ontheedgeofeverything

Being overlooked isn’t exactly what most of us strive for in life. No one enjoys being ignored, or left out, and the emotions triggered by these instances are far from pleasant ones. Oftentimes, when we are overlooked, we begin to question our worth or even our identity in more complex scenarios, and the confusion that can develop as a result can be incredibly frustrating.

As unpleasant as it is, I would wager most of us have been left out at some point or another in life. Perhaps it was when you were a child, or a teenager, or perhaps you’re experiencing it as an adult. Regardless of age, isolation sucks, and even more when this isolation is stemming from someone or people we know personally.

It is more than easy to give up when we are consistently overlooked. It’s natural to figure that if our efforts aren’t being acknowledged or appreciated, it makes sense to focus our attention elsewhere, in an environment where we are seen and heard. In some instances, walking away might be the best option, especially if the instance of being ignored is negatively affecting your health, physically, mentally, or emotionally. But, in most scenarios, or if you don’t have the option to go elsewhere, one of the best things to do is to put your head down and keep grinding.

Obviously, this is not an easy thing to do, and upon first thought, this tactic might seem illogical in the sense that we are continuing to subject ourselves to being overlooked. But, refusing to give up is one of the strongest forms of resilience, especially when the cards are not dealt in our favour, and demonstrating this without allowing our actions or behaviour to change is one of the best messages you can send to someone who refuses to recognize your worth.

Photo by Lucas Chizzali on Unsplash