Have you ever felt invisible, ignored or overlooked? This could happen in any area of life, from the world of dating to the workplace. Perhaps love is eluding you or maybe someone else got the promotion that should have been yours. Alternatively, you could be holding back in some way, making yourself invisible due to a fear of judgement or failure. Whatever the reason, feeling (or being) invisible, ignored or overlooked can result in lots of negative feelings including resentment, sadness, withdrawal and disappointment.
If this resonates with you, try the following steps:
1) Acknowledge how you are feeling
Attempting to push your feelings aside or pretending they don’t exist can lead to unhealthy emotions building up. Sometimes, we deny ourselves permission to be bothered by our experiences. Owning your feelings is an important part of being able to address what is creating them in the first place. You could share your thoughts and feelings with someone you trust, write them down or express them in another way that feels comfortable.
2) Be clear on what you want
How would you like to be seen, treated and acknowledged? What is currently missing that you would like to have, or have more of? Build a strong image in your mind of your ideal scenario. Give yourself permission to think big and don’t get distracted by what you think is or isn’t possible. Also avoid getting caught up in what you don’t want; focus on what you do want. Knowing what you want is the first step to actually getting it.
3) Take back your power
The more empowered you feel, the more you will be in a position to change things. What elements of the situation do you have control over? Identify steps you can proactively take that will make you feel more seen, heard or whatever it is you are seeking. If you don’t feel very empowered, ask some trusted friends or colleagues for their views. If they also can’t think of anything you can do, ask yourself whether this is a situation you really want to be in and if not, identify some alternatives.
4) Take action
You know what the issue is, you know what you want to happen, you’re empowered to address it; now it’s time to take action. In order for things to change, you might need to change or do something in a different way. This could involve having a difficult conversation that you would usually avoid, or stepping outside of your comfort zone. As the famous saying goes, “insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”.
Just remember, you deserve to be seen, heard and allowed to express yourself. Now go and make it happen!