Our neighbors kept to themselves. There were never kids playing outside. We did not even feel like we had a community of support. My husband was going to travel for work, so this situation was not ideal. Using lonely times to invest in yourself can be a positive. It just takes a mindset shift to see the benefits.

My first instinct was to worry. I felt so alone each day. Going through a deployment without a local support system was scary.

I wondered what I would do if I had to take a child to the ER at 2am.

Who would help me with the babies if I got sick?

What would I do to get recharge time?

I had hoped to have a community of support around me. Instead I had to refocus.

When you do not have a close circle of friends to rely on, and family lives far away, life can feel lonely. When you are lonely, it can weigh heavily on your mind.

During times of loneliness as a mom, I choose to invest in myself. I make a mental list of things I want to learn or do. Then, I always have a new project to tackle or skill to learn.

Investing in myself has been a great way to grow as a person, during times when I feel lonely as a military spouse.

Here are ideas for how to invest in yourself during lonely seasons of life. There are benefits to using these quiet times for personal growth. Read the rest over on Spouselink.