It's no secret that there is a global maternal mental health crisis. One of the most challenging aspects of motherhood (maybe in addition to mothering during a global pandemic) is finding time for yourself.  While this podcast focuses a lot on the importance of human connection with others, perhaps the biggest piece of that human connection puzzle is the ability to connect with ourselves. But what happens when that piece gets lost in the shuffle of pick-ups and drop-offs, coordinating play dates, and packing school lunches? On this episode, we talk with one of the founders of Surf Moms Anna Shoemaker about why we should be focusing on creating mom groups centered around mom instead of baby, finding something you love outside your family, and building a village that not only helps raise a child but also supports maternal mental health.

"I wish I could speak to myself after having my second kid, and just say, ‘Let it go, stop trying to hold everything together, go ask for help.’ And I might even go a step further and say, ‘What do you love?’ And go try and do that. ...You're going to connect with somebody inevitably because we're hardwired for it, and you're going to slowly train your brain to normalize that for yourself, to normalize chasing that passion, that thing that you love." --Anna Shoemaker