Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Green Tape

If you follow Shut Up + Run on Facebook, then you know how I pimped up my bike with new handle bar tape:

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For some reason, something so small as lime green handle bar tape made me very, very happy. It changed my whole attitude about being on my bike. Crazy? Maybe.

This got me to thinking how it doesn’t really take the BIG stuff or the EXPENSIVE stuff to add pizzazz to our days. Sometimes it is something very small that we do, hear, say or think that can turn it all around.

You see, it’s not just lime green tape. It symbolizes so much more. Motivation to ride 80 miles this weekend. Pride to be on my bike. Thoughts of margaritas and vodka tonics since they have limes in them (what)?

So, what other small things can add a boost to our days? Here are some of my recent favorites:

  • That first cup of coffee in the morning. And, the next two that follow later that morning.
  • Paying for the person behind me in the drive thru line
  • Getting a haircut (do remember that song “Hairstyles and Attitudes” by Timbuk 3? I’m showing my age because it came out in 1986.  The lyrics talked about how our attitudes are directly linked to whether we like our hairstyle or not).
  • Putting my new favorites song on my iPod playlist and having it come on during my run.
  • Taking a 10 minute nap in the afternoon.
  • Helping the older lady in the store find plain packets of oatmeal.
  • Sending a card to a friend just because. Or, getting one.
  • Putting new bird food in the feeder and watching who comes (suck it, squirrels).
  • Having a book I’ve ben wanting to read forever come up on hold for me at the library (Goldfinch, yay!)
  • Eating a Honey Stinger waffle with almond butter as an afternoon snack
  • Brushing Heidi (and making a merkin out of her hair)
  • Seeing/reading this article in Oprah Magazine

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I could go on and on. I guess I just wanted to highlight that sometimes we think we need the BIG things (new house, new job, race PR, huge weight loss, etc.), when really – it’s all the little stuff that pops up throughout our day that, if we take time to slow down and notice them, can bring a nice little boner to our day.

What “small” thing gave you a boost this week? Give me at least one.

SUAR

45 comments:

  1. Coming home to a delicious home cooked meal, made by my kitchen-impaired husband. And each and every day, my bathtub. Sweet handlebars!

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  2. Ooh sweet color for the handlebar tape! Lime green is my fave color because it makes me happy, too :D

    A small thing that gave me a boost was watching the day turn from a rainy, cold, cloudy day to sunny and warm by the afternoon. I went for a run just for fun and left the Garmin at home. Haven't done that in forever!

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  3. That article in O mag!

    I didn't just survive farting, I did something far worse. And I can't even say what it is, it's that bad.

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    1. Ok. You cannot leave me hanging. Queef? Very common.

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  4. Love the lime green handle bars AND seat - it looks great on your bike and definitely adds some sass. The small thing that gave me a boost this week was coming home to a clean house. There is something extra relaxing about a clean house.

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  5. Finding a new song that makes me run faster, and then listening to it over and over again to get me over the hump. Love that.

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  6. I got a not so pleasant boost today when the dentist took off my sensitive temp crown and stuck the needle straight into the nerve - yikes!

    Lasr week though I did get a boost from seeing all of the pretty rhodies blooming in Olympia.

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  7. yaşam tarzınıza bayılıyorum :))

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  8. At the end of the day my husband and son and I all hang out, unintentionally, in my husband's office and just dish about our day or anything we want to talk about. Favorite part of my life. Hands down.

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  9. Making it to the weekend and spending some great quality time with my husband. We never do much but it's always just nice to RELAX!

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  10. Having a friend show up to your work unexpectedly just to say "hi" and give you a hug! xoxo

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  11. I work at an elementary school, when I am in a funk having a sweet child come running up for a quick hug makes all the difference.

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  12. Last night when I came home from work, my dog didn't greet me at the door, which is so unusual. She was in her crate, looking sad. I poked my head in to pet her, and found that her back claw was caught in her ear fur (she's a cocker). I unhooked her back foot and she bounded out of her cage like I saved her from a burning building, tail wagging like crazy. Gotta love dogs!

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    1. OH, poor doggie!!! I can just imagine her trying to free herself and finally giving up...... My cat did that once with a rug, and dragged that rug all over the house in his attempts to free himself :-( Glad your pup wasn't hurt!

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  13. I need to have my handlebars re-taped because the tape is literally falling off of mine. I'm wondering if I should choose some bright color too.
    I've been fighting back pain for most of the month of April. I've been seeing the chiropractor every other day since last Monday. My small thing...today...is that I woke up practically pain free this morning and slept almost all night uninterrupted. Even though I've tightened back up a bit as the morning has gone on, I'm taking this as progress!

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  14. Crisp, clean sheets. Seriously. Evening run to clear my head, evening shower to cleanse the body, and sliding into fresh sheets.

    It'll cure what ails you, guaranteed.

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  15. Getting a new pair of running shoes in the mail! :)

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  17. I've been lurking around here for a while and thought today was THE day to comment. I should note, that for some reason I felt compelled to read every single post since you started the blog… So far I've made it to November 2011. I will say that you are hilarious and I often find myself laughing out loud.. which is weird, because I used to have the nickname "Ice Queen".. Anyhoo.. small things are the best things for sure. Yesterday I had 2.. I picked up a bunch of my current favorite flower (ranunculus) and had a 5 spot in my pocket to spare for a desperate, homeless girl who had the balls to ask.

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  18. Small thing/ big thing? I don't know, you decide: my dad came for tea yesterday (it was the day my parents were married in 1955), and he told me that wherever he was at 12 minutes past 3 on the 7th, he would phone my Mom to remind her that that was the time they were officially pronounced man and wife. She died in 2007, so I'm glad we could spend that time together yesterday. He is a very special man!

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  19. Nothing starts off my day better than a highly satisfying morning poop..
    .. what....?

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  20. Seeing beautiful flowers on my run (while sucking a&*) and realizing that life is good (even if i am sucking a*& while running).

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  21. Seeing two bunnies on my run and some flowers definitely made things better. Oh, and I PR'd that 5k run. :)

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  22. Cute things my pets do make me smile every day!

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  23. Lime green handlebares rock! So does finding a bunny den in your flower bed, seeing them moving around, knowing there's new life brewing!
    And a new pair of flip flops, they are awesome. Even if they are the super-cheapies at Five Below, they aren't all beaten up!
    So is having a puppy. A six month old puppy to be exact. He finds everything cool and wonderfully new and awe filled. A worm on the ground is cause for celebration! I try to remember to see things from his perspective, which is extremely low to the ground. When he's not humping his little bed, he's the cutest thing ever, and lets me know how much he is loved, and how much he loves his home. So much so, he gets all wiggly and tinkles when he's over excited!
    Amy P. Philly Runner

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  24. Sometimes, YOUR are just the little thing I need to make me smile. Today, that's exactly what you did when all I've been doing is throwing a pity party over here. Thanks!

    In other news, buying my daughters new rubber duckies made me smile today. Sadly, I bought them out of guilt for not letting them bring theirs in the car (I don't know why they wanted to and I also am not sure why I wouldn't let them...I'm just bitchy today).

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  25. Your bike looks GOOD with the green detailing! I'm also rocking green grip tape right now, but mine's a little grimy and greasy looking because I keep throwing my chain during my commute.

    I love the reminder to take stock of the little boost-ups that we get every day. Today I had a lane to myself for my entire swim this morning--I LOVE that. The post-swim victory latte was another boost, in more ways than one.

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  26. I love it when someone else makes me a sandwich. Weird, I know.

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  27. My runner partner told me that she loves me :) OH - Starbucks coffee helps every week. I should buy stock or get a discount for all the money I spend.

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  28. Oh SUAR! Only YOU can find a way to slip 'merkin' into a blog post. I suppose I should be embarrassed that I did not have to 'click' on the link to find out what one was....but I'm not. Lol

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  29. Yesterday my 12 year old son and I went on our first 'dirt trail' ride (can't really say mountain bike as I live in one of the Plains states). I initially let him lead the ride, with all his preteen cockiness, but passed him up somewhere midway. So...I will have to say that seeing my sons face after kicking his a$$ on a trail ride was priceless :-). I know, he's 12....but I have to take my victories now as in a few years he will be strong and mature and he *might* just be able to out ride me.

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  30. While receiving a 90 minute massage this morning after a tough track workout, I was telling my therapist about what I thought to be Ischial Tuburosity PAIN. I was also going on now that the pain is radiating into my"HO HA", for a better term. She said it isn't your IT. It probably is your ADDUCTORS pulling on your PUBIS. She then proceeded to run her palm down the inside of my adductor muscle and "HELLO", with toe curling pain and a few choice words.....there it was!! She did say though at least this tells me, "you have great running form,you are using the right muscle groups!!" Well I have never heard those words uttered in all my 20 years of running. Even though I was in excruciating pain, those were the BEST words I have heard in along time!!!! YAY:)

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  31. Little things? How about making the perfect smoothie for my daughter this morning. The frozen cherry/frozen strawberry ratio was spot on, and the greek yogurt had just the right consistency. Add the 1% milk and the sweetener, fire up the ninja, and whammo - fruity, pink awesomeness.

    Oh, and I finished off two boxes of cereal with my one bowl this morning. But that's my OCD (or CDO since the letters need to be alphabetized) talking.

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    1. Today I glanced at the trip odometer (that I reset after every tankful of gas) and it was exactly 26.2. That gave me a little tingle.

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  32. I bit the bullet this week and finally did what I knew I should have done a long time ago... I gave up Facebook! I know how silly that sounds, but I found myself distracted by it when I should have been engaged more presently in life. And I feel so FREE! I also decided to go to an all "clean eating" menu in our home after our diabetic daughter's bloodwork came back sketchy. I am pretty sure my three girls weren't pleased with my stuffed peppers the other night. Or the green poblano lime sauce I put over the chicken last night. Or the bag of arugula i dumped in the penne pasta. But I don't care!! Because eventually they will get hungry. Love how small changes can reinvigorate the spirit!

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  33. I definitely agree with that 3 cups of coffee is a great way to start the day! The little things pile up into one giant thing that makes or breaks our day. I'm glad that you also take note of that. Sometimes we tend to neglect the little things and focus more on the bigger things. It is healthy to sometimes take a step back and appreciate every thing there is to be thankful for. - Kevin

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  34. The cutest red headed toddler saying hello to me at Target today. She had the sweetest smile! It made my whole day!

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  35. A beanie that says SERIOUSLY on it. Bought it yesterday for $10. Will make me (and maybe other runners) laugh when it's cold and dark this winter and we are out training!

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  36. Walking into a public bathroom and seeing the toilet see up and blue bubbles in the bowl - just cleaned!!

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  37. Getting to feel my baby kick :) Despite tough times, feeling those little feet kicking keeps me smiling and motivated.

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    1. I think that is one of the best feelings on the face of the earth.

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  38. One of my dogs is very sick, but seeing him run around the backyard, or laying outside soaking up the sun...boy does that make me happy. :)

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