Born Unique, Die a Copy: The Original You Is Disappearing

You arrived on this planet as a completely original creation—a one-of-a-kind masterpiece with a unique combination of gifts, perspectives, and power that had never existed before and will never exist again. Yet somewhere along the way, you learned to dim that originality, to smooth your edges, to become more palatable, more acceptable, more... ordinary.

At 50+ you're standing at the crossroads of the greatest paradox of your lifetime: You possess more wisdom, experience, and clarity than ever before, yet you may be further from your authentic self than you've ever been. The very age that should mark your emergence into full authenticity has become the stage where many women perform their most convincing impression of who they think they should be.

The Conformity Trap

Society has fed you a steady diet of "shoulds" for decades. You should be nurturing but not too aggressive. Confident but not threatening. Wise but not opinionated. Graceful about aging but not too comfortable with it. The result? A generation of powerhouse women walking around wearing masks they've worn so long they've forgotten what lies beneath.

The tragedy isn't that you've played roles—every woman has navigated the complex dance of expectation and authenticity. The tragedy is that now, when you have the least to lose and the most to gain from being authentically yourself, you're still performing for an audience that doesn't matter.

The Authenticity Paradox Revealed

Here's what nobody tells you about authenticity after 50: It's not about finding yourself—it's about remembering yourself. That fierce little girl who had opinions, dreams, and an unshakeable sense of what felt right? She's still there, buried under layers of adaptation and accommodation.

The paradox is this: The very experiences that taught you to conform also gave you the wisdom to recognize the futility of that conformity. Every time you bit your tongue, played small, or chose safety over authenticity, you were gathering data about the cost of living outside your truth.

The Copy Factory Culture

We live in a copy factory culture that profits from your compliance. It's easier to market to homogeneous groups than to honor individual uniqueness. It's simpler to manage women who follow scripts than to navigate the beautiful chaos of authentic feminine power.

But here's what the copy factory doesn't want you to know: Your uniqueness isn't a flaw to be corrected—it's your competitive advantage. Your different perspective, your unconventional approach, your refusal to fit neatly into categories—these aren't bugs in your system. They're features.

The Reclamation Process

Reclaiming your authenticity isn't about dramatically overhauling your life (though it might lead to that). It's about making micro-choices throughout your day to honor your truth instead of performing someone else's version of who you should be.

It starts with noticing the moments when you catch yourself about to say what you think they want to hear instead of what you actually think. It continues with small acts of rebellion against your own internalized "shoulds." It deepens when you start choosing comfort over appearance, substance over surface, and truth over diplomacy.

The Permission You've Been Waiting For

You don't need anyone's permission to be yourself—you never did. But if you're waiting for a sign, consider this it. The world needs what you have to offer, not what you think it wants you to offer.

Your uniqueness isn't selfish—it's essential. When you show up authentically, you give other women permission to do the same. Your refusal to be a copy becomes a beacon for every other woman who's tired of performing.

The Legacy of Authenticity

The greatest gift you can give the women coming behind you is the example of a life lived authentically. Not perfectly, not without mistakes, but authentically. Your courage to be yourself—messy, complicated, powerful, real—creates a path for others to follow.

You were born unique. The question isn't whether you'll die a copy—it's whether you'll live the rest of your days as the original you were always meant to be. The world has plenty of copies. What it needs is you—the real, authentic, unapologetic you.

The time for pretending is over. The season of authenticity has arrived. And you? You're exactly the right age to claim it.

About the Author

Dr. Diva Verdun, the Fierce Factor Expert and Architect of Ageless Power, empowers ambitious women to crush it after 50 and Age with Power™. Through her signature Core 4 Principles of F.I.R.E.™ — Purpose, Passion, Prosperity, and Power — she guides women to embody their authentic power and own their F.I.R.E.™. Follow her on Facebook or Linkedin.