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Thriving @ Work
Necessary Mind Games We Play with Ourselves
Aging in place, the workplace, that is — woman edition.
Overheard, Women in Conversation
“Sometimes I wonder if the pep talks I give myself are more like…mind games. Like, I tell myself, “You’re thriving, Dana, not just surviving.” But really, some days it feels like I’m barely hanging on. I know we all play these games to keep going, but why does it feel so much heavier now?”
“Because it is. The world isn’t built for women like us. The older we get, the more invisible we become at work. You know, I just read this article last week — older women are the fastest-growing workforce demographic, but we’re also the least likely to be promoted or even noticed. It’s like you have to be extraordinary just to stay relevant.”
Oh, absolutely. And don’t forget the mental gymnastics we do to justify it. Like, when someone interrupts me in a meeting, I convince myself it’s because they’re eager, not because they don’t respect me. I mean, I don’t really believe it, but I have to tell myself something to stop from snapping.
“Exactly. Necessary mind games. We can’t be the “angry middle-aged woman” in the workplace. I coach women on this all the time: reframing. “That comment…
