Let us not mistake the idea that great exposure brings great insight.

The topic of invisibility has been trending for several years amongst women over 50. However, it is not limited to women or those over 50; it has crossed gender and generations. Why we feel it or if we care about our visibility are the choices we make. And if we choose to live our lives out of sight, does it matter?

Social media’s obsession with documentation of the minutia in our lives largely contributes to feelings of insecurity. High visibility equates to something sought after. Because advertising and potential revenue are now linked to individual influencers, it compounds the idea that instant success can come to our businesses or life, if we reach an unidentifiable visibility level.

Those with the distinction of being influencers often glean their self-esteem and financial reward from likes and follows. Many have set their sights on attaining those ethereal numbers. However, gauging our self-worth through the likes and follows we have or have not achieved is a losing proposition.

To be visible means the ability to be seen. However, high visibility is now equated with external validation, primarily from a public we do not know.

What does it take to be seen, to be perceived accurately? Firstly, we must know ourselves to express who we are. When we let go of our identity roles, the “who” we think we “should” be, our inner light becomes brighter and more visible.

Most of us wear rose-colored glasses when reflecting on ourselves. We choose when to keep them on or take them off. Sometimes, we examine our lives profoundly; at other times, we do not look at all.

Sometimes, in our lives, we need to become quiet to understand and uncover the magnitude of the existing self. When we express less than our optimum self, we are not hiding from the world but from ourselves. As we dive deeper into our inner journey of self-actualization, we will better understand what made us who we are: the experiences, beliefs, stigmas, behaviors, and habits we have collected over our lives.

When we let go of those things that no longer serve us, it allows us to be available to ourselves and more visible to others.

Does visibility on social media correlate to our sense of self-acceptance? For some, yes, and for others, no.

Visibility is not just about what is seen; it is about the clarity in which we see life and the distinctness in how we express ourselves. Our visibility is our aura speaking. It is the energy that others feel intuitively. It can be measured in the radiant energy we emit. It’s our vibe.

Being told we are invisible can only happen if we allow and believe it. No one can make another invisible. There is no magic cloak, and poof, you are gone. Nor can society’s rhetoric on aging, gender identification, or judgment of one’s choices make us disappear. However, the obsession with social media tallies has created an unrealistic barometer of truth. This contributes to why many desire to live under the radar of scrutiny.

What if we realize that our inner beauty is far more astonishing than the exterior could ever be or that our higher selves hold all the wisdom we need?

Our lives comprise all the moments: the good, the bad, and the ugly. Ironically, the bad and the ugly expose who we sincerely are. Letting go of our insecurities to embrace the people we have become is the power we hold. Remember, the choice is yours.

If you keep hiding your true self, your life becomes like slow death. Once you become free from the lies and the hiding of yourself, then life becomes vibrant again.

~Ziggy Marley