Hi friends, Jeri Anne here! 👋

As women, so many of us are used to taking care of everyone else.

We support our families, check in on our parents, encourage our children, show up for friends, manage schedules, and somehow keep track of the hundred little things that need to get done.

And somewhere along the way, it can become very easy to put ourselves at the bottom of that list.

We tell ourselves, I’ll focus on that later. After the kids are taken care of. After things slow down at work. After this next expense. After everyone else is okay.

But when it comes to our finances, constantly putting ourselves last can have a very real cost.

Putting yourself last can show up financially

Caring for the people we love is a wonderful thing. But sometimes that instinct to care for everyone else means our own financial goals quietly get pushed further and further into the future.

That might look like:

• Putting off retirement contributions because someone else needs the money
• Dipping into your own savings to help family members
• Avoiding financial planning because life already feels too busy
• Staying financially dependent longer than you would like
• Feeling guilty for wanting financial freedom, flexibility, or security of your own

There is nothing wrong with being generous. But generosity doesn’t have to mean sacrificing your own financial well-being.

Taking care of yourself financially creates stability, confidence, and options—not only for you, but also for the people you care about.

Think about the oxygen mask

We’ve all heard the instructions on an airplane: put your own oxygen mask on before helping someone else.

There’s a financial lesson in that too.

When your own financial foundation is strong, you’re in a better position to help the people around you.

You can be generous without wondering whether you’re jeopardizing your retirement. You can handle an unexpected expense without immediately feeling panicked. You can make decisions based on what you truly want instead of what your finances will allow in that moment.

And perhaps most importantly, you’re showing your children and the people around you that caring for yourself is part of caring for your family.

Your well-being matters. Your future does too.

Start with something small

Prioritizing yourself financially doesn’t mean you need to completely overhaul your life tomorrow. Sometimes it starts with one small decision.

• Increase your retirement contribution by 1%
• Build or add to an emergency fund that’s there to protect you
• Schedule the financial meeting you’ve been putting off
• Write down a financial goal that’s entirely your own
• Give yourself permission to think about what you want the next 5, 10, or 20 years of your life to look like

Those steps may feel small today, but repeated over time, they can make a meaningful difference.

And if you’re used to putting everyone else first, simply deciding that your financial future deserves a place on the list is a pretty important first step.

Closing Thought

Caring for others is one of our greatest strengths. But we deserve care too, including financial care.

Building a strong financial future for yourself isn’t about choosing yourself instead of the people you love.

It’s about making sure you’re building a life where you have the stability, freedom, and confidence to care for yourself and continue showing up for the people who matter most.

Your future deserves that kind of attention too.