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Getting rejected is hard. It can be emotionally destructive to one’s whole being. Worst, it can make you give up on the things that you love the most.



I used to laugh at people who makes a big deal about the rejections that they have encountered. Like that of a loyal suitor who swear he never would love again after being rejected by the girl he has been eyeing for years. I never would have imagined how painful it is to be rejected. After all, rejection is just a part of life. It’s no biggie. Yes, it would hurt but it’s not something that a good night sleep can’t fix. And so I thought.

September made me want to give up on something that I loved the most because of some series of rejections. I never thought that I would reach the point of faking my own contentment. That I would just willingly let myself flow into the river of mediocrity. I guess it was easier said done that. It was a hurdle but I came out victorious. We all have our own way on overcoming pain, these steps worked for me.

1. Mourn till you drop
Rejection hurts. There’s no thermometer that would measure the degree of pain that rejection could bring. There’s no such thing as a moderate rejection. A rejection is still a rejection. It will hurt. Period. So cry it out. Voice out the pain. Vent out your anger and frustrations. Let all the emotions out till you get tired. You’ll feel better afterwards.

2. Deny
After the intentional meltdown, try to avoid the thought of rejection. If you must, deny it ever happened. This is essential for your mind to feel at ease and to think of more functional things. By denying, you can give yourself the chance to act like how you used to. Also, it gives your heart and mind to rest.

3. Face reality
After the denial stage, you should feel a little stronger now. This time, you should be braver. This time you can face reality head on. This time, you can finally say, “I’ve been rejected and that’s okay.” You will still feel a twinge but you’ll notice that it’s not that painful anymore.

4. Make lemonades
Accepting that you were rejected is not the endpoint. Actually, it’s just the start of something better. By now, you can scrutinize on the possible reason on why you were rejected. Was the rejection fair? What should I do or not do in order to avoid being rejected again. Turn this into a learning experience and see every stumble as an opportunity to emerge as a better person. When life gives you lemons, make great lemonades out of it.