LETTING GO: OF REJECTION

I wrote a post recently about how to deal with rejection. When I wrote it, I was coming out on the other side - depending on the magnitude of what you perceived you lost, the process can take some time.

Rejection is dealing with loss in a sense. We had attached a value to something and equated a sense of worth to it. When it became unattainable, you went through a grieving process. For some, they hyper focus on the loss and it makes them want it more. In a healthy way, it can make the person work harder for their goal or object of desire. Or they could swing in an unhealthy direction and develop an obsession with what they have lost. Often you hear someone say "I don't care" and usually that is their way of dealing with the situation. Of course they care, but they have chosen to work through it a different way or else they are really good at letting go and moving forward.

No matter how talented, smart, beautiful or amazing you are, you have dealt with some kind of rejection. Everyone has dealt with differing degrees, but it is there nonetheless. Whether someone didn't want to play with you on the playground, you didn't get a big promotion or are going through some relationship struggles - rejection is there in most things that we do. We hold models and celebrities on a pedestal and view them as people who have their life together and get what they want - yes, they do, but they also work hard and deal with rejection too. Models don't get booked for a gig or contract all of the time. Actors often lose the lead role to someone else. We all go through the same emotions, just in different circumstances and industries.

You can also handle it another way - some fear rejection so they never take a risk or go for it. I get it - rejection is painful and can hurt.

Give yourself the time, support and resources to process what you are feeling and then move forward. Don't be that person in a bar who has been talking about the same "woe is me" rejection story for the past twenty years. Be the person who overcame something big and went on to achieve greatness in spite of setbacks.