You know? 

You gotta do what you gotta do. 

‘Do’ in the sense of what keeps you going. 

Positive. 

Happy. 

Good. 

There are some things you ‘do’ that are in the open. 

Family recognizes them. 

Friends recognize them. 

‘He is doing his thing.’ 

But I think there is far more that you ‘do’ that you keep to yourself. 

Things that you ‘do’ that nobody else knows about. 

It is not that you want to keep them secret. 

It is more that, well, they are yours and yours alone. 

They work for you. 

Make your bed as soon as you get up. 

Have the coffee ready to go before you go to sleep. 

Know your wallet is in ‘that drawer.’ 

Floors are swept. 

Keys are where they should be. 

There is one that I have that means everything to me. 

I look forward to it. 

It changes things up. 

When I get home from a ride, I shower and then I dress up. 

Like, put on really nice clothes. 

Clothes that I could easily wear out to any restaurant and be welcomed in. 

But I am not going out. 

I am staying in. 

Nobody is going to see me. 

I will not even see me. 

I will not even look in the mirror. 

But I feel fantastic. 

Dressing up for yourself carries a certain type of magic. 

It is a private act of self-respect. 

I am not looking for any form of external validation. 

In fact, I shun it. 

The moment I am dressed, everything changes. 

I even find I run down the stairs. 

It is my little ritual. 

A little self-care. 

And a celebration of my individuality and style that I only celebrate. 

‘A Private Act of Self-Respect’ 

Insert empty theatre emoji here. 

‘Dress Confidently. Ride Boldly. Ride YOU.’