Whether you want to experience it or not, rejection is part of life. Especially if you’re challenging yourself by taking risks and doing new things. Whether it’s in business or in your personal life, how you handle rejection makes all the difference. Here are some ways on how to do just that so you can keep it moving and progress forward with grace.
As mentioned above, when you’re out trying new things and putting yourself out there, you risk facing rejection. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing! It means you are getting closer to your desired outcome. Whether it is in the workforce applying for dream jobs or getting involved with new potential partners in the dating scene, getting rejected is a possibility. The reality is that this happens to everyone in one way or another.
In my opinion, it’s best to take risks regardless of the outcome, as opposed to staying complacent in a “safe” place. Encountering rejection doesn’t feel good though. We are human after all and we all have the deep desire to belong. According to the American Psychological Association, when we get rejected, the same part of our brains become activated as when we feel physical pain. So it makes sense to feel hurt but there are ways to handle rejection in a graceful way. Continue reading for my tips on how to overcome this.
Accept it
My first tip on how to handle rejection is to not take it personally. Even if it comes as a surprise to you, listen or take it in with an open mind and simply respond with grace. Keep the conversation short (if there needs to be one) and thank them for their honesty. Don’t try to change their mind, especially in that initial moment. The last thing you want is to be chosen or led on for the wrong reasons.
As adults, being honest and straightforward matters so much. Also, it’s better to receive a rejection than to continue waiting for a response about a job you’ve applied for, for instance. And in the dating scene, it’s better to get a rejection than to be ghosted! So even if it’s easier said than done, accept the rejection as best as you can. (*Please note, I’m not telling you to give up. I’m simply telling you to accept the initial rejection and then keep it moving. There is a difference).
Process your emotions
My next tip on how to handle rejection is to do what you need to do to get out of your head. Please don’t dwell on this experience. If anything, allow yourself to dwell for a very short period of time if you want but then make a conscious effort to process your emotions to get to a better feeling state. Your brain might automatically go back to questioning how this happened to you and it will try to blame you for it. However, it is imperative to be compassionate and kind to yourself during this time because it’s when you’re the most vulnerable.
Some ways you can process your emotions are by journaling your feelings onto paper. Releasing everything you’re thinking and feeling will get it out of your system onto the paper. You can also talk (or vent) to a loved one you trust who will be supportive and will help you process your emotions. Spending time in nature can help ground you so go on a walk and take in some fresh air.
Focus on the positives
After processing your emotions, choose to see things differently. Choose to see the positives from this experience. The Universe works in mysterious ways. Sometimes things don’t happen the way you expected or even wanted them to, but this just means they are a blessing in disguise. So trust that this is only pushing you back on the life course you’re meant to be on. Hindsight is 20/20 and it’ll become more obvious as more time goes by.
Practice gratitude
Think of all the things you learned from this experience. If you think about it, rejection is part of life. There is going to come a time where you are not going to be someone’s cup of tea and the thing is, THAT’S OKAY! Similar to the previous tip, think of all the things you’re grateful for regarding this experience. For example, be thankful that you at least got a form of closure. Now you can continue moving forward after dusting yourself off.
Remember who you are
This next tip is one of the most important ones. You have to hype yourself up. Take the time to recognize all the things you love and appreciate about yourself. Do what it takes to recognize and increase your self-worth again. Remember that there is nothing wrong with you. If you got constructive feedback, choose to take that with you as you progress forward but definitely don’t allow this experience to bring you down. You are a powerful being and you have the control on how you want to come out of this.
Move on
Finally, choose to recognize that facing and accepting rejection comes with trying new things and it is not the end of the world. If it helps, remember that even the most successful people experienced rejection at one point or another in their lives. Even Oprah and Michael Jordan were rejected in the beginning of their mega successful careers and they didn’t let that defeat affect their goals and aspirations. So dust yourself off, and continue progressing forward. Continue applying for your dream job, continue trying new things in your business, continue putting yourself out there in the dating scene, continue living your life. Continue doing your thing until you get what you want. It will be worth it at the end.
Final thoughts
One final thought I have on how to handle rejection is that it is not a linear healing process. Depending on the type of rejection you experienced and the number of times this has happened, you may need more time and a conscious effort to overcome it. Remind yourself that this is giving you clarity and it is getting you closer to your goals (even if it doesn’t feel that way at the moment).
As mentioned previously, all of this is easier said than done. If you need support with putting yourself out there and potentially facing rejection in the process, I can help. I have space for 2 private coaching clients so book your consultation call here. Let me know your thoughts on this post too! Feel free to DM me on Instagram at any time. Also, follow me on Tik Tok! Yes, your girl is on there now. And finally, make sure you sign up for my newsletter so you never miss a blog post or other things I’m up to! Thank you for reading!!
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