Episode 02: Breathe In, Breathe Out: Overcoming Overwhelm in COS
Today, we’re tackling something that seems to hit us all as the year winds down. November brings a whirlwind of activity: from election season with all its buzz and urgency to the holidays, just around the corner, adding their own layer of excitement—and, let’s be honest, feelings of overwhelm!
So, how do you beat the burnout and actually enjoy this season without losing your mind?
We’ll share our personal tips, favorite local escapes, and stress-busting spots around Colorado Springs to help you keep your cool and find some balance.
So, grab your coffee, take a deep breath, and let’s dive into all the ways to find your calm in the city we love.
AWESOME SPONSOR ALERT
We are thrilled to have Core Collective as our very first sponsor!! Pilates is a great way to improve your physical and mental health. Their classes are designed to help you build strength and flexibility, improve your posture and mental health, and reduce stress. On top of that, they're offering one heck of a deal!
If you use the code SPRINGSANDTHINGS, you can get 3 classes for $30 now through the end of 2024! Head to corecollectiveCOS.com to get this offer!
PICKS OF THE WEEK
Lauren: Beaver Moon Celebration at SunWater Spa
Carly: Acacia Park Holiday Celebration
MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
Forest Bathing
Above the Clouds Forest Bathing at Mueller State Park
Massage
Nicole Kunz on Colorado Avenue (not online
Outdoors/Nature
MISC
Acey Holmes with BoredLess
Bemis School of Art at the Fine Arts Center
Episode Transcript:
Carly Ries: Are you feeling a little overwhelmed right now? Yeah. Little bit. How about you? Yeah.
Little bit. Should we talk about it?
Lauren Ferrara: Yes. But not before we say.
Carly Ries: Welcome to Springs and Things, the podcast where 2 close friends spill the tea on all things Colorado Springs. From culture and community to hidden gems and neighborhood lore, we've got it covered. I am Carly Reiss.
Lauren Ferrara: And I'm Lauren Ferrara. We'll sip our coffee and dive into the stories and secrets that make this city so unique. So whether you're a local or just passing through, we hope our fun, lighthearted, and entertaining take will keep you coming back for more. Oh, Carly, what a week.
Carly Ries: It has been a week. We're really recording this on, what, day 2 of a snow day?
Lauren Ferrara: Oh, yeah. And I bet day 3 is coming. I'm starting to see the text messages and the weather forecast now, but you know what? It was a pretty good day to have a snow day. I felt like post election, everybody just needed to to not engage with the world for a day or 2.
Carly Ries: Just simmer. Everybody needed to take it. Like, no matter what side you're on, you just gotta take it all in Yeah. And take a day of self care. See what I did there?
Because that's
Lauren Ferrara: kinda what talking about.
Carly Ries: Exactly.
Lauren Ferrara: Make some hot chocolate, some tea, and snuggle with our goldendoodles. Exactly.
Carly Ries: And on top of that, like, I have friends that were spending the snow day putting their Christmas cards together.
Lauren Ferrara: Oh my. Oh, no. No. No.
Carly Ries: Their tree up and I'm like, that is just adding to the overwhelm. I am a, like, no holidays until thanksgiving kinda gal. Like, we had a 2 week break 3 week break after Halloween. And, I mean, you go into Costco and there's the all the decorations and you you watch TV, Home Depot, you name it. It's just like, everything's happening, and I feel like I'm already behind and it hasn't even started yet.
Lauren Ferrara: I'm not behind. We're just taking our time. Yes. But, yes, I totally get the overwhelmed feeling. And you know what?
Even with these snow days, this means we have more work that's gonna pile up for another day because, yeah, taking a day off the things that we're supposed to do today. So let's talk about how we do self care in the springs, and I have been raving about this for a long time. So my my go to is something called shinrin yoku, which is also called forest bathing.
Carly Ries: Bless you.
Lauren Ferrara: And, so, you know, you don't take a bath in the forest. A friend of mine, Di, recommended this. So, Diane is a little, and I say this with love, highly high strung. That's how I would describe her. But, yeah, she's a she's a very good friend, and she told me about forest bathing.
And she's like, Lauren, you literally, like, literally hug trees. Like, you put your body up against it and feel what it wants to tell you. And and it sounds super kooky, but it is just I mean, when I do forest bathing and I started doing it probably a year and a half ago at Bear Creek Nature Center, like, my entire day, my entire week, my entire month goes better because of this.
Carly Ries: Lauren, it's so funny. When you first said it, I I say this with love, but I was like, this girl has gone off the rocker. Like, what is she talking about? And literally, the day after the day after you told me about this, another friend of mine was like, I just need to get out into nature and hug trees. And I was like, what are you what is going on?
What am I missing
Lauren Ferrara: out on? And it's not and I mentioned it to people and they're like, oh, yeah. I go for hikes too. And I'm like, no. No.
No. It's this is not a hike. You probably don't even walk half a mile. But there's invitations to, you know, feel to watch the air blow or to feel like a tree, and you sit down, and you get in your little sit spot, and you get in the creek, and we have tea at the end. And it's it's the great I cannot wait to take you forest bathing because I feel like it's something you need in your life.
The Everybody needs in your life.
Carly Ries: Yes. And, listeners, in case you can't tell, this episode is all about self care and decreasing that overwhelm. So Lauren did a great job kicking that off.
Lauren Ferrara: But, oh, I do before we move on from forest bathing because we could do an entire episode on forest bathing. But I do wanna mention a couple places that, that do this and that's Bear Creek Nature Center. And that's the only one that I've actually tried out at this point, but I'm gonna go to all of them. And then there's above the clouds forest bathing that they do at Mueller State Park. And you and I, I actually signed this us up for it.
The next flying pig farm, or the next one that I'm aware of is at flying pig farm in Manitoum. And then Garden of the Gods also host them. So forest bathing is everywhere. It's the next big thing.
Carly Ries: It is. It sounds like it. And I would say don't knock it till you try it.
Lauren Ferrara: Yeah. Are you coming next time?
Carly Ries: Yeah. I feel like I have to try this. The closest thing I mean, I love hiking, but my cousin, when I was a kid, she's about 20 years older than me, she used to take me around smelling trees Oh, no. You've done that. Nineties.
And she was like, some trees are vanilla, some trees are chocolate, and some trees are strawberry. The verdict is out on if she was just trying to entertain entertainment and had time to kill as being a young kid. But to this day, I'm like, I wonder if this tree's chocolate, vanilla, or strawberry.
Lauren Ferrara: Well, she was forest bathing before it was cool.
Carly Ries: Apparently. So I am getting on board. Lauren, what else do you do in town to decrease your overwhelm?
Lauren Ferrara: So I am a sucker for a good massage. Oh, and I found I So I found from my out from a Pilates fellow Pilates student, about this masseuse in town. She doesn't have a website, so you have to dig deep to find her. It's like she gets all her business from word-of-mouth. She's over on Colorado Avenue and her name is Nicole Hunes.
And she her biceps are insane, like, I'm just in awe of this woman, but she does the deepest massage trigger point. She'll get her thumb, like, into this, like, spot in your armpit and then move something around and your body is, like, just different when you leave, Nicole.
Carly Ries: Okay. So let me ask you something about her. So I am extroverted. I take any chance I get to talk to somebody. I probably start well, here's the thing.
I'd probably start talking to the trees during forest bathing if I had the opportunity, but the one place I do not want to talk is on a massage table. So I'm like, let me be.
Lauren Ferrara: So the last massage we chitchat or and and I think she's different with everybody, but that I do wanna chat, like for the first 10, 15 minutes, I am chit chatty. And then and she can just feel it. Like she just knows. So we chit chat for 10, 15 minutes, and then it's like business time. And I am yeah.
Just melt into it, and I can't even remember my name at that point.
Carly Ries: Perfect. Okay. Sign me up because I'm here for a good massage. Oh, good. And then after you get your massage, do you, like, go get
Lauren Ferrara: a cup of coffee or something? Yeah. You know I do. Yeah. There's just something that just feels so calming and peaceful about just getting a cup of coffee at one of one of my favorite places and enjoying my cappuccino.
So and then, of course, obviously, Core Collective. Core Collective is our sponsor and just the most fabulous Pilates studio you've ever been to. Those reformer Pilates machines, which look a little intimidating when you first see them. But as you know, Carly, because you've come as my guest before, Pilates is such a great way to improve physical, mental health. The classes are designed to help you build strength and flexibility, improve posture, mental health.
And it's such a warm and supportive environment. Like, that's and and we there there's some chit chatting. I don't know if you're a workout chit chatter, but I, that's where I found out about Nicole. The masseuse is from a friend from Pilates. So it's really, like, it's fun, but it's also super hardcore.
The instructors are second to none. They are just unbelievable. And we have a special code for our listeners, and that's if you put in the code springs and things and you spell out and, you can get 3 classes for $30, which I have never seen a Pilates studio do a deal like that, especially a reformer's Pilates studio. And that deal goes to the end of 2024. And you can get that deal by going to corecollectivecos.com.
Oh, I love it. For self care, you're gonna have to come with me. I feel like tomorrow when the snow lets up, we'll go do Pilates together. Yes,
Carly Ries: ma'am. Let me let me be clear. I the only two places I don't talk are on the massage table and in an airplane. I don't know what it is. I'm like, I never get this, like, time to just, like, sit down and read a magazine, read a book, whatever.
So as long as you leave me alone on the massage table and on an airplane, I will chitchat away including Pilates classes.
Lauren Ferrara: Oh, you don't you don't wanna sit see me in in an airplane. I yeah. No. I'm a chatter.
Carly Ries: Alright. We'll get you I have
Lauren Ferrara: my moments where I'm not not. But, yeah, I've had I've, like, become friends with people that I've met on airplanes, and, like, we still know each other and hang out sometimes.
Carly Ries: See, Laura, now now I'm getting overwhelmed with this conversation thinking about talking to people on an airplane. So what do I do?
Lauren Ferrara: Yes. What does self care look like for you, Carly?
Carly Ries: So on days like today, I'm a big hiker, and I on any given nice day, of course, I love hitting the trails, but especially when it's snowing because it is so calm, it is so peaceful, it smells differently. You know when you're outside in the snow, like
Lauren Ferrara: Mhmm.
Carly Ries: The world just smells better? So I love going for hikes in the snow.
Lauren Ferrara: It is actually quieter because when the snow absorbs the sound so that when people say, oh, it's quieter, like, they're they're right.
Carly Ries: Yes. The other thing I like doing so my favorite hike in town is this is this trail called Mount Color. It's in Cheyenne Canyon, and it's not a long hike. It takes maybe 20 minutes to get up there, but the views of the city are spectacular, and you feel like you've conquered a 14er without having to hike Pikes Peak. Yeah.
You just feel so powerful. You got this workout in. You're looking out at all these small trees and houses below you, and it's just really cool. So, I do that. If I need to get into the mountains, I just go straight to Mount Koller, get that quick hiking, and it's awesome.
Lauren Ferrara: You know what's funny is I I feel like that's a couple of my friends, their go to hike. And I had never done it till this past year, and I've been here now 11 years almost, or more than that. Yeah. 11 ish. But I went with a friend, and I was like, how did I not know about this?
Because we all, you know, can be creatures of habit. We have our go to hikes and stuff. And I loved that one, and it was a great one to do with kids and the dog and everything. It was just very, yeah, like, quick and easy, and you feel so great after it.
Carly Ries: Yes. It gives you the zen. But another thing that I find so helpful in bringing, like, bringing some calm is playing. It's so easy to do with kids, but, like, we play Frisbee golf around town. Cheyenne Mountain State Park has one of my favorite courses.
It was funny because I actually went to this thing called mindful mornings at the mining exchange.
Lauren Ferrara: I love mindful mornings.
Carly Ries: I was gonna say as per your referral, and there was this gal there, so they have a speaker every week or sorry, every session. They don't have the event every week. And her name is AC Holmes. And AC, I'm so sorry if I, Holmes, Holmes, I don't know. I'm gonna try to get you on the show, so please forgive me for any mispronunciation.
But she talks about the importance of play in the workforce and just the importance of play in life, and it's so true. If you could just get to that inner child, it brings instant calm whether I I mean, we it's we had a snow day. This is day 2. The amount of snowmen I've built, and I feel great.
Lauren Ferrara: It's a whole, like, snow village. My daughter made, like, a mini it's, like, looks like little snow doll houses where there's, like, a snow couch and a snow like, tiny little snow huts, and a snow wolf. But I actually get these journals that come in every month and it's a planner. I still, like, write down things I have to do on top of putting it in my phone. But, one of them, the, like, the theme was play and you made a little bingo board and put in things that were play to you.
And, of course, they look different than they looked, you know, when we were 12, but it is so important and play can look like an art class at the Bemis School or or making a little snow hut outside.
Carly Ries: Yes. And I'm so glad you said when we were 12, a friend of mine had to skip it in their house. Do you remember that from, like, 90?
Lauren Ferrara: I do. I remember the commercials. I I don't think I ever had one, but I I won they were like, it was on my Christmas list. I remember that because how did how did the, like, little jingle go? Skip it.
Carly Ries: I have no idea. I just remember that the dial never worked, and then you made up the numbers and, like, lied to your friends about how high your numbers were. That's me. We never had one. Bringing I tried it the other day, and bringing the joy back in that, I was like, oh, this is so fun.
So just bringing out your your inner child. I'm so sad because the place I used to go to kinda get some zen, it closed down. It was this little coffee shop called Montague's on South Texas.
Lauren Ferrara: Oh, I remember that.
Carly Ries: Oh my gosh. It was just so cozy in there, and it was just like instant smiles. But in the look at now, I actually like working and getting stuff done from hotels, and I think you're the same.
Lauren Ferrara: Oh, yeah.
Carly Ries: Like, Kinship Landing has, like, Houma Cafe there is so fun to work from, the mining exchange, like I just said. I to to quote Hugh Grant or whoever the the voice over is in love actually when he is like, love actually is all around. Wasn't actually when he's like, love actually is all around. Wasn't you?
Lauren Ferrara: I've got you, Grant. Was it?
Carly Ries: Yeah. Yeah. I'll have to watch it almost Christmas.
Lauren Ferrara: Oh, I've watched that every holiday season for sure.
Carly Ries: Perfect. Perfect. But instead of an airport, I feel like a hotel is the exact same. You have people that are on vacation, people that are meeting up with friends. It's just love actually is all around.
And then, of course, my poor husband is always on deck for, he need to give me a shoulder rub because, that's just a it's my go to. I'm like, give my exes
Lauren Ferrara: My husband is not into being touched.
Carly Ries: I don't give him one. He has to give me one. He got a
Lauren Ferrara: he got a massage for the first time in his life on our honeymoon, and he was just like, yeah. I don't it was fine. And I just don't like people touching me. Like, oh. And then when I was pregnant, the first time, my feet hurt so badly, and that I think that was the only time I've got a and he was grossed out by feet too, and he was just like, oh, this is so uncomfortable.
I don't like this. But I'm like, this is necessary. I'm carrying your child.
Carly Ries: Well, I don't plan on asking your husband for a backup anytime soon.
Lauren Ferrara: So Oh, can I ask Kyle for 1? Because I can't get one over here.
Carly Ries: There you go. But those are are those are my, like, wind down soothing recommendations. I'm sure our listeners have so many others that I can't wait to hear about at some point. But, Lauren, I feel like it is time for our pick of the week. Well,
Lauren Ferrara: I think so too, and I mine is very self carry. Have you been to the the full moon celebrations over at Sunwater Spa?
Carly Ries: Is are are we hugging more trees?
Lauren Ferrara: We I mean, it it's it's feels similar. It is the most joyful thing you will ever do. So every full moon, they have this yoga class and then you get to soak in the tubs. And this is over in Manitou Springs. And so the next one is the Beaver Moon celebration.
That's November 16th. Starts at 7 o'clock and it goes till 9:30. And it's not like a yoga class like, it's not like a workout kind of yoga class. It's you might howl at the moon. You might act like a panther.
You might, there's a there's an accordion playing. It is just joy. It is magic. It is so ridiculously fun. So I do that with a lot of mom friends and I, am going to sign up for this one.
So but you do need to call and sign up because they they they always sell out. These are so, so fun.
Carly Ries: I just wanna be on, like, like, I wanna be a fly on the wall for your event reminders and just see what kinds of things pop up. These are so unique, and I just want to I I mean, I can't wait to join you for some of these.
Lauren Ferrara: Well, I think you're gonna be on that one, and I'm gonna start making every event I put on my calendar, calendar invite and just add you. Okay. How does that sound? Perfect.
Carly Ries: That sounds great. Well, my pick for this week. So, it's funny. My husband used to work at CertEdge when he was in high school. To this day, he's like ice, like the ice hall.
Oh, okay. Park. To this day, he's like, that was like best job ever. That was like the best job ever. And so he is obsessed with, he well, actually, when we were dating, he took me there and I was like, oh, we're going on this romantic little free escape.
Yeah. I was like, this is gonna be so cute. And he was like, do you wanna see the Zamboni pit? Heck yeah. Then he started talking to me about how hard it is to get those lines perfect on the ice.
And I was like, this just turned not romantic, but it's really cute that you love this. Anyway, so ice skating rings have a soft spot in our hearts, and Acacia Park is having their Acacia Park holiday celebration on November 15th from 6 to 7. It's put on by Colorado Springs Parks, Rec, and Cultural Services as well as Downtown Colorado Springs, but it is such a fun event. It is at Acacia Park, as you may have guessed, at their outdoor ice, ice skating rink, which is kicking off. There'll be food trucks.
There'll be festive bell ringers, photo ops with Santa, and then there's there's gonna be some US figure skating athletes there, which is pretty cool. You don't need to RSVP or anything. Just go to Acacia Park on that day. And, again, it is on Friday, November 15th from 6 to 7 PM. So check it out.
Lauren Ferrara: Well, it was so funny. Last time I was there for skate in the park, you know, it was obviously last winter, and one of my my friend's husband, Will, was skating with his girls, and, you know, I'm like, could get from one side to the other, basically. I did not grow up ice skating, but he was, like, doing spins and all the the fancy things. I'm like, oh, you've done this before. And he was, like, a professional or semi professional skater.
And that's that happens all the time in Colorado Springs, where you're like, oh, you're a really legit athlete.
Carly Ries: Yeah. Right? I would
Lauren Ferrara: be impressed.
Carly Ries: When I was a kid, I did ice skating lessons at the World Arena, and I did it because all the figure skaters got to carry around those small suitcases. And I was like, that's so cool. And I did it for, like, 2 years so I could drag a suitcase around.
Lauren Ferrara: That's pretty cool. Oh, well, we are so grateful to our listeners. We are so grateful to Core Collective for being our very first sponsor. If you like this podcast, and we hope you do, head to the reviews and give us a 5 star review. And also share it with your friends.
Just sharing it, texting it to somebody, posting it on your Facebook or Instagram, that means the world, and then also makes this podcast more available for more people to see.
Carly Ries: So do it. I don't know what other motivation you need. And thank you so much for tuning in today, and we will see you next week.
