Take Care of YOU

I went into my favorite juice bar today. 
It is such a feel good place...happy people....great music playing....everything feels fresh, clean and healthy. While I was sitting at the counter enjoying my juice a man came in, ordered and then leaned against the counter to wait for his juice. I glanced over and noticed a tattoo on his arm. It said "TAKE CARE OF YOU". 
A message right when I needed it most....
I love when that happens.
 Those powerful signs that we know are meant for us. 
The sacred in the ordinary.
Sometimes I feel too shy to speak to strangers but today the words were coming out of my mouth before I had a chance to stop them. I said, "I really like your tattoo, I needed to hear that today". He was incredibly friendly and seemed genuinely touched that I had said something to him. He shared with me the story behind the tattoo. It was always what his mother would tell him and other family members when saying goodbye...
take care of YOU. 
It was a family thing and once his mom started saying it then everyone joined in. 
I am going to suggest right here and right now that we all start saying that to one another every time we say goodbye. How about even INSTEAD of goodbye....
what does good bye really mean anyway? 
Have a good bye? It makes no sense.
How about we stop that nonsense and remind each other of this 
sacred truth as much as we can....

TAKE CARE OF YOU

 It would have been too much for a tattoo but the rest of what his mother would say was something to the effect of....if you don't take care of you then you are no good to those you love or the world. His mother had passed away a couple of years ago and it spun him into a pretty dark place but with the love and support of his friends he made it through. I told him again how much I needed to hear that today and how grateful I was that our paths had crossed. I reached to shake his hand and instead he gave me a huge hug. 

Two strangers who really are not strangers at all. 

The daily part of taking care of YOU like exercise and eating right and praying or meditating are important but equally important is making big life decisions that take care of you. 
The ones that allow you to be ALL of you. 
The you that you came here to be.
 The big scary life changing things. 
The things that scare the shit right out of you.
Decisions that sometimes make other people feel bad, sad or mad. 
It's not easy.....this taking care of you idea. 
It takes guts and courage and a fair amount of mundane tasks in the mix.
I have to hit my yoga mat...again? 
I just did it yesterday.
I have to eat healthy EVERYday??? 
and floss?
every. single. day.
Really?
It's funny how much the life of your dreams looks very similar to hard work.

 Following your heart could include any manner of unpleasant things. 
Things like living with uncertainty and walking away from relationships that no longer serve  your highest good or leaving the job or house of your dreams 
because a bigger dream is calling you. 
Yes, it is risky business for sure.
 But even riskier to not do so, don't you think? 
My new friend suggested that I get a tattoo that said the same thing.
 And you know what?
 I am actually considering it because this story is just 
too good and the message is one of the keys to living your best life. 
Four simple words that form a creed to live by....

Take. Care. Of. You. 

Please do this...
for the sake of yourself, 
your children, 
your partner, 
your parents, 
 siblings, 
 pets,
 friends, 
employees or employer, 
co-workers, 
your neighbor,
 the barista.......
do it for the whole wide world. 
And go ahead and get it tattooed on your forehead or maybe just your arm...
it's up to YOU.