The fear of rejection is a real phobia that people experience in life – not just from relationships, but also from friendship, work or school. The way you deal with certain rejections in life, is also how you overcome that feeling of failure and sadness or frustration.
One of the basic needs and wants of human beings is to fit in and belong. From the moment we start school to the time we start a new job, we need to have friends or acquaintances to communicate with – especially since a lot of time is spent at school and work. Initially, when you’re rejected from a relationship, a job or any other thing in life, you’ll feel immediate failure and frustration. However, if you sit on it for a while and think about the how’s and why’s, you’ll come to realise that it could be a blessing in disguise.
Being rejected by someone you’re romantically interested in and have invested time into can be considerably harder than other types of rejections. It can affect the way you feel about yourself because you’ll be in the mental state of “What’s wrong with me?”
The first thing you need to be aware of when being rejected romantically is that you may not be everyone’s cup of tea. This way sound harsh, however, understanding that people have their own expectations and criteria when it comes to the idea of a perfect partner. You may want someone who is funny, however, the person you like might prefer someone who is sarcastic and slightly awkward. There are over 7 billion people on this earth, and everyone has someone in mind that they ideally would like to fit into their criteria.
Here are some ways to deal with the feeling of rejection that you can apply to your own life.
ACCEPT IT
Being in denial is definitely the worst way to deal with the feeling of rejection. Accepting the fact that you’ve been rejected allows you to look at yourself in a new light. Why has this person rejected me or why did this employer not hire me? You can assess yourself and ideally, better yourself for the future.
SURROUND YOURSELF WITH GOOD COMPANY
Be around people who understand and know you. Let them in on the story and the way you’re feeling. Although they can’t completely get rid of the feeling, they can definitely provide you with some instant relief from love and laughter. Distract yourself with the people around you for short-term relief.
TRAVEL
Take a short trip somewhere nice by yourself. It’s always a good thing to treat yourself to a nice holiday and explore a brand new atmosphere as well as yourself. This is another great way to distract yourself from what’s happening.
Everyone deals with rejection differently, however, the main thing is to not take it too deeply. Remember that there is someone out there for everybody – you just need to find the right one.
