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Success Through Rejection

What we gain when we get bad news

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Rejection Does Not Define You

Rejection is an almost unavoidable aspect of being human. No one has ever succeeded without first facing rejection. And yes, it hurts.

Big or small, it affects us all.��Rejection doesn't have to be about the big stuff like not getting into your top college, not making the team, or not getting asked to prom. Everyday situations can lead to feelings of rejection, too, like if your joke didn't get a laugh, if no one remembered to save you a seat at the lunch table, or if the person you really like talks to everyone but you.

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How to Cope With Rejection

  • Acknowledge the pain and grieve the loss
    • Give yourself time to let your feelings exist and be processed
  • Don’t blame yourself
    • When we don’t have answers, we blame ourselves; we assume that we screwed up, we weren’t enough, etc. You are enough. One decision does not shape you or your future.
  • Strengthen your resiliency
    • Resiliency is your ability to recover or bounce back from a setback. Have an open mind, avoid all-or-nothing thinking, focus on solutions and what you can learn from the experience, seek support, maintain a sense of humor, remember your strengths, see mistakes as necessary steps on the road to success, and practice self-care.
  • Keep putting yourself out there
    • Accept that rejection is part of the process and don’t be afraid to fail. Keep trying. All it takes is one “yes” and you’ll be on your way!

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As always… if you want to go more in depth, or use resources like the Virtual Calming Room, visit: tinyurl.com/BHSWellness

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Additional Resources

  • Uplift Mobile Crisis (408) 379-9085
  • Santa Clara County Crisis Hotline: 1 (855) 278-4204
  • Bill Wilson's Teen Hotline: 1 (888) 247-7717
  • Crisis Text Line - Text HOME to 741741
  • Trevor Project LGBTQ+ Lifeline�1 (866) 488-7386 | Text “START” to 678678�Trevor Project Chat