I have been asked a lot about what has inspired this two month cross country CBD educational tour. My most basic answer is “Because people need to know about it!”. But there is much more to it than that. Hemp, to me, stands for a lot more than just the medicinal purposes it possesses. Hemp stands as a classic example of government corruption and prio
rity of profits over what is sustainable to our earth and the human condition. Hemp stands for a solution to the insane amount of plastics we consume that will never decompose and continue to pollute our world and threaten our ecosystem. Hemp stands for a big “fuck you” to the pharmaceutical companies that have made cancer and disease their business. Hemp stands for a viable crop to keep small family farms afloat. Hemp, to me, is a tangible living organism that flawlessly represents the symbiotic concepts I have based my entire business and life upon.
So why did I have to buy a van and travel across the country to get my point across? My most basic answer there is, “Because I can!”. But there is more to that too… I had two weddings out east one month apart so that got me thinking about how I could just stay out east rather than fly in, fly out, fly back in, fly back out. Then got to thinking that I have clients throughout the country that I have been helping via email and phone but have never met in person so thought it would be cool to meet them. I had never been north or east of New York City and have always been drawn to explore the coast of Maine.
On a very personal level, I had been reevaluating what was my soon to be 4 year relationship and feeling like I needed some space to be alone and meditate on if this is the relationship I want to keep building my forever upon. All of this got the wheels turning and I figured that as long as I could continually bring in money to support myself and my business while I was traveling, that it was 100% doable and actually made A LOT of sense. Fun and functional is my favorite combo, so, I started making some phone calls to see if there was any interest in me coming through to pass my education of CBD and the hemp plant along. My calls were met with great enthusiasm and I started putting dates on the calendar!
This trip took far more planning than I am comfortable with, as I live for the spontaneity of existing. But, I will say it has been well worth it in all capacities. I literally inflict chills upon myself when I think about the faces of the minds being blown by the hemp plant. I get a lump in my heart thinking of the personal stories strangers have shared with me of their health struggles and the gratitude they express for my enlightening and providing them with a natural tool that yields no adverse side effects. What is even better and most satisfying is getting positive feedback that the products are actually helping people! And pets! Outside of directly handling business, this tour has allowed me to see some pretty outstanding sights and meet some incredible and inspiring people. I’m grateful I was able to take a lot of back roads to absorb a little bit of the local culture as I went from state to state and town to town. It has made me realize just how lucky I am to live within a community that makes healthy eating and lifestyle a priority and easily accessible. I love you, Colorado <3
To be real with you, I am in awe of where I have put myself. A big moment of clarity and extreme gratitude that brought me to tears was at my campground right outside of Acadia National park in Bass Harbor, Maine. It was a Sunday and the first morning I woke up in a serene campground with zero agenda since this tour started 5 weeks prior. I started the day with a nice lite 20 mile bike ride around the part of Mount Dessert Island I was on. Came back to camp and cooked myself a big bralad (breakfast salad) with farm fresh produce I picked up the day before from the farmers market in Ellsworth, Maine. I took an hour nap for the first time since I can remember.
Woke up, checked my email. Four new online orders! That is when it hit me so hard – How remarkably lucky I am to have set myself up that I get to take bike rides and naps around Acadia National Park, not speak to a single soul all day and still be making forward movement with my work. That is when I started crying tears of gratitude and decided it was a good time to start writing “Thank you” post cards to folks I needed to say thank you to. I spent an hour or so writing cards then check my email again.
Karma struck immediately with another online order and then 40 minutes later I get a text from an existing client with a reorder. The orders stopped there for the day, but the pure gratitude for where I have found myself in this life continues to overwhelm me from time to time. Now please, don’t get me wrong, myself and this business have a longggg way to go! BUT, I am living each and every day with purpose and fulfillment and ENTHUSIASM and that is worth so much more than any paycheck.
I still have a week or so of the tour and the only things on the agenda are a product photo shoot with Mt. Rushmore, camping in the badlands, and hanging out with some cows and horses in Wisconsin. I will continue to spontaneously pop my head into businesses of relevance as I see them to introduce myself and my product line but no more presentations are on the books. I’m grateful for this last week of zero plans with other humans to let my mind unwind a little, catch up with things that should have already been done and wrap my head around my next steps upon my arrival back to Colorado.
I currently sit at the Blarney Stone Pub in Sioux Falls, South Dakota with a happy heart and a full belly. I definitely recommend the lettuce wraps if you ever find yourself here.
All my love,
Corrie
