Most of us have been rejected at some point in our lives, like when we were not chosen for a team, dismissed, refused, overlooked, not accepted, not believed, or not taken seriously. Rejection can lead to feelings of being hurt, inferiority, withdrawal, sadness, rage, revenge, bullying, etc. The National Library of Medicine PubMed.gov published an article about functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) studies, which showed that the same areas of the brain become activated when rejection is experienced as when there is physical pain. Neurologically speaking, this is one explanation for the reason why rejection hurts so much.  

Tips to cope with rejection:

Countering rejection with personal antidotes is in your self-interest. How you say?

• Stay true to your own purpose.
• In order to do that, first create or redefine your purpose, and put your purpose above the hurt of rejection.
• Muster your inner strength and rekindle your commitment to your purpose.
• It may help to write it on paper and keep it close by as a daily reminder to yourself of the important path you are following.
• Repeat it daily for a solid month or more so it comes to mind when self-doubt rears its negative head.
• Clarify and reinvigorate the integrity of your purpose.
• Repeat it to yourself so that validating voice inside becomes louder than the voice still hurting from the rejection.

It also is valuable and comforting to learn tips from the experiences of others.

Read the unique perspective from Larry Jacobson who faced numerous setbacks and had his own way of dealing with hurt and rejection. Visit our Videos page and view the videos from Larry Jacobson,

Consider reading books below, each with valuable perspective on rejection:

Living Inside Out– Identifying and Healing from the Spirit of Rejection, by Michelle Gilbert

Don’t Give the Enemy A Seat at Your Table, by Louie Giglio

Destroying the Spirit of Rejection, by John Eckhardt

Resilience: Facing Down Rejection and Criticism on the Road to Success, by Mark McGuinness