Kristen 0:02

Welcome to season two of Talk with Kristen with an E. This season, we're digging a little deeper into leadership, personal growth, and the courage it takes to follow your passion. Real conversations, honest reflections, because life isn't perfect and neither are we. Hey everybody. Welcome back. Super excited about today's episode because not only is it a fantastic topic, we also have one of our favorite guests back. Hi Katie. Hi everyone. Hi Kristen. Thank you for having me back. I feel like we just connect and have some of the best conversations and it's like we have this endless supply of topics. So what are we talking about today?

Caity 0:56

So today, very timely, we're talking about seasons.

Kristen 1:00

Seasons of life. Seasons of the year. Right now it's supposed to be fall. But here in St. Louis it's still 90 degrees, so it's hard to think of fall things. And where you are in Montana, you said you were getting a little bit cooler weather though, right?

Caity 1:22

Yeah, it kind of just turned. It's also been in the eighties and some days still up in the nineties and today the high was in the sixties and it was real nice and cool. Oh, the trees are just starting to turn around their edges.

Kristen 1:37

Oh, that's beautiful. Some of our leaves have been changing, but it's just because we haven't had rain forever and they're all dying. So it's not the pretty fall. It's just like sad. Oh, that's a sad time to fall change. Yes. But while we're talking about seasons, would you have a favorite season?

Caity 1:57

This is it for sure.

Kristen 1:58

Yeah.

Caity 1:59

Yes. I do not do well in the heat. I don't really like humidity, and if I could live in a nice sweater and some leggings. 365 days out of the year, I would be a very happy girl.

Kristen 2:14

Yes. So that's exactly how I am. Like growing up I really liked summer. You're out of school and it's fun. And then I liked Spring because it's when everything would come alive and I love seeing all the flowers bloom. But as I got into my early adulthood through now, it is fall. And it's the exact same reason you said, I always talk about the fall fashion, I love. Fall fashion, legging sweaters, jeans and hoodies, boots, scarfs hats, all the accessories. Like fall fashion is my absolute favorite.

Caity 2:48

Totally. And it's just comfortable to be outside. The farther north you are, the days are getting shorter and it's just like this beautiful forcing function slow down spend a little bit more time inside. Maybe that's when I catch up on reading books that I've been too busy for all summer. And just kind of more time to reflect on. Year and then kind of start planning for the next year.

Kristen 3:18

Yeah, and I think along with that, the slowing down, even the activities are slower, but I think fall activities are so fun. It's when you are having bonfires, going through corn mazes or picking pumpkins like you said, it's that slowing down time too, where you get a moment to refresh reflect and focus.

Caity 3:42

We both have spent some time living in Florida. Which is a place unlike St. Louis and unlike Colorado and Montana does not experience seasons, the same way the leaves on the trees stay green all year long. The days, the length of the days pretty much. Are unchanged because you're so much closer to the equator. I remember when I was a kid, we would have traditional matching Christmas outfits leggings and sweaters, and we would, you know, reluctantly put that stuff on to take a picture and then immediately peel it off because it was 85 degrees on Christmas day.

Kristen 4:24

What I remember from Florida is the only season you were really focused on was hurricane season. It wasn't even the hurricanes, it was the rain. It would be like, almost religiously every day at like four 30 it would start raining and it would be this crazy sideways rain, and then it would stop again, that was the only real season that you cared about was hurricane season.

Caity 4:47

Yes. And even that had its own kind of predictability. And consistency. There was something about living there that drove me nuts. The older I got, it felt like Groundhog Day, it didn't have that same physical environmental forcing function. To think about change and to plan ahead in some ways it was like I didn't have that environmental impact to force me to think differently or get outside of my routine like I do in places with seasons.

Kristen 5:25

Yeah, and I can see that because there's nothing really breaking it up. Like you said, the Groundhog Day, and it's like every day really is the same. Like, oh, it's sunny again. It's sunny again, which is lovely. And I know why a lot of people go there. Growing up outside Pittsburgh, we had a lot of rain, we had snow, we had yucky winters. So when I was going to college, I was like, that's it, I'm going to Florida. I am getting away from this. And I did and I loved it. And then later as an adult, my then boyfriend, now husband, we moved to Florida for a while too, because I love Florida. But it's like after a while it's the. Monotony or kind of like the mundaneness of it. While it's lovely, it almost gets boring for that same reason, because there's nothing changing, which, doesn't create any opportunities or real reason for change if the seasons aren't changing, then why do you need to change? It's just the same thing day after day after day

Caity 6:17

you having grown up in Pittsburgh and then going and living in a place like Florida, maybe, Florida got you out of the monotony and the expectation and the cycles of Pittsburgh. Oh, yeah. And going from Florida to a different place that has winters. It was the same thing, but opposite because. I would, meet people who grew up with Colorado winters, for example, and they would groan and complain when the ice storms and heavy snows came. And I loved it. For me, yes. And it still is, it just is novel and knew and I, I just, I have not become bitter yet about the cold winters, but maybe that will happen one day. But to me it's new and exciting. Different than, yeah.

Kristen 7:07

Well, and you know another point to that, as you talk about how, they're kind of over it 'cause it's something they've had and you're like, oh, this is still new. This is exciting for me, it's kind of like when people aren't content with. What they have and they want what somebody else has and they don't understand why the people who have that don't appreciate it. I remember when I was younger, I had a friend and she said, all the curly haired girls want straight hair and all the straight hair girls want curly hair. Like you always want what you don't have. You want something else, when you see somebody who has what you want and it's like they're unappreciative of it or they're complaining about it, you're like, but that's what I want. That's so wonderful. I think it's kind of that way where we will get frustrated or unhappy with our current circumstances, the weather or whatever current life situation you're in and you see somebody else's life and you're like, but they have everything I want. Why aren't they happy? It's almost like learning to be content with what you have and appreciate what you have. When you were talking about how the Colorado people don't appreciate it or see it for what it is and you as an outsider do, that's something that made me think about that.

Caity 8:15

Yeah, there's definitely an element to that. Hopefully I never lose that kind of, wonder about the seasons, I'm a gardener and, I help out with the community garden in Boulder. This is the time of year when we are collecting. Keep and pro and process and har and sew next spring, and we're kind of starting to clear things out of the garden and do our final harvesting of the pumpkins and squashes I love this time of year for the harvesting aspect.

Kristen 8:49

So you're into gardening, that's one of your seasonal activities. What other activities do you have that are seasonal or that separate your different seasons?

Caity 9:00

Well, this Friday, I'm leaving for a kayaking trip around the San Juans. When I get back from that trip, I'll kind of tuck the kayak in for winter. And so that'll not see any more sunshine until next summer. The bike, I'll put different wheels in the bike so it's got a little more attraction for icy road conditions. Swapping out, you know it's that way with wardrobes too. Where are you with your wardrobe swap? I love that you brought this up.

Kristen 9:35

I love that you brought this up because this is a real thing every time I do my swap I do it twice a year, in the spring and fall some pieces will stay in the closet because they will transition from spring to summer, clothes to winter, fall clothes by adding a cardigan or a jean jacket. I have some very functional pieces but it usually is a full swap. I wish I were one of those capsule wardrobe people that only had like of these seven items I can make 442 outfits. Slight exaggeration. But you know, you've seen those things, right? I wish I wore a capsule.

Caity 10:08

Is the capsule wardrobe?

Kristen 10:09

Okay. So you can Google it, but I'll explain it for you because I want to be a capsule wardrobe person so badly. A capsule wardrobe is you have, seven to 10 items that you can mix and match and make like 24 or something different outfits. Don't quote me on these numbers, but you'll get the idea. You'll have a pair of khaki pants. A black skirt, a pair of jeans and a dress. And then you'll have a sweater. A blouse, some kind of more casual top and probably a tank top they will show you that with those items, you can make so many different outfits, like, the button-up shirt and the khaki pants, or the button-up shirt and the skirt. Or the sweater over the button up shirt with the jeans or the sweater over the dress, or the casual shirt with the khaki pants, or the jeans like everything is mix and matchable. So you'll have a color palette and then you'll have different color pieces everything could be very neutral, but your pop of color personality piece would come up it's like a minimalistic thing. So you have fewer things, but you still have all these different options. Capsule, wardrobe, I love

Caity 11:14

that.

Kristen 11:14

Yes.

Caity 11:15

When you are swapping out your seasonal clothes. Do you do real time, cleansing pulling things out and. Dropping them off at Goodwill? Yes. Or giving them to friends each seasonal change.

Kristen 11:29

So, like I said, I'm not a capsule wardrobe girl. I am not a minimalist when it comes to clothes because I have clearly too many, but I thrift all the time. I rationalize it that everything is cheap and I am reusing somebody else's stuff. I'm helping with consumerism and eco-friendly or I, I don't do it all for that. I do it. Yeah. 'cause I like a bargain and I like shopping and I'm not breaking the bank when I'm buying a sweater for $4. So yes, I will do a clean out when I'm doing it also. I haven't swapped out my summer stuff yet, but when I do, I will take out pieces that I don't like anymore. May not fit the way I want them to anymore. Or I really didn't wear this summer at all. Then I will bag it all up and donate it. When I'm bringing my fall and winter stuff back up, I'll do a similar thing and I'll look and be like, okay, do I, do I like, does it bring me joy? And not even that, but like, okay, how often am I really gonna wear this? How many pairs of jeans does one girl actually need? Like how many pairs of black leggings does one girl actually need? My stuff I don't wear is in the basement and the stuff upstairs is in my closet. So it's actually a workout too, because it will take me several trips to bring things down and back up, every time I do this, I complain to myself and say, I am never buying any more clothes. This is too many clothes. Why do I have so many? This is such a pain. So many trips. And of course then I'll be at Goodwill that next weekend, buying more clothes. But I do get rid of things too. I'm sorry, Katie, but I take my wardrobe swapping very seriously.

Caity 13:03

I am definitely not at the capsule level of minimalism, but I definitely err more toward a minimalist, all four of my seasonal wardrobes. Can fit on 20 hangers in my closet. And a small box that I put up in the attic. If it's winter I'll have my, summer dress shorts and tank top running outfits in a tub, up in the attic. With that being said, Kristen, I have maybe two or three things. One of them I've never worn, and the other two I just have never really had many occasions to wear them. I just don't fit in them anymore. But I cannot get rid of them. They hang in my closet and I love looking at them and I keep thinking maybe one day I'll be able to fit in it again. Even though my body keeps going in the opposite direction, I have this fantasy that one day I will be able to wear this thing that I felt so good in. And I love the color I love how it feels, and the fabric is nice and the cut is cute one of them is this pink romper with cheetahs on it. I think I've worn this once or twice in my life. But I love it. I just like looking at it and I don't know where I would ever wear it, but maybe one day it will stay there in my closet. Until the day I die,

Kristen 14:32

you'll be buried in it. That'll be the special occasion that you wear it.

Caity 14:38

I love that. I might have to write that into my will.

Kristen 14:40

Do you ever keep clothes because they have a sentimental value to you?

Caity 14:47

Besides the Cheetah Romberg, a stented mental value. I have this coat that my dear friend Heidi gave me for Christmas, many Christmases ago. There's kind of a backstory. She has a friend who owns an alpaca wool. Store in Boulder. Early COVID, like 2020. The shop was not doing well and they were about to go out of business. So, Heidi bought a few items to give to friends to help out the shop. The shop did survive. They're thriving and they're still open now in Boulder. It's like this camel colored, big floppy neck and it's so soft and it's kind of like a long trench coat. It's just beautiful. Heidi's birthday is the day before Valentine's Day. Tradition has it that we each wear our alpaca coats and go out to brunch for her birthday. That is super sentimental to me and will always be in my closet.

Kristen 15:51

I absolutely love that story. That's adorable. And what a great tradition for a birthday, to keep the friendship strong too. I love that so much.

Caity 16:00

Yeah. I love her and I love her birthday, but I also love that we have never, failed to go get fancy brunch with a little glass of champagne and just enjoy each other's company for a couple hours and catch up.

Kristen 16:15

I love that I saw this reel going around and it was, girlfriends having a party. It's a, I have nowhere to wear this party. Everybody shows up in an outfit or a dress or something that they love that they have nowhere to go in it. Like, and some of them it's like almost like. A, like a bridesmaid dress or a really elegant thing. This one reel, the girl showed up in her graduation garb. So it was like the robe, the hat, the hood, everything. And it's like, where else are ever gonna wear that again? So I love that concept and I'm like, that would be such a fun party to have where I have nowhere to wear this party.

Caity 16:52

That is amazing. You know what? That's one thing that I talked about, with my friends and Montana family we all have, nice things tucked away in boxes in a closet I am of the mind that if you like it, if it strikes your fancy, if it makes you feel good, and if it reflects something you like about yourself, then wear it. But I will agree that there are some things that maybe are a little too like you. Like you can't just be wearing a bridesmaid dress, or your graduation garb down the street. So having a party where everyone can wear these things, I love that so much.

Kristen 17:30

I think that'll be fun. You need party planning ideas. You should definitely, get your girlfriends together and do that.

Caity 17:36

Yes. You know, thinking about clothes and seasonal stuff, for me more than clothes, I'm swapping out gear. Like I have one medium sized tote that I swap out my seasonal, clothes. But it's, for me, it's gear. I've got a whole gear room in my condo with my kayak trip coming up, I'm staring at a dry suit and a wetsuit, which take up a lot of space and those will be packed away for winter.

Kristen 18:13

So, aside from the clothing, are there other rituals or reflection activities you do as the seasons change?

Caity 18:23

This is definitely the time when I pick up books. Last year I did a year review book. For my Montana mom and dad and it was so fun. You kind of forget all of the things. Or maybe in the moment they feel small and insignificant going for hikes going out to breakfast or visiting with friends from out of town. Pull them all together and it tells a story over 12 months of your time together. It becomes more remarkable and it sits on the coffee table in the living room, we find ourselves, almost weekly picking that book up and looking at pictures together, it's such a beautiful way to coalesce and reminisce

Kristen 19:17

is it a scrapbook or is it like one of shutterfly's photo books what kind of Yearend review book is it?

Caity 19:23

It's not Shutterfly, but it's something like that.

Kristen 19:28

Okay.

Caity 19:29

Where you just kind of drag and drop the pictures and put stories in it. Yeah. Do you

Kristen 19:34

use scrapbook? I used to, I was really into scrapbooking. Like I went on scrapbook retreats, like I'd go with, um, other girls, like for a weekend away. My first one was 2006, 2007 maybe. I went a couple times then, we moved away and I made new friends and I did it again in maybe 20 15, 16. I had scrapbook on my own too, but the scrapbook retreats were legit, like. You'd get all these people, you'd have, there'd be several women, you'd each get like a long, like eight foot table so you could spread out all your stuff. And it was like sleepaway camp. You would stay in a place. First time we did it, we did it in a hotel the banquet room was our scrapbooking room you could come down all hours of the night or go up to your own, later, we did it at a camp retreat place. Not camping, camping, but they had dorms with double beds you'd, have a roommate meals together and scrapbook the whole time. I was super into scrapbooking because. All through high school and college, I was the girl who always had my camera, like I was documenting my entire life. So I had so many pictures, but as I was, busy living my life, everything was just stored in boxes. I had all these boxes of just pictures. So I ended up scrapbooking I scrapbook a New York trip that I took in college, and then I did a whole high school scrapbook, by grade and by activity. And then I did a college my different theater productions I was in and all of that stuff. I did other trips. As an adult. When my husband and I, were dating, we'd go on trips. I did our camping trip or our trip to visit wherever. So yeah, I have a lot of scrapbooks and I loved doing it, but I kind of didn't have the time for it, or it wasn't a priority for me to make the time.

Caity 21:18

I feel like. Okay. So in an earlier conversation, we talked about how, um, Zenga was one of the original social medias. I feel like really. Scrapbooking was the OG social media.

Kristen 21:32

Oh yeah. Well if you even think about it before then, yeah. our parents and before, like they would have photo albums, right? And you'd go to your grandma's house or whatever and take out the photo album and you flip through the pages and you see the picture of like your parents when they were kids photo albums were a way of people sharing their lives my parents who are very old now, had slideshows not like PowerPoint, they had their honeymoon trip on slides and they would take it out and be like invite their friends over like, oh, look at our trip to the Grand Canyon. Let's go through the slideshow.

Caity 22:05

I remember doing that one time it was these fun projectors in this, in this like wheel. Yes. And they kind of spin those picture and make that sound. Yes. And one followed and I remember there's a picture of an amp and she had these white cat eye sunglasses. I love those. Fell like in love with cat ice sunglasses. Yes,

Kristen 22:34

I love my cat eye sunglasses.

Caity 22:36

Wait, so do you, do you do um, annual?

Kristen 22:41

No, my life is not that organized.

Caity 22:43

Oh,

Kristen 22:44

I have pictures of my ears and they sit on my phone. I don't even print pictures off anymore. Sometimes at Christmas time, I will get a bunch of pictures printed off we do calendars though. Like for, my parents. I think I've done it for all the grandparents. I will do a Shutterfly calendar, which is kind of like a year in review I'll try to match pictures from the previous year. Our Christmas pictures from 2024 will be what I use for December for next year's calendar, but no, my life isn't, organized to do that kind of stuff. Now beyond just the physical seasons and transitions have you thought about the different seasons of life and seasons of friendship, and do you notice any changing seasons in those aspects of your life?

Caity 23:34

I feel like the seasons of my life have been a bit out of order. I got married when I was pretty young. We met, I had just turned 21 and we're together for over 11 years. Lovely human, in so many ways. Really glad and grateful for that time together. We end up getting divorced. Two days before lockdown. Before that I didn't have too many girlfriends. The girlfriends I had were also married. Most of them had little kids. The husbands kind of hung out and that was the dynamics. I find myself trying to make friends for the first time in my adult life, and that was challenging. But fast forward five years, I have an incredible, tight-knit, group of friends, girlfriends and guy friends. I'm really thankful and grateful to be in this kind of friendship season of my life. I think more recently, we've both taken on new jobs. Mm-hmm. And at least mine. And I think yours too. It's been demanding of time a lot more. Yes. Agreed. Really fun. And again, I'm very grateful for this job, but it's also changed the way. This year has gone, I haven't been able to participate in as many things or see my friends and been as generous with my time as I would like to be, or maybe I have previously been. So that's taking a little getting used to. But I have to remind myself, I've been really lucky to have a lot of flexibility with my professional career in the past few years, it just happens to be a time where I've gotta hunker down and double down and there's a lot of work to do and throw myself into this job, which is also fun and challenging in its own way.

Kristen 25:48

Yeah, and I think. You show the point exactly that throughout our lives there are different seasons highs and lows and kind of like the sunny days and the snowy days. Like there's days we love and there's days that are more challenging. I think you bring up a really good point. The friendship one is interesting 'cause I remember a quote from years ago. You make friends for a reason, friends for a season, or friends for life. I was thinking about that even when you were talking about your story of how, you had to learn to make new friends in that new season of your life some of those friends have stayed for life, but maybe some of those you had for, you know, just that season too. Because I didn't have a lot of. Long term girlfriends, I always had social friends, in school, I had friends that I did things with. In college, I had friends that I lived with, or friends that I'd, do activities with. I wasn't really good at making long lasting bonds. Some of it was because I was only in places for a short time and you lose connection. I wasn't. Open or vulnerable enough to create those friendships with people. So it was always just shallow friendships. And then I look back on some of those friends who I'm not friends with anymore, but they were friends for a reason or a season. Maybe it's because we were living together and it was a season we were in. Other ones. I've had friends who have been very supportive for me when I've gone through a challenging. Emotional relationship situation. I may not be friends with them now, but they really helped me through a dark season of my life. It's interesting how there are different people who join you on your journey while you're going through those different seasons of your life. Would you say that's how you've experienced things also?

Caity 27:31

Yeah, for sure. I think we tend to. Give more credence or value to things that have longevity to them, but the older I've gotten, I think there's a ton of value with those seasonal friendships as well.

Kristen 27:56

I think you're right because some of those people, even if they aren't in my life now or were only there for a short time, the impact they had on me during that time and what I learned from it has been so rewarding. And then I do wonder sometimes, have I been that person for anybody? Have I made a difference in anybody's life? That is worthwhile to them. Have you ever thought about that or had somebody come back later to you and be like, Katie, thank you for doing this.

Caity 28:27

Oh my gosh, no. I feel like that's when I know I've made it, you know? I have succeeded at life when, when some. Yes. So locked up says like, you know, thank you, and like a genuine sur like surprise kind of way. Like it catches you off guard, you know? There are people who you tell that to on a regular basis, right? So if they come up to you and they're like, wow, you mean so much to me? And I really appreciate and value your friendship and input but there's something uniquely, special when it comes from someone you don't expect. Yes. And I would imagine teachers like I've told that. To, teachers and people in my early professional past, even years later. You talked about recently one of your first bosses commented on a LinkedIn announcement. Mm-hmm. I think it was maybe about this new job and that kind of caught you off guard. I think those kinds of connections, maybe that's part of the reflecting, you know, in this changing of the season going into fall and thinking about not just the past year, but who are the people who have really helped shape or made you second guess yourself or think about a different opportunity or who gave you an opportunity that has really had an impact.

Kristen 29:55

Yeah, and I think that's a great idea and a challenge for the listeners too, is to think back on your life, personal, professional, all of it. And those people that did, and maybe it was even something little. Somebody gave you an opportunity or a piece of advice or listened to you when you needed it. Maybe we should all try to track those people down and thank them because there's so much negativity in the world providing that little bit of positivity and reaching out and showing appreciation could really make a difference in somebody's life. And, who knows the impact you've had on people you don't know when you're doing it. We've talked about butterfly effect and how, just changing one can lead to changing a community and all that. Maybe just reaching out and thanking somebody for what they did in a season of your life may be worthwhile.

Caity 30:48

I love that. And next time, that'll be one of my action items and goals for, this coming weekend. To reach out, even if it's just a text message or an email and just. Check in and say thank you. Yeah, I love that.

Kristen 31:06

That's really nice. I think it's a great idea too. And when we were preparing for this episode, we were gonna talk about seasons of life for whatever reason. So I don't know if this is a DHD. I have not been diagnosed with a DHD. But there are certain phrases that will bring song lyrics to my head or music. It's weird. When we're talking about Seasons of Life, my brain went to Seasons of Love, the song from Rent, I don't know if you've seen Rent or if you're familiar with the song, don't worry everybody, I'm not going to sing it. The lyrics start by saying 5,000 25, 600 minutes, 5,000, 2,500 moments. So dear. 5,000, 25, 600 minutes. How do you measure? Measure a year in daylights, in sunsets, in midnights, in cups of coffee, in inches, in miles, in laughter, in strife, in 5,000, 25, 600 minutes. How do you measure a year in the life? How about love? How about love? How about love? Measure in love, seasons of love. And it made me think as we're talking about seasons. And changes and growing and developing that really it all come, you know, how are you measuring your moments? And so the 5,000 25, 600 minutes is how many minutes are in a regular calendar year. And when you look at your time like that. How are you measuring it? Are you measuring it in just sunset, like, oh, it's another day. Like Katie, we talked early in Florida. Oh, it's another sunshiny day. How are you measuring your time? How are you spending your time? And who are you giving your time to show that love? What do you think

Caity 32:49

I love that a lot. In a lot of ways I think I have measured myself with these kind of vanity metrics in my trail running days, I haven't run a mile in a long time, but there was a time when I would get up early and run six, eight miles before work. I would measure, the footsteps the miles and the elevation gain from that trail. One day, the battery died I was like, what am I gonna do? Just go for a run. And I didn't have this thing tracking all of these different metrics about that time. I remember this was spring because there are these little tiny, adorable flowers called pulsatilla. They bloom at the edge of the snow pack as it's melting and receding in spring. I saw all these little purple pole filas and I think I even saw like a fox run by that morning, across the trail if I had my earbuds in and was tracking my watch, I would not have seen all of that. Since then, I have never, ever worn a watch. I've never worn a device. I don't even bring my phone on most of my walks or hikes anymore so that I can really be there and see everything and not miss interactions with other hikers as well. I like that.

Kristen 34:20

Yeah, I think it's about being present. Not being distracted or having anything else, like being present in the moment, looking around, observing what's there, being open to whatever is there, whether that's an opportunity, a site, a person. I think that's the moral of the story from everything we talked about today, is to just appreciate the season that you're in right now. And be present and open to whatever that season has to offer you.

Caity 34:53

Yes.

Kristen 34:55

That's great. I love how we started talking about, oh, we really wish it were fall weather, and Kristen has too many clothes and somehow we came to something that I think is very meaningful.

Caity 35:06

Yes. Absolutely. We always get there.

Kristen 35:10

Well, Katie, before we wrap up, do you have any final thoughts or anything you would like to share with the listeners?

Caity 35:19

Well, I guess I can share what I confided in you before we started recording. The last time we recorded was the first time I've ever been invited to be on a podcast, and I was so nervous. Apparently we discovered in real time together that my coping mechanism is just to have a lot of variety of liquids in front of me. I had a cup of hot coffee. A cup of hot decaf tea. A cup of water, I had a cup, like a can of like, you know, busy water, like, and I didn't drink any of it. Like we got into talking so quickly and it just became so fun and flowing. And I didn't need any of the liquids at all, but. I had them there just in case.

Kristen 36:04

I love that you had such a variety 'cause you were like, it's hard to say I could want any of these things, so I need to have them all ready at a moment's notice.

Caity 36:14

I've got just water.

Kristen 36:16

But you know what, I actually think it's perfectly normal. My husband teases me that I have to have an emotional support bottle of water, because anytime I go anywhere, I will bring a bottle of water what if I have a coughing attack? What if I'm choking? What if there's no water anywhere in the world and this is all I have to survive on? The irrational fears I have are endless. But there also have been times where I do need that water. So it's better to have a not need than to need and not have. So Katie, I support you. Bring as many liquids as you need.

Caity 36:49

I'm with you on the water thing. Water's vital. It's vital for life.

Kristen 36:53

Thank you so much for joining us and I'm sure we'll be talking again soon.

Caity 37:00

Thank you

Kristen 37:03

Hey friends, if you just listened to that whole episode, you are probably thinking I'm kind of an idiot because I was saying 5,625 minutes or something, but that's completely the wrong number. It's 525,600 minutes. I got it wrong every single time and didn't realize till I was editing this episode, so I had to come back and tell you I'm not an idiot. I was just saying it wrong. Your eye here in daylight, in sunsets, in midnights, in cars of coffee, in s in miles and laughter and stride, and 525,600 men do measure. That's a wrap for this week's episode. Thanks so much for spending time with me. Until next time, be honest with yourself. Ask the hard questions, and remember, you are not alone on this journey.