining me in this journey.
Shayna Marie
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Go
Try
Wander. Pick up your feet, ride your bike, or hop in your car and go somewhere new. Whether another country for a trip or simply a different coffee shop in the morning, changing up your geography consistently injects a sense of the "unknown" into your days. The unknown can seem scary at first, but there's a reason the saying "variety is the spice of life" is so popular--it's true! Think of all the amazing places, and people, you have yet to see or meet in your own town or city. Expand your geographic radius, even just a little bit, and watch your world blossom.
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From the time we're little, society teaches us not to make mistakes. Success is defined by "winning," failure by "losing." Where in that mix though, is "trying?" Little kids are great at trying new and different things, without the fear of failure stopping them. That fear is learned, over time. Ask yourself, have you explored all your interests? Give yourself permission to try new things, free from fear. Just because you work in business, doesn't mean you can't try out acting at your local community theater. There are no rules. And there can be sheer joy in simply trying!
Make
Do
Do good, for yourself and others. Be accountable to your values, even when nobody is watching! When you're home alone, do you prepare yourself healthy, nourishing meals that are good for your body, or do you settle for a bag of chips? When your soul is feeling heavy, do you nurture it with care or do you fall into the traps of vices? In the GO TRY & MAKE DO world, "doing" is all about walking in the light of the truth of your best self. It's your stick-to-it-ness. It's your call to do everything in your power to honor yourself and this life you've been blessed with, and using your gifts to help others.
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In your day to day life, how often do you create things meant for the public? If you're a songwriter or a woodsmith, the answer might be "all the time." But what if you're not? The maker movement has gained massive popularity around the world in recent years, because there is something incredibly special about creating/making/giving of your skills to the world. Even if you make something that isn't sold or shared to the public at large, just making something in your own home can have a huge impact. Do you have an idea for a new recipe? Why not try it out? If it was a huge hit at family dinner, why not submit it to a local cooking contest? Yes, creating and making can be incredibly scary and make us feel vulnerable. But the rewards can be exponential.
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