A story for the woman wondering where she went.
She stood in front of the mirror and stared — not at wrinkles or greying hair, but at the woman looking back at her.
“Where did I go?”
That quiet question doesn’t always come with drama or tears. Sometimes, it arrives in the stillness. In the in-between moments of motherhood and midlife. After the noise dies down, and the house is finally quiet.
It’s a question I’ve asked myself, and it’s one I hear from women time and time again.
This is for the woman who has spent decades showing up for everyone else.
The one who’s worn all the hats — mother, daughter, partner, colleague, friend — and somewhere along the way, slowly faded into the background of her own life.
The Shift No One Warns You About
As we age, something subtle happens. The world starts to look past us. Our roles shift — children grow up, relationships evolve, careers change or stall — and without even realising it, we stop feeling seen.
I know that feeling well. After turning 50, my life changed in ways I never expected. My marriage ended. My children were grown. My career, once the anchor of my identity, no longer felt aligned.
There were days I felt like I was disappearing.
Not just from others — but from myself.
But Here’s What I’ve Learned
You are not meant to fade.
You are not here to shrink, disappear, or be defined only by who you’ve been to others.
You are allowed to take up space — again.
You are allowed to rediscover yourself. To fall in love with a version of your life you’ve yet to meet. To say yes to your own desires, dreams, and voice.
And no — it’s not too late.
Ten Gentle Steps Back to You
When I began to feel invisible, I didn’t leap into reinvention. I started with small, deliberate acts of remembering. Here are ten ways I found my way back — and maybe, they’ll help you find yours:
- Acknowledge what you’re feeling — without shame or judgment. You’re not broken. You’ve just been busy holding everyone else.
- Reconnect with your story. Reflect. Write. Remember who you were before the world told you who to be.
- Move your body. Not for weight loss or goals, but because it shifts energy and brings you back to yourself.
- Refresh your space. Create an environment that reflects who you are becoming, not who you used to be.
- Look yourself in the eyes. Even if it feels awkward. Say, “I see you. You matter.” Mean it.
- Try something new. Follow curiosity. Say yes to what excites you, even if it scares you.
- Protect your energy. Start saying no to what drains you. You don’t need permission.
- Find expanders. Be around people who inspire you to think bigger and be bolder.
- Speak your dreams. Out loud. Give them life beyond your thoughts.
- Act like it’s already happening. Walk in gratitude. Lean into what’s possible.
A Walk Back to Myself
Years ago, I walked the Camino across Spain — a journey that changed my life. With every step, I stripped back the layers of who I thought I needed to be, and I came home to who I truly was.
That walk didn’t just give me strength — it gave me clarity.
It reminded me that reinvention doesn’t require reinvention at all. It requires returning — to truth, to joy, to purpose, to self.
You’re Not Invisible. You’ve Just Been Focused on Everyone Else.
And now… it’s your time.
Your time to reconnect. To rediscover. To rise.
Even if you start with just one small step this week.
Because you are not too old.
You are not too late.
You’re just getting started.
If this resonated with you, I invite you to share it with a friend who might need this reminder too.
Let’s rise — not alone, but together.
You were never invisible. You were just waiting for you to see yourself again.
Jump on over to my podcast if you are traveling and listen whilst you drive or travel https://www.buzzsprout.com/783824/episodes/16896373