Depending on where you are located, you may be gearing up for the very first holiday spent out of quarantine or mentally preparing to continue your stay-at-home, social distancing. With different parts of the country all in various stages of reopening, you are not the only one contemplating how to make the best use of the long weekend (if weekends are still a thing at this point, with all the days blending into one another?).

If you are in a region where public parks, beaches, restaurants, and so forth have started reopening, the extroverts are likely rejoicing while the introverts are anxiously dreading the need to make any sort of social appearance. On the other hand, if you find yourself in an area with stricter regulations still in place, it is completely normal to feel stressed, antsy, or even aggravated. Here are some of our favorite ways to incorporate CBD into a holiday weekend, whether it is spent at home, or out and about.

I. FUN IN THE SUN

Memorial Day weekend has long been a benchmark to indicate that summer is around the corner. As the weather begins to warm up, what better way to spend the holiday than outdoors, under the sun, getting a tan. Pack your cutest beach outfit, throw on some sunscreen, and head over to the coast. Throw drinks in a cooler, take a drive, and set up camp at a local park or recreation area. Plan a picnic for one and find an area where you can be outside undisturbed. Organize a BBQ in someone’s backyard or at a park.

Looking for something more active? Call a few friends and head on over to the basketball courts. Beach volleyball anyone? If you’re still in an area with stricter guidelines, try a hiking trail or go biking instead. Either way, there are plenty of creative ways to soak up some sunshine and come back from the weekend with a bronze glow.

On the other hand, it is a holiday weekend and should be optimally enjoyed. For many people, this may even be the first weekend that they are seeing people outside of their immediate household in quite some time. Are you suddenly finding yourself nervous or experiencing social anxiety? How do you converse with people in real life again? Or perhaps you’re envisioning germs everywhere and find yourself stressed about being exposed. Friends, family, strangers--who knows where they might have been? Take a breath. Slow down. You are not alone in experiencing these emotions.

CBD has various benefits, one of which is its capacity to calm the mind and relax your nerves. There are a wide range of CBD products out there with different focal points, but most will generally help ease any tension you are feeling. One of our personal favorites is Sour CBD Gummies, a tasty soft-chew that will provide all-around relief for a great day.

II. UNPLUGGED RETREAT

People not your thing? Sunshine not your thing? An unconventional and equally rewarding way to spend the holiday weekend is by completely unplugging. We spend so much time online (especially these days), on Zoom, on FaceTime, on Netflix, Hulu, TikTok, Instagram, for work, for fun, for news--it’s endless. Talk about a digital overload. In the age of information, we are more connected now than ever before. And given the current circumstances, that level of “plugged-in” has only increased. Think of the weekend as an opportunity for a digital detox.

Technology-free. Social media-free. People-free. An unplugged retreat for yourself (and maybe a few close friends and family members). Unsure what to do with yourself? Or feeling twitchy at the idea of being disconnected? Given how addicted we can be to our phones, we understand! This is yet another use case for CBD. Whether it is a few drops of a CBD tincture oil or other product, CBD can help quiet the noise in our heads and allow us to embrace what we are doing in the present.

Take your time and spend a weekend without a schedule. Start the day with a hearty breakfast, whether you choose to order in, dine out, or prep and cook yourself. Put on your most relaxing clothes or take the time to dress up. Find a book, pack some snacks, and download a playlist. Find a spot outdoors, indoors, under some shade, or in nature--wherever it is that brings you peace. Stretch out, relax, mediate, do yoga, read. Take advantage of the extra day to recharge, re-energize. We’re in an era where we see the people around us constantly going, going, going that we forget to slow down.

Allow yourself a day to do nothing. Get lost in your thoughts. Lose track of time. Observe the environment around you. Listen to all the sounds. Pay attention to the smells. Zone out. Zone in. And when you feel like it, slowly return to your home and your normal day. Have a nice meal and settle back in. It will shock you how much you did not miss social media and technology by disconnecting for a day.

III. SPA DAY OR INDOOR STAY-CATION

Let’s face it. Sometimes the prospect of leaving our humble abodes after months spent in spring hibernation can be daunting. Maybe you are simply not presentable to leave the house. Maybe you are observing symptoms of agoraphobia after being stuck indoors in a tiny studio or apartment for weeks and weeks on end. We get it. Whether or not it’s a zen den, sometimes there is simply no better place than home.

If you belong to the category of ultra-homebodies, we have a couple ideas for capitalizing on the three day weekend for the perfect indoor staycation. After all, why stress with making “real” plans if it is not absolutely necessary? Take this time to put together the ultimate spa day for yourself. Think face masks, foot soaks, hot towels, essential oils, and a long bath. Pair that with some bubbly or a glass of wine and you have yourself a recipe for relaxation. If you’re ambitious, pull out your favorite scented candle, turn the lights off, and play some instrumental music to create the perfect ambience in your bathroom.

If a spa day isn’t your cup of tea, there are plenty of other ways to maximize the time indoors. Put together a nice charcuterie board with your favorite cheese, fruits, and meats. Grab a bottle of your favorite wine (make sangria if you’re feeling bold), line up your favorite artists on a playlist, and day drink away. Alternatively, put together a movie marathon and your favorite finger foods and elevate it with your favorite cocktails or beers for the occasion. After all, you have an extra day to get it together before checking back in to reality for work or school.

THE BOTTOM LINE

In this unprecedented time, approaching a holiday weekend can be strange. How do you plan for it? Do you even want to make plans? After a lengthy period locked away from the rest of society, do you really want to open that can of worms again? If the thought of having to humor someone other than yourself gives you anxiety in the pit of your stomach, you may want to consider these alternate ways of celebrating the holiday. Additionally, if the knowledge that re-entering civilization brings an entire new level of exposure is causing you to overthink, you may want to consider CBD as a natural solution to ease the tension in your mind.

Regardless of how you choose to spend the holiday, it’s important to remember that while some states are slowly reopening, you are still responsible for your personal health and well being. Social distancing is still needed and large crowds should be avoided if possible. Take the necessary precautions and continue to wash your hands frequently, sanitizing when you can. If you’re still in an area where stay-at-home orders haven’t been fully lifted, CBD can help enhance the experience of celebrating at home.

If you do choose to incorporate CBD into your weekend, take a moment to research before purchasing or dosing. Every product from Envy CBD comes with a Certificate of Analysis to break down exactly what goes into it.