Feeling Invisible and Unappreciated After 40? Let’s Talk About It.
- kesha96
- Apr 15
- 3 min read
I wanted to speak to something that’s been coming up a lot—not just in my sessions with clients, but also in casual conversations with women, especially those of us entering or already in midlife.
And it's something I’ve personally felt too.
There’s this experience that many women have—especially around our 40s, 50s and beyond—where we start to feel... invisible.
Unseen. Underappreciated. Like suddenly, we’re no longer being looked at, acknowledged, or even needed in the same way.
And I just want to take a moment and speak to that.
And this part—this exact conversation—we're having now is a big part of that work.
Because when we enter this new era—this autumn season of life—so much changes. And one of the biggest shifts is in how we’re seen. Or not seen.
The roles we’ve spent years or decades playing—mother, partner, caretaker, leader—start to shift. Our bodies change. Our energy changes. The way people respond to us changes. And for a lot of us, that can be disorienting. It can feel like we’re fading out of view. And we can start to feel invisible and unappreciated once we are over 40 and into midlife.
But here’s the thing—we’ve been conditioned to serve. That’s the role we’ve been taught. “How can I help?” “How can I make this easier for everyone else?” We’re used to being of use, and society loves when we stay in that box.
Questions to Ask When We Feel Invisible and Unappreciated After 40 and In Midlife
But what happens when those roles start to shift? When we’re no longer needed in the same way? When the kids grow up, or the marriage doesn't quite feel aligned anymore, or we no longer feel lit up by the work we’ve been doing?
What happens is... we start asking real questions. Big questions.
Who am I now?
What do I actually want?
What do I need?
And for many of us, those questions have never had space to exist until now.
It can feel lonely, confusing, even painful. Because the truth is, most people around us aren’t talking about this part of life. But let me say this clearly: this is not the end of your story. This is a beginning.
And yes, society has a vested interest in women staying in service roles. But what the world really needs right now is women who are fully in their power. Women who are unapologetically empathetic, clear, and embodied. Women who know what they want, and are comfortable wanting it.
What You Need to Know if You Are Feeling Invisible and Unappreciated After 40
So if you’re feeling this—if you’ve been wondering what’s next for you…If you’re feeling that stirring in your heart, that whisper that says, “There has to be more…” If you’re done drifting, and you're ready to wake up feeling lit up by your purpose, by your own damn life—this is your time.
Let this be the chapter where you turn toward you.
Ask yourself:
What do I need right now?
What do I desire?
What’s waiting for me on the other side of this version of me I’ve outgrown?
If any of this resonates—if this feels like you—drop a comment. Tell me where you’re at. I want to know. You’re not alone in this.
You are not done. You are not washed up. You are not invisible.
You are in a sacred transition. And this is the moment to reclaim your voice, your desires, your power.
It’s not about going back to who you were before. It’s about becoming who you were always meant to be—before the world told you who to be.
And remember...In order to change your life, you must first be willing to change yourself.
You’ve got this.
Kesha Dent is a certified hypnotherapist and the author of "Life Change Now" who is passionate about helping women find life purpose and direction and overcome anxiety in their 40s, 50s and beyond. You can find her at www.newworldhynosis.com .
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