We’ve all been there. Being rejected is never easy. Whether it is socially, romantically, or professionally – rejection hurts. Everyone keeps telling you to “keep going,” and “try again,” yet it’s hard not to give up when people keep turning you down. So, what can we do? How can we move past rejection? How can we cope with it? Here is what I’ve learned.

The more we face rejection, the more we expect it. The more we expect rejection and become concerned with it, the more sensitive we are to it. After a while, we start rejecting ourselves. We start putting ourselves down, as we are convinced that no one wants to be around us. We begin viewing the rejection as an indication of our self-worth. However, it should be clear that this is not true.

We need to understand that the path to success, and life as a whole, is not a straight line. You are going to face rejection and setbacks on your way to achieve your goals and dreams. Sometimes, these setbacks teach as valuable things. For example, if we choose to pursue a certain profession and face setbacks, we might learn that this job is not for us.

This is another valuable thing to remember when it comes to rejection – it is a learning opportunity. We have to learn how to view rejection differently, to shift our perspective of it. Getting rejected can build resilience and help you grow. You can apply the lessons you’ve learned to future setbacks, which will help soften the blow.

We also have to identify our inner critic and learn how to separate it from us. You all know what I’m talking about. That voice in our heads that says: “See? I told you it wouldn’t work out,” or “You should never put yourself out there again, you’ll only get hurt.” Instead of putting ourselves down, we need to be there for us. We have to identify these moments, these voices, and terminate them.

Lastly, we have to remember how much we are loved! It is very easy to face rejection and feel like no one wants to be around us, to feel like no one likes us. However, we all have people around us that love us dearly, and it’s important to remember that. There are people who value you, who care about you, never forget that.