Meet Simone | Feeling Undervalued
- Jennifer McNeil
- 7 days ago
- 5 min read
From the Spark & Soul Friendship Group
Meet Simone | African Caribbean | 48yrs old
Her story so far Simone spent decades building her career and raising her family, always showing up for everyone else. She was reliable, competent, and proud of her achievements - but over time, she felt her own needs slipping away. A workplace change left her questioning her value, and her children growing independent made her realise she had space she hadn’t anticipated. Some days she feels overwhelmed, other days free. She’s exploring new career directions, redefining success on her own terms, and learning to prioritise herself. Slowly, she’s reconnecting with her spark and embracing the next chapter with confidence.
Simone looked out at the grey sky that weighed heavily on her as she lay in bed. “I really don’t want to do this anymore,” she sighed at the thought of the day ahead. Endless meetings, emails, and the superficial hellos as her colleagues passed by.
You see, as well as being a doting mother and wife, Simone had always been a high flyer. Confident in her abilities and talent, she had also maintained a strong family unit. But now, Simone felt used and discarded. Her children had grown up, and her role had shifted from caring to being an ATM machine. Her husband was a good husband but often overlooked how much she had to do at home while building her career. That was not easy. Simone felt the struggles of being a Black woman in a white, male-dominated area. It was cutthroat and ruthless. Now she was beginning to see how dispensable she was. She had made a name for herself but still felt undervalued by the company. The cheek of it. Did they really expect her to train someone they recruited over her, despite knowing full well she was more than capable of doing the job?
She sighed once more. “I’ll just lie here for five more minutes. The world can wait.”
Before heading to work, Simone needed all the mental strength she could muster. “I need a strong coffee.” She ordered her coffee and took a seat near the window as the raindrops began to fall. Each drop felt like a reflection of her world, one where she could see her own regrets. At that moment, the phone pinged. It was Priya.
“Hey girl, are you ready for a brand new week?”
Simone paused as she gazed out of the window.
‘Far from,’ she whispered to herself. She responded, “I wish I didn’t have to go in, to be honest. I feel so out of sync. My energy level is low.”
A few seconds later, a response came back from Priya.
“Every week you say the same thing. Don’t you think that’s a sign?”
“A sign to do what exactly?” Simone retaliated.
“I don’t know… something?”
“I know… you’re right. It’s just the thought of starting over again at my age.”
“See, that’s your problem. It’s not starting over; it’s getting to a place you want to be. You can handle this. You’ve done it before; you can do it again.”
Simone smiled tentatively. That may be right, she thought, but did I have the energy to do it again? Time was ticking. “I’ll speak to you later. If not, see you on Thursday.” That was the last text she sent before she headed to work.
The week went just as Simone imagined it would. She felt unproductive and a bit lost. She kept hearing Priya’s words in her head. It was now 4:10 pm, and she was ready to meet the girls at the Spark & Soul bar around the corner. She was looking forward to catching up with them. It was the highlight of her week.
As she stepped through the door, she noticed the girls sitting in their usual spot. They waved her over. She hung her coat on the hanger and made her way to them. Aisha noticed that she looked drained.
“What’s up, Sim?” Aisha ushered her to take a seat.
“Same old, same old,” Simone responded with a tired expression. “I just feel like the best years are behind me, like a washed-up old hag.”
“This doesn’t sound like you. The confident, assertive Miss Sim.”
“Yeah, well, that Sim’s in hibernation.”
Danielle looked at her with a puzzled expression.
“Try telling that to my boss, who has hired someone younger with little to no experience, and then expects me to train them in a role that should have been mine. Then there are the kids - grown, with little time for me until I become a cash card. And as for Leonard… don’t get me started. He just sees his career as more important than mine and doesn’t appreciate the sacrifices I had to make so he could excel,” Simone explained. “For once, just once, I want to be the priority.”
Aisha took her hand and said, “At our stage in life, it can get to a point where you reevaluate your life. It’s OK. The problem is when you stay in a place where you don’t feel valued.”
“I just hate the direction my life is going in. I had dreams of opening my own company, but now… I have doubts, is it too late?”
Danielle smiled empathetically, “You don’t have to change everything all at once. That’s when you feel overwhelmed and the mountain looks harder to climb. Start with something simple. Something you enjoy. Something achievable. One step at a time. Small things still feel like you’re moving forward. Not every challenge has to start at the top.”
“You know what helps me?,” Aisha suggested, “Writing it down. Don’t always focus on the negatives. Try this… list three good things that happened to you today. Start with one thing you would like to change.”
“Does that actually work?” Simone queried.
“Try it. You may be surprised.” Aisha smiled.
They enjoyed the rest of the evening, exchanging stories and laughter. This was just what Simone needed, she smiled as she looked at the group. She was in a space where she felt supported and valued.
On Sunday evening, she sat down with a glass of wine and opened her notepad. The pen hovered over the page, lingering in the air between thought and action, but once she pressed down, the words started to flow. Mmmm… not as bad as I thought it would be. Seeing her thoughts on paper made a difference. Now she had a starting point.
Final Thoughts
Many people reach a moment like Simone’s where life pauses and asks a quiet question: what next? If you find yourself there, a supportive space to reflect, explore your story, and regain clarity can make all the difference.
Keep following to see how Simone's story enfolds.
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