The Soultown! Volume IV: Issue 1 JANUARY 2020 | Page 11

Just Call Me Tyra
My mother used to say, “Nothing beats a
failure but a darned good try.” Suddenly, (40+
years later), this resonates with me. The thing
is this: I am starting to realize that in this cycle
called LIFE, the ATTEMPTS matter more than the
ACCURACY! Because life is tricky. Targets move
and what feels “right” at one stage in life can feel
downright wrong at another. So, maybe it’s better
for me to focus on the “trying” rather than beating
myself up because I haven’t figured out how to get
it “right.”
I want/need 2020 to be different because
there’s so much more to experience and offer the
world. To maximize my benefit and contribution,
I used to think the solution was to figure out a
way to capture that hope and seal it in an air-
tight container, uncorking it at various periods
throughout the year as needed. Now I think I
understand that the best way to resuscitate my
resolve is to simply keep trying: Up my quotient
of attempts!
If I tried to spell out what this means in its
entirety right now, I’d probably get it wrong. But
I know this: If 2020 is going to feel different than
any other year I’ve lived to date, I must live each
My mother used to say,
“Nothing beats a failure but a darned good try.”
Suddenly, this resonates with me.
-- Tyra Nelson-Reck
moment in a way that looks and feels different for
me. I’d venture to guess that I’d be wise to:
Practice gratitude: Feel and express
thankfulness for all things big, medium, and small.
In order to practice gratitude, one must be present
enough in the moment to notice the opportunity to
be grateful;
Do the work EVERY day: Commit to action!
Everything I wish to experience or accomplish
requires effort. Placing a little effort each day will
go a long way;
Honor the role of grace without inviting
excuses: Remember that you are an imperfect/
flawed individual. There will be setbacks and
moments when you lack the drive or energy to
give it your all. This is to be expected and there’s
power in cutting yourself some slack, but avoid
wallowing in complacency.
It’s January 1, 2020, and I’m gluttonously --
ridiculously -- stuffed with hope and possibility!
I’ll cling to this for the next week while I work on
my strategy for the remaining 360 days. While I
no longer believe in getting it “right,” maybe just
plain getting it done is what it’ll take to push me to
my next level.
I am Tyra Nelson - Reck, Authentic Advisor
for The Soultown International Magazine. I’d
like to thank you for having SOUL! ,
Jan. 2020 • Immortalizing Our Stories to Implore Positive Progress In Our Communities • thesoultown.com
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