How to Build the Community You Need (Even When You Feel Alone)

Hi friend,

Have you heard the saying “it takes a village”? I have thought about this a lot this year, as most of my close friends have stepped into parenthood in the last few years and I’m questioning my own path around the decision to become (or not become) a parent.

This week I shared an episode of The Wealth We Hold featuring guest Jodi Klaristenfeld. When Jodi became a NICU mom at just 28 weeks, her world shifted overnight. She found herself navigating medical jargon, emotional exhaustion, and the kind of loneliness that only parents in similar shoes could truly understand.

And yet, out of that isolation, something remarkable was born: FLRRiSH, a platform built to support, educate, and empower parents of premature babies and children with special needs.

She was such an inspiration to me around the importance of building your own village when the one you expected isn’t there.

When Community Doesn’t Exist, Create It

Jodi didn’t set out to be a founder. She set out to survive. But in the process of piecing together her own support system (reaching out to friends, therapists, and specialists) she realized just how many other parents were silently fighting the same battle.

That realization became the foundation for FLRRiSH. Community starts with one person being brave enough to say, “I need help.”

Healing Starts with Mindset

Jodi is the first to admit she’s a type-A go-getter. But in the NICU, control went out the window. She learned to surrender to focus on what she could control: her mindset.

Her daily NICU journals (which she’s saving for her daughter someday) became both a record of growth and a lifeline through chaos. I loved hearing her path towards documenting her journey as I have continued to document my own.

Self-Care Is Leadership

At one point, Jodi said something that really stuck with me:

“You’re the CEO of your household. If you’re not well, the rest of the household isn’t either.”

Ad women, we are conditioned to serve from an empty cup. The moment we start fueling ourselves whether through community, creativity, or rest, we show up stronger for everyone else.

If Jodi’s story hit home, here are a few simple ways to start building your own village:

1. Reach out to one person who gets it. A quick text, call, or message to someone who understands your world can be the first step in creating connection.

2. Document a win. Write it down, say it out loud, or share it with a friend. Progress counts, even when it’s small.

3. Prioritize one thing that is just for you. Schedule it, protect it, and treat it as non-negotiable. Your energy sets the tone for everything else.

4. Refuel. Tune into the full episode of The Wealth We Hold to hear Jodi’s full story. Her wisdom on resilience, motherhood, and mindset is a masterclass in creating beauty out of hardship.

5. Find your circle. Join me for Finding Common Ground on November 20th at 6 pm PST, our free monthly women’s circle designed to help you reconnect, reset, and remember that your rest is your wealth. We’ll shift our focus to lean into the winter months with the intention of being “Nourished through Self Care,” co-facilitated with Makuyo of SIIKA Herb & Honey Co. as our co-facilitator. Grab your spot now!

If you’re walking through a hard season, let Jodi’s story remind you that community is sometimes something you build for yourself from struggle. And when you do, you don’t just change your own story, you give others permission to flourish too.

Best,

Lynzie