By Joni Peddie
I have only run one international marathon, and that was The London Marathon, a few years ago. The New York Marathon is on my ‘bucket list’, so I was glued to both the TV and my couch on Sunday 6th November ’22.
I giggled to myself as I debated with myself. In fact it was like a very busy ‘ping -pong match’ in my brain.
- I am now ‘too old’ for marathons
- But how spectacular would it be to run New York.
- But it’s FLIPPING FAR. I am only running 10kms and, sometimes a 21km – it’s a hellva stretch to run a 42.2km marathon.
- Everyone has excruciatingly painful expressions their faces.
I now remember the inner thigh chaffing, blisters and losing my toenails!
While this internal dialogue was going on, I suddenly observed that runners were laughing as they ran past the witty, silly and funny spectators’ signs!
It made me remember how the ridiculous spectators’ signs compelled me to keep going, and offered a much needed mental distraction, as I pounded the roads of my various marathons and the Comrades.
This ‘percolated’ in my brain overnight, and then ‘tiggered’ a new habit from Monday 7th November.
I have started making a concerted effort to send inspiring / fun / intriguing / fascinating pictures, poems and articles to family and friends that live in different cities around South Africa, and those living in other countries.
Here’s some research to nudge you ‘to do the same’. It’s from a study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.
The researchers did a series of experiments involving nearly 6,000 participants in total, in order to explore the value of reaching out to people “just because” or “just to catch up.”
Across all of the study’s experiments, the researchers found that initiators of text messages underestimated how much the recipients appreciated the contact. They also discovered that check-ins are especially welcome when the message is unexpected—that is, when they come from someone you aren’t super close with or who you haven’t talked to in a long time.
I mostly don’t feel like phoning my mates / family at night after work.
Afterall, I ‘Speak’ & Facilitate for a living, so I have ‘used up’ my word quota by the end of most days J.
However, reaching out and sending a quick (& relevant) text message is easy peasy.
This is a ‘flipping hard’ time of the year for MANY people. It’s Madvember into the long last few weeks of work in December. Connect with loved ones, boost their endorphins and yours. Pausing to connect with ourselves and others goes a long way.
I challenge you to #REACHOUT!
#SHOWCARE #BOUNCEFORWARD #CONNECTION #TINYHABIT
