If love hurts, rejection hurts more. It doesn't matter if your affections were turned away or your scholarship application was unsuccessful; being on the end of rejection doesn't feel great.

The thing is, rejection is part and parcel of life. You won't always get the lifestyle you want, nor will you always get the friend you like. However, it's the ability to handle rejection gracefully that will bring you far in life, and that's the most important part of how to handle rejection.

In this article, we'll guide you through the steps to deal with rejection and how to move on from this difficult period.

#1. Take time to process

After being rejected, you’ll be a whirlwind of emotions, ranging from deeply upset to furious. If you feel the need to suppress your feelings, do not bottle it up. It’s healthy to express your sadness, anger and disappointment at being rejected.

If you’re in class, excuse yourself and step outside for a breather. Should you be at home, leave your room and take a brisk walk for some fresh air. Refrain from resorting to violence to let out your frustrations; stay as calm as you can while you sort out your emotions.

Treat yourself later to some comfort food or a favourite movie to watch; the key is to minimise the negativity as much as possible. However, don’t wallow in your emotions for too long. This will just stretch out your low emotional health and might make recovery a bit more difficult.

#2. Check how you’re feeling

Take a moment to probe your emotions; are you experiencing more anger or sadness? Identify the more prominent vibe and have a good cry to release emotion.

Move on to understand why you’re feeling this way. For example, “I feel sad that my clubs and societies supervisor was harsh towards me for making a blunder and revoked my request to be a team leader. I wanted to prove to him that I could take up the reins, but I’m disappointed that I couldn’t do it and was ultimately rejected.”

By analysing your emotions, you’ll figure out the reason and will be able to work on solving and managing the aftermath of the rejection.

#3. Talk to someone you trust

We know it’s hard to break down your walls, but confiding in a trusted friend or family member will ease the emotional burden you’re carrying.

Talking things out will clear your head and put things into perspective. Your friend might see the situation in a different light and will gently tell you why and how the matter can be resolved. Also, steer clear of airing your thoughts on social media as it may come back to haunt you. After all, what you put on the internet stays there forever, even after you’ve deleted it.

#4. Keep yourself busy

You’ve laid your soul bare and acknowledged the rejection. Lay a metaphorical bandage on your emotional wounds by distracting yourself.

To keep yourself from obsessively replaying the rejection in your hand, immerse yourself in video games, colouring books or running. Whip up cakes in the oven or splash paint on canvas; as long as your mind is free of any worry, you’re in good shape.

Take this chance to read voraciously on a topic you’ve always been interested in, be it space travel, the art of pottery or high stakes business deals. You can also immerse yourself in your assignments and research!

#5. Use the rejection to improve yourself

After throwing yourself into full concentration with various activities, you’ve probably slowly adjusted to a calm and clear mindset that isn’t occupied with the rejection you experienced.

Now that you’ve gotten over the hurt feelings and sadness, you’re ready to see how you can improve yourself. If you were rejected because you didn’t have a certain skill set like Photoshop proficiency even though you were filled with passion for the project, roll your sleeves up and work on acquiring those skills.

Should the rejection have anything to do with matters of the heart, it’s okay; The One will come along when the time is right, and you’ll be glad things worked out fine.

#6. Remind yourself how awesome you are

One rejection shouldn’t bring you down. You’ve got your whole life ahead of you, you’re brimming with potential and you have your loved ones cheering you on! Rest assured, you’re awesome and you’re on your way to great things. Keep going and don’t let any rejection stop you from being the best version of yourself.

In conclusion, being rejected is tough, but you’ll emerge a tougher person after processing your emotions. Life is more than dwelling on your rejected feelings, so chin up! Everything will be okay.

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