About Me: My CBD Story
I’m breaking the rules by starting with the happy ending first. I’ve trusted pure CBD oil to enhance my peace of mind for just over a year. Has it been a life-changing experience? You might say it has. But not in the way you might imagine. It gave me a way back to who I had always been – someone I briefly lost sight of and am glad to have found again.
Once Upon a Time, I Was Rarely Anxious
I never thought of myself as an anxious person. Of course, I was never entirely oblivious to worry – I felt anxiety like everybody else when I took my driving test, sat exams in college and, of course, butterflies when talking to pretty girls, like the one who eventually became my wife. But anxiousness was always situational for me and so generally short-lived.
After a long day or probably a few on the weekend, I might have a beer and maybe I’d occasionally smoke a joint. But I was never someone who felt the need to “take the edge off” with a drink or anything else. If anything, I’d occasionally treat myself and friends to a nice meal in a fancy restaurant. Good food would be the closest thing to my drug of choice.
First Comes Loves and Big Adventure
Speaking of my future missus, I met Claire well over a decade ago. We initially lived together without the benefit of marriage (as my elderly aunt tended to describe it). She was in her late 20s and I had just turned 30 and the world was our oyster. We fell in love almost instantly – but in a care-free, relaxed way. Our commitment was only a verbal agreement.
But then we took a trip together and more than just a short romantic getaway. We both took a year off work to travel. Back then, we were more adventurous than anxious. Experiencing places like India and Thailand together bonded us as a couple like nothing else. It was, in fact, life-changing because Claire and I decided to take our relationship to the next level.
Then Comes Marriage and Responsibility
We took the plunge on our trip – a bungee jump over the Thai jungle – and we pledged if we made it through that, it was fate telling us to marry. And so when we returned to home, we started planning our nuptials. Getting ready for the wedding was probably the first time in my life where situational stress impacted me for more than a few weeks. Foreshadowing!
Of course, the day we got hitched went off with nary a hitch, so it was worth the effort without a doubt. But even as life was evolving for the better, I realized it was also challenging to cope with change. The wedding was behind us and though I was happy as a newlywed, I felt a new level of responsibility as a husband, which was just the beginning.
Then Comes Peter With a Baby Carriage
After waiting until our late 30s to get married, Claire and I felt pressure to start a family. And sooner rather than later. Parenthood had always filled me with ambivalence – a decision put off until the future. Suddenly, the clock was running out and I knew that whatever my concerns, I had no doubt Claire would be a wonderful and loving mother.
But yes – I did feel scared. And again, like being married, the prospect of being a parent was more than just a temporary situation. It was permanent. When I held my newborn daughter Margot in the delivery room and felt her little heartbeat against my chest, I knew everything had changed forever. At that moment, though, any anxiety was offset by euphoria.
Reality Sets In
It’s easy to get swept up in the initial joy your family and friends share with you when your baby first arrives. The enormity of what it means to bring another life into the world hits you when the excitement of the new arrival quiets down. You have this little human being entirely dependent on you for everything. Enough to make anyone worry.
At first, Margot slept six hours straight most nights, but as her growth started to come in bursts, she also started waking up for night feedings. Claire and I took turns waking up for her and soon, I was beginning to feel exhausted. What was worse, I was starting to be overtired and then sometimes, when I’d finally collapse into bed, I’d suddenly feel wide awake.
A Friend Helps Me Accept My Anxiety
One evening when Margot just started teething, I met a friend for a quick drink after work. He took one look at me and told me I looked like I hadn’t slept in days. I told him that even though I was tired every time my head hit the pillow, I always felt like I was waking up instead of going to sleep. He told me it sounded like anxiety.
And I immediately got defensive, arguing my life was better than ever. Claire and Margot were thriving and I had an excellent job with flexible hours, letting me strike a perfect work-life balance. He smiled and said with a wink, that’s the thing: Some people aren’t anxious because something’s going wrong. They’re worried because everything is going so well.
How CBD Brought Me Back
That conversation with my pal opened my eyes to the fact that I needed to do something about my anxiety. The problem was I wasn’t sure what. Given my travels to places like India, I’d long ago opened my mind up to things, like yoga and meditation – which did help, but sometimes I just was too tired and lacked focus for either.
My buddy had mentioned he’d heard good things about CBD. But even I knew that CBD was not going to lead to Reefer Madness, but as a dad, I didn’t want to try anything that would make me feel weird. That’s when I read about broad-spectrum CBD oil – all the soothing benefits, but unlike marijuana, THC-free, so no high or tranquilizing effects.
With Broad Spectrum CBD Oil, I’m Me Again
The first time I took it, I was unsure it was working. I’d gone with a lower-potency zero-THC broad-spectrum CBD oil and just put a single drop under my tongue. I kept waiting to feel some significant change and yet nothing at all mind-altering ever happened. It just suddenly dawned on me the feeling of restlessness I’d frequently started to feel lately was gone.
I then realized that my back, which had been slightly sore from lifting Margot every day, suddenly felt better. There was still a slight tenderness, but it felt like someone had just massaged out a knot. So the calmness and relief I was feeling in my mind and body were entirely soothing without feeling odd or overwhelming. I just felt like the old me (or younger me) again.
Let CBD Help You Be Your Best Self
Will Broad-Spectrum CBD Oil do the same thing for you that it did for me? I think it’s essential for you to know that every person is different. Everybody’s anxiety and pain (or need for focus – another CBD use) is unique, too. So for some people, Full-Spectrum CBD Oil works better. Or instead of oils, maybe capsules or gummies will work better for you.
Whatever the case, I have done the legwork for you. My guide to the best CBD oils will help you find the product that’s right for you at an affordable price. After my positive experience and feeling like I’d gotten my peace of mind back, I decided to make it my mission to pass what I’d learned along. And, of course, I’ve got Margot’s college fund to think about, too!