I remember sitting on the bathroom floor crying as my son was having a meltdown.
He was way past the “terrible twos” and seemingly was not hungry or tired.
I had tried to talk with him and calm him down using my greatest therapy tricks, but nothing worked.
I felt alone and scared.
I felt like this situation would never end.
Through tear-filled eyes I picked up my phone and called a girlfriend.
I sobbed to her and said, “I do not think I can do this. I do not think I can be a mom. I want out.”
She listened and said, “Oh honey, I hear you. Yes, this is so so hard.”
She let me cry for a minute or so. She let me feel all my feelings, and then I stopped.
The tears and sadness had moved through me and I was ready to talk with her about what had happened.
She shared her similar experience with her son and reminded me that I was not alone.
I put the phone down, wiped my eyes and went to hug my son.
I cannot say that everything miraculously changed instantly, but I do remember that I felt less alone and more capable when I shared with someone else.
I felt heard, seen and validated.
I did not know what I was going to do next, but I was no longer in the depth of my pain.
The key takeaway: Community is the antidote to loneliness. Connecting is the antidote to isolation.
Expert Tip: Find one person in your phone who you can send an “SOS” text to the next time you need help.
Please leave a comment and share with me a time when connecting with someone lifted you from a dark place.
We all learn from each other.
