We call it strength

 We call it strength when a mother pushes through burnout.

But most of the time, it’s just survival.

It looks like functioning.
Like showing up.
Like keeping everything moving while joy, clarity, and peace quietly slip out the back door.

Survival mode isn’t a badge of honor.
It’s a warning sign we’ve learned to ignore.
One that says this pace isn’t sustainable, even if it’s normalized.

Mothers aren’t meant to live on empty.
We aren’t meant to disappear to keep everyone else afloat.
We were meant to be supported, rested, and whole.

Because motherhood shouldn’t require losing yourself just to prove you’re strong.