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Why women feel invisible in retirement
About Sue @ Sizzling Towards 60 & Beyond
I'm Sue Loncaric and I'm Sizzling Towards 60 & Beyond. I love running and keeping fit and healthy so I can keep up with my grandson. I started my blog after retiring early. I retired to spend more time with my husband but after a few months I felt lost. So I started Sizzling Towards 60 & Beyond to encourage women of midlife to embrace and enjoy this new phase of life. This is the time to explore new opportunities and to be fit, fabulous, healthier and happier.
Do you feel invisible?
"We live in a youth-fixated culture where people are afraid to age and to be vulnerable to growing older; where ideals about attractiveness are oriented around those with young, healthy bodies."
Now that doesn't really sit well with being Over 50 & Thriving, does it?
Read more from Sue Loncaric: Over 50? Here's five ways to thrive
Why do we feel invisible?
I believe some of us lose our self-confidence as we age, and are no longer sure of our place in life. Whether you are an empty-nester or career person who has retired, our self-confidence can take a hit when we feel we aren't needed anymore.
Retirement can bring it's challenges, I know I experienced the feeling of questioning my purpose when I retired. But retiring from work does not mean retiring from life. We don't have to fade into invisibility once we stop working full-time. We should be embracing the many opportunities that having more time affords us.
Here are 5 ways to avoid the invisibility cloak in retirement
1. Respect yourself and the person you are
Sure, our bodies may be sagging and there may be a few laughter lines on our faces, but we need to look past the superficial. We must make the time to go deep inside ourselves and honestly assess who we are as individuals.
We need to respect ourselves for the beautiful woman we are -- acknowledging that we are unique and have value. Learning to accept, respect and love ourselves builds self-confidence and tells us that we have much to offer this world.
2. Surround yourself with positive people
Becoming invisible can mean that we are not putting ourselves out there, but rather accepting the notion that we are ''too old''. This is nonsense, of course.
Surrounding yourself with people of all ages who are positive and energetic will encourage you to be the same. Positivity breeds positivity.
3. Be a mentor
Recognise your strengths from your life experiences and share your wisdom with others. If you are over 50, you will have had many work and life experiences -- so don't take a back step to younger women and feel inadequate.
Become a mentor to them and encourage, rather than fear them. Be open to learning from them and building relationships with people of all ages.
4. Keep learning
Never stop learning or trying something new. There are thousands of online short courses or hobbies that you can try. Keeping your brain active is not only good for your mental health, but learning or having interests also makes you an interesting person.
5. Learn to give back
It's not all about you. Giving back to the community by volunteering your time can be so rewarding and fulfilling.
Do you feel invisible? What are some of the ways you are trying to make yourself heard in this new phase of life we call retirement?
I'd love to hear your comments and if you are interested about Thriving Over 50, then join me on my blog Sizzling Towards 60 & Beyond.
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