CBD & Mindful Writing: Your Allies in Challenging Terrain

“This is not normal. I’m calling for backup.”

We’re not in business as usual territory at the moment, folks. But you don’t have to feel like a train wreck while the world is figuring out which way is up. Rather than being completely at the will of the news cycle, you have some say in the matter. There are established, accessible tools at your fingertips to help soothe your nervous system and get you grounded. Meet your allies: pen, paper and CBD. These are my best buddies at the moment, and I want you to get to know them, too.

Alchemical Writing

Putting pen to paper is a deceptively basic activity, one we frequently associate with making to-do lists and scribbling on post-it notes. But don’t let its simplicity fool you, writing is transformative, alchemical. Whether you already have a regular journaling practice or recent events are inspiring you to create one, here’s the good news: there is a direct, proven link between journaling and strengthening your immune system, establishing mental hygiene and general emotional well-being. And who doesn’t want some more of that these days (or ever, really)?

Pick a Perch

If you’re not sure where to start, try creating a regular time to sit down and get your emotional experience out on the page. Experiment with what time of day is most supportive and logistically accessible. Maybe it’s in the morning over your go-to cup of caffeination and your start-of-the-day steadying CBD dose? Or it’s at night in bed to help wring out your mind before getting some much needed shut-eye (assisted by a CBD tincture to help you drift off and stay in dreamland)? Or it’s in the afternoon while the kids are down for a nap? Find a spot that you like and claim it as your own. It could be a favorite chair, a sunny perch in the backyard or up to your chin in CBD-laden bubbles in the tub. Whatever feels good, go towards that. This is a time of embracing simple pleasures, back to basics. 

Ritual Reboot

When things feel out of control, the nature of ritual is immensely steadying. It helps by providing some structure and consistency in a world where those elements may feel in short supply. Sameness might sound deadly boring under normal circumstances but when nothing feels “the same,” it is terribly disorienting. Within uncertainty we can foster stability through consistency. It creates valuable, normalizing through-lines. Once you’ve identified the time and location that works best for you, take a few minutes to download your thoughts onto the page in order to process and release emotions.

CBD Synergy

There is an innate synergy between CBD and a regular writing practice. Feeling anxious? You’re in good company. But you don’t need to stay in that zip code. I find that CBD helps people find the permission to put their emotional experience on the page. I often hear that newbies are hesitant to journal because they don’t know how, or they think they aren’t a good enough writer. Remember, there is no wrong way to journal – you just pick up a pen, crack a notebook and go. CBD helps to quell the inner critic, providing enough self-generosity to find your words.

Unbottled Emotion

It’s a given that bottled-up emotion is fundamentally unhealthy and can be intensely toxic over time. Shutting up is not a good long-term coping mechanism. In extreme circumstances we may be afraid of expressing our feelings, as if some dam of compartmentalization would break and we wouldn’t be able to recover. That’s fear running the show. The page is a safe place to process your emotional experience. A little CBD can provide a welcome therapeutic assist, helping you relax and be present in order to access those feelings and let them come tumbling out. Even things you don’t feel comfortable saying out loud can be written down without consequence and it can be immensely cathartic to externalize them.

Personally, I feel a lot lighter after I’ve had a good journaling session, more buoyant. It’s as if I dropped off my emotional luggage on the page and was able to move forward minus the checked bags. While we’re all staying close to home at the moment, let’s take this opportunity to unpack emotionally - with a little help from our allies.