It’s 3:26 a.m. as I type this on my phone.

I just finished feeding Prince, crawled back into bed, and couldn’t sleep…
Because these words were pulsing through me.

Before I became a mother, I used to say:

“You can’t pour from an empty cup. You have to fill yourself up first.”

And I truly believed that.
I taught it. Preached it. Lived it.

But now?
Now, I’m not so sure.

Because here’s what I’ve come to realise, deep in the trenches of motherhood:
We do give from empty cups.
A lot.
Maybe more than we desire or realise.
We have to.

We give when we’re running on two hours of sleep.
We give when our bodies are aching, our minds are foggy, our patience worn thin.
We give when we feel like there’s nothing left.

And still — we show up.
We rock. We sing. We hold. We soothe. We serve. We love.

Not because we’re full, but because we’re called.
Because we are doing sacred, godly work.
Because love is not always about putting ourselves first.
Sometimes it’s about devotion.
And no one teaches us that more than our children.

Mothers are walking miracles. Superheroes. Warriors.
We give from wells that look and feel empty but still, somehow, miraculously flow.

But — and this is important — just because we can give from an empty cup doesn’t mean we should.

We deserve to feel good.
To feel nourished, seen, supported, cared for.
We deserve to take up space in our own lives.

So yes, fill yourself up as often as you can.
Micro-dose your self-care if that’s all you can manage right now in this season.
Drink the tea while it’s hot (or at least warm). Take the deep breaths. Let the sun kiss your skin. Move your body. Go to bed when the kids go to bed. Call the friend. Say the prayer.

But just know this…

Even when you feel like you’ve got nothing left —
You are still giving something so meaningful.

Your love. Your presence. Your energy. Your magic.

It’s all still there, even when you feel empty.

And that, my beautiful friend, is a miracle in itself.

Remember: you are doing sacred work.

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Til next time, sending so much love,