Being a full-time mom is filled with so much joy, love and excitement.

But it’s also a time when moms may feel the most lonely.

There are so many paradoxes in motherhood.

If it’s one thing I’ve learned from being a mom, it’s that you can feel two different things at once.

You can feel overwhelmed with so much love and also feel lonely.

You can feel surrounded by a supportive community and feel disconnected from others.

You can feel so fulfilled as a mom and feel completely unfulfilled in other parts of your life.

You can love spending time with your child and feel mentally, emotionally, physically exhausted.

One of the hardest things about being a mom, especially a full-time mom, is that you can feel like you’re in it all alone. Having a sense of community and belonging is so important particularly during this most transformative time in your life.

As a mom, it’s challenging to find the time to meet with friends or connect with a community given the difficult schedules of a baby/toddler. Fitting in a meetup in between naps, feedings, and childcare coordination is challenging. Most times, I would have only a 3 hour time window before I had to get back home to either pump/nurse, cook or get my son ready for nap and/or bedtime.

After more than a dozen of therapy sessions, late night talks with my husband, and deep reflections, I’ve learned to better manage my loneliness as a full-time mom.

If you’re dealing with loneliness as a mom, below are a few ways you can reconnect with yourself and your community.

1. This is a temporary season in your life. While I personally am not a fan of the advice “enjoy this time because it will go by fast”, it’s helpful to remember that this season you are in is temporary. The loneliness that you feel is temporary. When I think about the number of weeks we have left until our son goes to preschool and then the few years left we have until he goes off to kindergarten full-time, it makes me cherish all the time we have together now. It’s ever fleeting. Taking a step back and zooming out once in a while is helpful in keeping the big picture in mind. The feelings you may feel now is temporary.

2. Connect with other moms in your local community. This was a big one for me. Connecting with other moms via Facebook Groups or in my local community was a great way for me to feel less alone on my journey. Find a local mom community that you can join either online or in-person. Most likely, there are other moms going through similar challenges and are hungry for connection just like you!

3. Listen to inspiring podcasts. Whenever I’m feeling down, my go-to is listening to a favorite uplifting podcast like Brooke Castillo’s Life Coach Podcast or AsianBossGirl. There are so many other podcasts on motherhood topics ranging from managing the toddler stage to Montessori parenting. Listening to a podcast feels like listening to a friend sharing their best advice and personal stories.

4. Explore new places with your child. Sometimes a change in your routine will make a world of difference. Exploring a new park or local museum may be an opportunity for you to meet and connect with new parents and caregivers in a new setting. The chances of you bumping into other parents with children in a similar age is high at kid-friendly places. I have met many other parents through this way.

5. Schedule weekly time for yourself. It’s so important as a full-time mom to carve out time for yourself, whether it’s for a workout session, a spa day or taking yourself out for a coffee date at your favorite coffee shop. While it may seem counterintuitive, spending time with yourself and reconnecting with yourself as an individual will enable you to connect more deeply with others.

6. Join a book club. If you’re a bookworm like me, joining a book club is an easy way to get connected with other like-minded people. You can find local communities and check-in on what others are reading or if you already have a book you’d love to share and are great at bringing together people, it may be an opportunity for you to organize a book club yourself!

7. Facetime friends and family. Technology has made it easier than ever before to stay connected with families and friends. This is the great part of having modern-day technology in our lives. So get on Facetime with your beloved friends and family. It’s a great way to bond and involve your toddler in the conversation! Since our son was a newborn, I’ve been Facetiming with my parents regularly which has allowed him to grow a strong bond with them.

Are you dealing with loneliness as a mom? If so, how have you coped through it?