Daring to Be Seen: Reclaiming Your Power and Presence

Courage starts with showing up and letting ourselves be seen. – Brené Brown

For centuries, women have been expected to master the art of disappearance. We are raised to take up less space, soften our voices, and accommodate so that others remain comfortable. We are conditioned to blend in, as though our worth is measured by our ability to remain unseen. But when we step into our visibility—unapologetically and with full force—we disrupt a system that was never designed for us to thrive.

What if visibility was never something we had to beg for? What if daring to be seen was not just an act of rebellion but an act of liberation?

I was reminded of this concept during a recent trip to my native Puerto Rico, where I visited my family after four years. At a family dinner in a restaurant, I observed a seemingly small but telling moment: my mother, a woman in her 80s and the matriarch of our family, was asked to move chairs to make room for a toddler.

In that moment, I reflected on the unspoken dynamics of power and visibility.

My mother should have been sitting at the head of the table, a place of honor that reflects her years of wisdom and leadership. Instead, she was asked to accommodate someone else, a child. For the record, my reaction had nothing to do with the child but the principle. The child is adorable.

Still, as I watched my mother move chairs, I felt a rush of frustration mixed with sorrow. Mom has given so much to our family, yet here she was, being asked to make room for someone else. From where I was sitting, she should have never been asked.

In my earlier years, I would have made a scene. This time, however, I stood back and quietly pondered: Was I called to claim space for someone unable or perhaps unwilling to claim it for herself? I wondered if my interference would have been a way of denying my mother her agency. After all, while her face showed her discomfort with the request, she obliged.

Mom was invisible at that moment.

To me, visibility is not about vanity; it is about impact. It is about stepping forward without apology, occupying the spaces we have built, and refusing to be diminished.

If you have ever felt unseen, overlooked, or dismissed, this is not just a moment for reflection—it is a call to action.

The Systematic Erasure of Women's Dignity

Dignity is not stolen in grand, dramatic gestures—it is chipped away in subtle, insidious ways. It happens when our ideas are attributed to others, when our successes are dismissed as luck, or when we are labeled as too much for asserting our needs. It happens when society equates aging with irrelevance, reinforcing the idea that women have an expiration date while men gain wisdom and gravitas with age.

We see it when our competence is questioned, when others claim our ideas, or when our value is weighed against youth rather than wisdom.

The reality is that we do not lose dignity—it is taken from us, piece by piece, over time. And for too long, we have accepted this theft as inevitable.

Women over 50 know this deeply. Studies show that as we age, we become increasingly invisible—less likely to be promoted, less likely to be represented in media, and less likely to be acknowledged for our contributions. But why should we accept this? Why should decades of knowledge, resilience, and lived experience be cast into the shadows?

Reclaiming Dignity and Self-Worth

Reclaiming our dignity is not about demanding permission to exist—it is about remembering that permission was never needed. Dignity is not something granted by others; it is something we claim for ourselves. It is the refusal to apologize for taking up space, the rejection of smallness, and the unwavering insistence that our voices will be heard.

Reclaiming our space also means doing it for others. Just as I thought about my mother and her place at the table, we must also recognize that when we step forward, we are making space for those who will come after us. It's about leading by example and challenging the norms that have kept us small. It is about the woman sitting at the head of the table without waiting to be asked, setting her terms, and refusing to explain herself.

Shattering the Fear of Visibility

If we are honest, we have not been conditioned to fear failure—we have been conditioned to fear the audacity of our brilliance.

We have been warned that stepping fully into our power makes us difficult, intimidating, or unlikable. 

We have been taught that confidence is unbecoming, ambition is unfeminine, and boldness is arrogance.

This fear keeps us compliant, quiet, and small. But what if we stopped waiting for permission? What if we stopped apologizing for our presence? What if we stepped fully into our power and refused to shrink?

Visibility means taking risks. It means embracing the discomfort of being fully seen, allowing our voices, talents, and aspirations to be witnessed without dilution. It means walking into a room and deciding that we belong there—not waiting to be invited.

Becoming Your Number One Fan

For years, we have poured our energy into supporting others—our families, our careers, our communities. But how often do we offer ourselves the same unwavering support? How often do we champion ourselves with the same enthusiasm we extend to everyone else?

Loving ourselves is not self-indulgence—it is survival. It is standing in front of a mirror and recognizing the woman who has endured, who has risen, and who is worthy of celebration. It is speaking our names with reverence, acknowledging our journey with pride, and knowing, without question, that we deserve every good thing we have ever dared to want.

Owning Your Impact: Refusing to Be Forgotten

Legacy is not just about what we leave behind—it is about the imprint we make in every space we occupy right now. It is about refusing to be forgotten while we are still alive. The way we dare to be seen today sets the standard for the generations of women who will come after us. Every time we claim our space, we carve a path for another woman to do the same.

Consider the example of women like Maya Angelou, whose voice only grew stronger with age, or Malala Yousafzai, who stood boldly for what she believed in despite the risks. Their stories remind us that our visibility and impact do not diminish with age—they multiply.

Will we be remembered for how well we accommodated others or for how fearlessly we claimed our space? Will we be known for making others comfortable or for making an impact?

Daring to be seen is not an act of vanity—it is an act of rebellion, transformation, and leadership. It is choosing to take up space, claim our story, and ensure that our voices echo beyond our time.

Final Thoughts

The path to visibility is not about perfection—it is about liberation. It is about allowing ourselves to be fully seen, fully heard, and fully present in our lives. The world does not need women who shrink—it needs women who rise.

Take a moment today to identify one area where you've been shrinking. What is one bold step you can take in that space to claim it as your own? Whether it's speaking up in a meeting, asserting your worth in a conversation, or simply showing up as you are—take that step today.

As we continue this journey, we must also recognize that the fight for visibility is not just individual; it is connected to larger political and social justice movements. Our efforts to claim space and voice are deeply tied to broader efforts for gender equality, racial justice, and societal transformation. This article serves as a small but meaningful contribution to that work, and it is but one step in a much larger conversation.

So, take your place. Dare to be seen.

Acknowledgment

This article reflects my personal views on the importance of visibility, self-worth, and empowerment, and I invite you to connect with these ideas in your own life. While this piece cannot cover every aspect of the complex issues surrounding women's visibility, it is meant to spark reflection and create space for further thought and dialogue.

Please share your own experiences, engage with others, and continue to explore how we can all contribute to a world where every woman's presence is celebrated and her power is acknowledged.

Join the Conversation

Leave me a comment below and tell me what your dream is. If public discourse is too public for you, send me a note at info@soulfulsojourners.com.

And as always, be safe, dear sojourner, until we see each other again on these pages or in a Complimentary 50-minute Insight Session.

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Neidy Lozada, MATP, CTTC, CSIC, is a Legacy Cultivator and Transformational Strategist who works from the framework of transformational. Transpersonal and spiritual integration coaching. She brings over twenty years of experience in transpersonal practices, coaching, and business to her work with individuals from all over the globe. Neidy founded Soulful Sojourners following her long-held dream of building a company to provide top-notch coaching services to women, men, and organizations undergoing a profound

transformational process. Neidy also founded the Spirited Entrepreneurs Empowerment Network (S.E.E.N.), a program of Soulful Sojourners designed to provide a platform for women to expand their reach. She continues to serve non-profit organizations in the Bay Area through her work as a board member. She is a proud mother, grandmother, daughter, sister, and devoted caretaker of furry companions.