Knowing how to deal with rejection, whether it’s in a relationship or from job-hunting, isn’t an easy thing to do. If it were, we’d all have the magic potion, understanding how to stay balanced and never get frustrated, stressed or even depressed.
Although no one has the exact recipe for how to deal with rejection, it’s so important to find (and practice) techniques that can help control negative emotions that comes with being told no. That’s where we come in, because we know that you’re not alone in feeling lost, down and out or defeated, as everyone experiences those types of sentiments when things don’t go as they hope.
Since practicing positive mental health is a necessary evil, here are some ways in which you can deal with rejection, which should help you understand that there’s a light at the end of the tunnel which may be even better than you originally thought.
Practice patience
It’s easy to get caught up in the moment and overwhelm yourself with the here and now. In a weird way, you’re doing exactly what everyone tells you to do to find happiness — just live in the moment. Problem is, when you’re dealing with rejection, it’s hard to see the big picture, meaning the weight of the problem tends to eat at your mind and soul, getting caught up with finding answers to why it happened. You’ve got to stop letting your mind get there, understand that time heals everything and, once you make positive steps for yourself, the patience you displayed will come back to reward you with something great.
Be grateful for what you do have
Did you wake up this morning and are (generally) healthy? Then you’re already doing OK for yourself. Sure, that’s a pretty basic way of thinking, but just because you’re dealing with some rejection and it’s gotten you down doesn’t mean you need to feel defeated in all aspects of your life. Look around you and realize that you’ve got a lot of good stuff going on, you just need to be grateful for it and put things in perspective. It’s one thing to say you know things could be worse, it’s another to understand it and actually live it; think about that mentality.
Ask questions and learn from rejection
In some cases, you may never get an answer as to why you were rejected — like immediately after a relationship ending. However, remember that patience thing we talked about before? It could come back around months or years down the road, giving you a clear indicator as to why things worked out the way they did. For example, maybe your ex ended up being a serial cheater, or, even better, your next girlfriend ended up being the girl you married.
For those who can get answers to questions, like when you’re denied an opportunity at a job, make sure you ask for constructive feedback to learn. Could your communication be better when interviewing? Was your resume so cluttered and unorganized that it ruined your chance to even get said interview? Be bold and see who’s willing to be honest with you, and take things in stride to better yourself.
Rediscover your passions and/or hobbies
We often talk about rediscovering your passions and/or hobbies a lot to help deal with both rejection, failure or depression, and that’s because it’s one of the simplest things a person can do to get out of a rut. There’s nothing better than doing stuff you actually want (and like) to do, so why wouldn’t you start once rejection hits? From writing, to taking photos to traveling and beyond, finding happiness in simple activities you enjoy can help make you bounce back faster.
Change it up
No one learned anything by doing the exact same thing over and over. If we all did that, what kind of progress would ever be made? Think you came on too strong with a girl you were interested in? Understand what you did, recognize the mistake and make adjustments the next time you start dating a girl, learning to take it slower. Think you’re making boneheaded resume and cover letter mistakes for jobs you’re applying to? Rather than pump out applications left and right, prioritize the gigs you really want, avoiding the rush to get through a cover letter.
Don’t let rejection define you
At the end of the day, rejection will not get the best of you! That should be your mentality every single morning, whether things are going great or they’re less than stellar. Remember, life is all about balance — and we’re not just talking about work-life balance where you get a chance to step away from the computer and emails and such. Understand that rejection is part of life, and it happens to you every single day, just in different forms. To find true happiness, never allow yourself to get too high or too low, continuing to persevere through adversity and rejection.