What is is about motherhood that makes us so selfless?

Everyone’s needs, and especially our children’s, are placed before our own.

We’ll give up exercise, sleep, even nourishment (who forgot to eat today??) to care for the ones we love.

And, that translates into where we put our dollars.

I work with, and know, a lot of entrepreneurs working in the mom space. And it’s tough out there! We’ll have long, deep conversations attempting to unpack why mothers won’t spend money on themselves, but we’ll happily shift the budget around to sign up Junior for that gymnastics class.

There was a time when being selfless was a virtue. The very definition sounds positive… caring more of others need than your own, unselfish, altruistic.

I say it’s time to flip the switch on this definition. Selfless is denying your self. Losing your self. And respecting your self so little that you’ll forgo 2 of the 3 basic needs in Maslow’s hierarchy.

The positive spin on selfless was absolutely propagated by the patriarchy.

It’s time to strive for other virtues.

It’s time we - women, mothers - strive to respect our selves. Respect these selves so much that we prioritize our needs, we spend our dollars on our needs.

It’s time to put ourselves first. Because, at the end of the day, we are needed.

And what’s more altruistic than that?