For me - it’s not so important what goes on for us during a “rejection” but what goes on for us through the rest of our lives - whether we live in anticipation of “rejection” - either by feeling a low level of dread all the time, or a bold, brazen, cover-up hard shell just “in case” rejection should show up.

And from here, way older than you - I can tell you that the things that don’t work out are often the things that later turn into something fantastic when you least expect it - as long as you keep walking the trail to what you really want. Just keep following the dream that’s as incredible as you can imagine, and don’t worry about what “look like” setbacks along the way.

I’ve reinvented myself so many times I’ve lost count - and now I make an amazing living at one of the things you’re not supposed to make a good living at - a writer of books on the philosophy of relationships. (I got the great marriage, too - after I’d all but given up - and so have many of my clients…) - so I know (if you’ve got what it takes to put up this blog, you’ve got what it takes in everything…) you’re going to be terrifically successful at everything. Thank you for the wonderful posts, Sincerely, Rori

Angela… I applied to DePaul. The school itself isn’t that difficult to get into, but the program I want is pretty popular so they are selective.

The Finance Department realized that this meeting, which was planned by Marketing (it’s always those damn Marketing people!) was scheduled during the month end closing. They tried to get it moved. They were denied. My boss at the time said that she could not perform her closing if she was in all day meetings. I had developed a plan to do both, and easily. Her boss is the General Manager of Our Division, and he said that if she couldn’t go, that it wouldn’t be appropriate for me to attend without her. Even though she gave me her blessing.

I cried. I begged, which is incredibly dangerous at my level. I stewed. I complained to anyone who would listen. You would have thought I was being canned. I cried all day long for the two days that the meetings were held. I refused to look at the pictures. To this day, when someone makes reference to that meeting, I cut them off to remind them that “I was not allowed to attend”.

You are not alone.

The most annoying rejections are when I have no idea why they occurred. Those instances usually fester in my brain. Thankfully, those also make me want to work even harder and get something better.