Why You Should Start Embracing Rejection
Rejection is not an easy pill to swallow.
Nothing hurts worse than hearing you weren't chosen for a job you really wanted, you weren't accepted into your dream college or your crush is not at all into you.
If anyone feels your pain, it's me. All of the above scenarios, and then some, have happened to me. I'm going to be honest, each rejection, no matter who or where it's from, stings a little more each time.
But does that stop me from putting myself out there? Heck no! Though it did for quite some time, I've learned to stop fearing rejection and embrace it with open arms.
Here are just a few reasons why rejection is actually an amazing thing.
It Helps You Discover What's Right for You
Allow me to tell you the story of how I became a writer.
I wanted to be a veterinarian for 17 years of my life. I was determined to get into UC Davis and Purdue because those were two of the top schools for veterinary medicine.
Then junior year of high school happened and I realized I did not want to be a vet. One of the reasons being I couldn't live with myself if I had to put an animal down and the other being I wasn't about to spend even more of my life in school. No thanks!
It was the summer before my senior year that I decided I wanted to become—wait for it—an actress. I still don't know why I thought that was a good career path for me, but I do remember choosing it because I figured it would be one of the easier college majors.
When it came time to apply for colleges, I figured New York was my best bet. I did some research and dubbed SUNY at Purchase my "dream" school. This was only really due to the fact that Josh Hartnett (aka the love of my life) attended the college.
Long story short, I didn't get in and I was devastated. I could see my dreams dissolving right in front of me. Luckily it wasn't the only school I applied to, so I still had options.
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I ended up going to Cal State Fullerton to pursue a degree in acting. After a year in the program, I realized I had made a huge mistake. I didn't want to be an actress, I was just looking for the easiest college major.
During my sophomore year, I changed my major to communications and I've never looked back. Not getting into Purchase was one of the best things to ever happen to me. Imagine if I went all the way to New York just to discover I didn't really enjoy acting all that much. I was simply looking for the easy way out.
Now I'm on a career path that I actually enjoy and I honestly can't picture myself doing anything other than writing.
Your Victories Will Taste That Much Sweeter
There are people who have to work incredibly hard to achieve just a minute amount of success (me), then there are those who've been handed everything they've ever wanted in life. Must be nice.
I've always had to work harder and smarter to earn things in life. And even when I do, I still get rejected. Because guess what, hard work doesn't always pay off in the way you think it should.
All these failures and downfalls though have made my victories seem that much better. Finally getting what I want—no, what I deserve, lights a fire within me and keeps me going. I just feel so good when I'm finally dealt a win, because honestly, they don't happen very often.
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It Makes You a Stronger Person
Life is rough. If anyone feels your pain, it's me.
I have been down and out in life more times than I can count.
I've had jobs I thought I was perfect for ripped away from me. As you read, I didn't get into the school I believed I was destined to attend. Oh, and let's not forget to mention the ridiculous amount of guys I've liked who have shut down my advances. Those types of rejections are arguably the worst and because of them, I've spent countless nights crying over dumb boys. Yep, I've been through it all.
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Yet I'm still here. No matter how much rejection I face, it will never bring me down. I'll pick myself up as I always do and keep putting myself out there.
Life is way too short to let a little (or a lot of) rejection get the best of you, so don't let it. Learn from these unpleasant situations and keep striving for success. Everything will all work out.
Still not over being rejected by your crush? HERE's what you need to do to move on.