We’ve all been rejected at one point or another. Whether it is from a job application, a grant funding submission, an idea, a group of friends, or any other rejection experienced.
Any rejection you’ve ever faced hurts!
In that moment of receiving the turndown, the knockback or the ‘no’, it can often be enough to stop you in your tracks and put an end to your intended quest.
When we allow rejection to take over and control us, it wreaks havoc in every aspect of our career and life. We may experience high levels of anxiety. Have challenges believing that we can actually accomplish great things and in the end be at the beck and call of others because we do not believe wholeheartedly that we are worth it.
Fortunately, there are ways to deal with rejection that can set you up to bounce forward and rise up out of the dark hole of negativity. Everyone experiences the discomfort of rejection, but mentally strong people use that pain to grow stronger and bounce forward. Getting rejected doesn’t need to be the end of the road. Rejection, when dealt with in a healthy way, can be your best moment of learning.
The way you choose to respond to rejection will determine your next move and maybe the entire course of your future.
So how does a mentally strong person deal with rejection?
Five steps to strength.
👉 Acknowledge emotions: Rather than suppress, ignore, or deny the anguish, a mentally strong person recognises and admits to feeling their emotions. They admit when they’re disappointed, embarrassed, sad, or feeling discouraged. They feel confident to deal with the uncomfortable emotions with courage, head-on.
👉Reframe rejection to be a redirection: Instead of withdrawing, pulling back, playing small and fitting it, it is time to reframe and notice the proof that the status quo is being pushed, bent and ideally broken. Expect to be rejected. Not everyone will like you or your ideas. Don’t take it personally, it’s a fact. Redirect your attention to those chosen few who see you, your worth and your talent.
👉Be compassionate to self: Engage in optimistic self-talk. Instead of berating yourself and unloading a torrent of negative self-talk on yourself… change it up. Would you say what you currently say to yourself, to your best friend? NO! Be compassionate to yourself and embrace the optimistic, encouraging self-talk.
👉 The past does not define us: Mentally strong people do not engage in sweeping generalisations about their experiences. They maintain perspective. Don’t let your self-worth depend on one person’s or group of people’s opinions. We are all learners if we are open to learn, and can always improve regardless of what happened “last time”.
👉Learn the lessons: Turn the anguish into an opportunity to learn, grow stronger and go next level. There are always lessons to be learned, even in the hardest of times. Remember that our toughest times are usually our best teachers.
Use rejection as a pivot point to bounce forward with gained wisdom. Maybe the situation is just an event. Neither good, nor bad, it just is, something neutral. Yes, this statement can often be challenging to take onboard. It is however, this redirection of thought that makes the difference between those who stay in the rejection and allow their past to define them and those who pivot, propel and accomplish so much more than they ever thought possible!