By Journey Artis
Welcome back to another segment on our A Journey With Journey series. Today we will be talking about rejection, how to handle it, and most importantly how to move one. So without further ado let’s get right into it!
Ahh Rejection! That good ol’ feeling of not being good enough in one way or another. Ok all jokes aside, rejection is completely normal and is bound to happen at one point or another in everyone’s lives. Yes, even that person that rejected you. Now rejection can come in all different forms. Some may receive rejection letters from their dream school, that internship they wanted so badly, or even rejection from their crush whom they wanted so terribly but however, you experience it, it is paramount that you know how to deal with it, and how to move on in a healthy way.
Before we get into our lovely tips and tricks let’s first address rejection as a concept and completely acknowledge it as simply a part of life. Rejection is defined as, “The dismissing or refusing of a proposal, idea, etc,” or, “The spurning of a person’s affections,” by the Oxford Dictionary. To put it simply, rejection is a dismissal of a person, their actions, or an idea. And even worse rejection can have a huge impact on teens such as stated by apa.org when the article read as follows, “As research has documented, adolescents who are rejected by their peers are at greater risk for anxiety and depression.” Rejection is a normal part of life and while you may feel hurt or even inadequate in the moment it is important to know that it will soon pass and you will feel better than ever assuming it is handled accordingly. Being loving with yourself both in the moment as well as after can make all the differences. Let’s get into some ways you can deal with rejection and hopefully feel better soon.
Accept It:
Yes I know it can be hard especially if you have envisioned yourself having whatever was rejected to you but you will not feel better nor will anything else on this list make sense if you do not accept it. The reality is whatever or whoever you so badly wanted is not meant for you and we will explore what that means shortly.
Don’t Chase and Don’t Force; Know Your Worth:
I know you may want to force things to work out as you envision them but please don’t. In addition to wasting your precious energy and time you may also result in looking desperate and that is not a good way to attract the things or people you want in your life.
Also you want to make sure you are respectful of boundaries and limits. This school, internship, or person has told you, “no,” once. Do NOT make them repeat themselves and do not put yourself in a position to be hurt twice or to disrespect someone’s position on the matter. No is a complete sentence always.
Instead, thank that college or internship for their time and consideration and move on to the next, or wish that person the best and give yourself time to recover.
You deserve better than something or someone that you had to force to stay in your life. Keep in mind what the universe wants you to have will be effortless therefore not needing you to beg, chase, or force. Always remember that!
Rejection Is Not Always A Bad Thing:
Have you ever had a past friendship, relationship, or even job and thought, “I would have been way better off without this in my life?” Well sometimes rejection saves you from regret.
Maybe that school you wanted so badly would have made you miserable. Maybe that boss at that internship would have overworked you terribly. Lastly, maybe that crush you wanted would have been everything you hoped for them not to be.
Of course there is no way to tell if this is true or not but it is important to remember it is a possibility. Rejection doesn’t always have to be a loss for you!
Friendship Is NOT a Downgrade:
Unfortunately society has conditioned many of us to think that the, “friendzone,” or just having a platonic relationship with someone is a downgrade or a bruise to your ego when this is simply not the case.
Sometimes platonic relationships can be the best thing to happen to you! This person who you wanted as a significant other might just end up being your new bestie and there is nothing wrong with that. A person’s true and genuine friendship is never a downgrade nor is it something to scoff at.
Friendships can be just as deep and meaningful as romantic relationships and it is important to remember that when agreeing to a platonic friendship with someone you wanted as a partner!
Something Better Is ALWAYS On The Way:
As previously mentioned, rejection can be a blessing and a lesson in one!
After being rejected from your dream school you may apply to another school which could end up being all you hope for and more.
After being rejected from that internship you now have time to apply for another one and this time you find one that is a PAID internship and get accepted on the spot!
And, after being rejected by that person, and giving yourself time to recover you go on some dates with a new person and end up in a happily ever after situation before you know it.
All in all rejection can open up so many possibilities and opportunities, so explore them all!
Steps To Getting Over Rejection:
Accept it
Give yourself time
Explore what you can do with this new found space in your life
While you are taking your time, consider doing some of the following:
Reading good books
Exercising
Focusing on your personal and professional goals
Connecting with friends and family
Picking up new hobbies
Catching up on your favorite shows
Anything that makes you happy and keeps you busy
I hope this article helped you learn to handle rejection and stay positive and uplifted throughout it! Good luck and good vibes to all of you besties!
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