Have you ever felt insignificant or overlooked? Some people feel invisible when they are around certain people, while others feel that way all the time. You can feel invisible in many different ways: at work if your ideas are never acknowledged, in social gatherings when nobody seems to listen when you talk, or if you’re feeling unheard in a romantic relationship.
Deepak Chopra, MD, believes that feeling invisible is something that you can change with creativity, effort, and time. Feeling needed, valued, and cared for is something that everyone should have when in a relationship. Chopra’s five-step program has suggestions to help you figure out why you have those feelings and then figure out a solution.
Often, the first step to getting over the feeling of invisibility is to learn to love yourself more. It might be that in order for others to see you, you must first see yourself. Here are a few ways to show your love for yourself:
Advocate for yourself. Margaret Paul says in her blog post on Mind Body Green that she never had a problem speaking up for her children, whether to teachers or bullies, but she rarely spoke up for herself. She learned that not advocating for herself meant that others didn’t feel the need to treat her with care and respect, either.
If someone is being judgmental or disrespectful towards you, say something. Let them know that you don’t like to be treated that way, and set clear boundaries for the future. Some people will continue to treat you badly if you let them.
Don’t stand for one-way relationships. Life is too short for lousy relationships. If you are constantly listening to others talk about their lives but they never lend a listening ear when you need to talk, it’s time to reevaluate those “relationships.” Friendship is a two-way street, and a real friend will not demand all of the attention without giving some, too.
Find a therapist. Feeling overlooked is a lonely way to live your life. Whether you spent your childhood feeling invisible to your parents, siblings, and/or classmates, it’s important that you find someone that you can talk to about your feelings. It can be scary to make the changes suggested above. A therapist can help you map out a plan for change and help develop strategies for being assertive without being aggressive.
If you would like to set up an appointment to see Reka, you can reach her at 402-881-8125. You can also email her at reka@omaha-counseling.com. Make sure to follow us on Twitter or Facebook.
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