I would encourage you to change this language up a bit as it could be blocking you - effort implies stress/strain, and stress causes tension, and tension causes energy blockage.
You must be completely relaxed for your energy to flow fully - following relaxation exercises that lead you through relaxing te parts of the face and then the body, until you feel really heavy are perfect to get you ready to try ap techniques.
If you try using the word “practice” instead maybe, it will remove one more small point that’s in the way.