Recently, I’ve undergone a rejection that has left me pretty gutted. I worked really hard towards this goal of mine, and being rejected in the end has left my pride wounded. I completely understand that rejection is a part of life, and “rejection is redirection,” but that doesn’t make it sting any less.
I also know that I’m not alone in this feeling. I’ve been taking steps towards healing, and I thought I’d share some of the ways I’ve been dealing with rejection.
- GET AWAY
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The morning after I received my rejection, I got away. I took a day trip to the beach by myself and just sat. I sat and looked at the water, got a pizza, took a walk, read a book, and swam in the ocean. Whether getting away means going home, going to Target, or taking a day trip, getting out of the environment you are in can be such a big help.
I personally enjoyed getting to be somewhere where no one knew who I was. I wasn’t going to run into any of these people again, and that meant I could be fully immersed in what I was doing.
I cried on the beach without feeling embarrassed; I wasn’t worried about running into someone I knew without makeup on and swollen eyes. That’s why I think getting a change of pace, even if it’s just for a few hours, can be such a big help.
- TAKE IT EASY
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If your form of rejection is failing an exam, a job or internship rejection, not making a play or a club or a team, I can guess you’ve probably been working pretty hard to achieve this goal. It’s so important to take some time for yourself before trying to jump into the next thing.
Take however long you need to take to feel it. Grieve the loss of the opportunity, eat some ice cream, watch a sad movie, whatever you need to do. Taking a break to just be a person and relax can help prevent burnout and help you realize that whatever you were working towards does not define you. There are so many other parts of yourself that deserve some recognition.
- GET BACK ON THE HORSE
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Once you’re feeling better mentally, take the time to sit down and look through your options. Analyze what you did wrong, what you did right, and what you can improve for next time. You can’t control the past or what happened; however, you can always control yourself, your reaction, and what you do next.
At the end of the day, rejection really sucks. There’s really no way around it. But as hard as it is in the moment, one rejection isn’t going to define you or determine where your life goes next. Give yourself permission to be upset, take a little time to reset, and then figure out what comes next. Maybe this rejection opens the door to something you never would have considered otherwise. Maybe it’ll give you the chance to try again with a little more experience.
Either way, you’re so much more than the one thing you didn’t get. So, cry it out, get your favorite coffee, put on your comfort show, and, when you are ready, get back out there. You never know what could be waiting for you next!
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