Career News 24/7: The Cynical Girl: Overcoming rejection.

Friday, October 25, 2013

The Cynical Girl: Overcoming rejection.

Posted: 24 Oct 2013 03:45 AM PDT

0416-katy-perry-russell-brand_we The hardest part of writing about work is hearing about all of the rejection in your lives.

You weren’t hired for a job.
You were passed over for a promotion.
You were laid off.
Someone who once loved you no longer loves you.

I am really sorry. Ugh. Rejection strikes at the core of our ego (and our hearts). And I know you don’t believe me, but sometimes you are rejected for reasons outside of your control. Even when you are the most logical and perfect person for the job, you might not be the right fit.

And you might never understand why.

Here are ways I’ve come to terms with being rejected in my professional life.

Don’t create villains. You can be hurt by really good people.
Stop your catastrophic thinking. Everything might be falling apart; however, it was probably falling apart before you were rejected. While this experience might be a message from the universe, it isn’t a nail in the coffin.
Stop seeking validation and salvation. Rejection hurts most when you have nothing or no one else in your life. Diversify your emotional network.
See a better future. Some good might come of this experience. Maybe you dodged a bullet.
Shrug your shoulders and move forward. People cannot predict the future. Maybe you’ll catch a break with this company — or this person — at another time.

I think the most important thing you can do (and the most challenging) is to keep kindness and love in your heart.

Some of us are born cynical (cough cough), but most human beings are optimists who want to see the good in humanity.

There is plenty of good out there.

Don’t let your anger and sadness distract you from future career opportunities and emotional growth.