How do you feel when someone rejects you? Whether it’s a job, a relationship, or something else, it can be hard to handle rejection. We’ve all been there. Rejection is a part of life for everyone, but it doesn’t have to be the end of the story.
In fact, it can be a helpful and empathic way for us to grow and find a better fit.
The truth is that rejection doesn’t have anything to do with us and says more about the other person’s feelings than who we are.
Affirmations can help remind us that there are so many other opportunities out there for us and that something better is just around the corner.
Here are 30 affirmations to help you get through rejection with a smile on your face.
30 Affirmations for Rejection
1. I am strong and capable.
2. I don’t need anyone else to make me feel good about myself.
3. My happiness is not dependent upon the approval of others.
4. I am the only person who can make me happy.
5. Rejections do not define me.
6. Rejection is not my fault.
7. I forgive myself for mistakes I have made.
8. I am a valuable person.
9. I have everything I need to be happy in life.
10. Others accept me for who I am.
11. I already have everything I need.
12. Rejection is an opportunity for me to get closer to my goals and desires in life.
13. It is okay to be single.
14. Rejection is only a temporary feeling.
15. I give myself permission to be happy today.
16. I trust myself.
17. I am brave enough to be myself in this world.
18. Rejection is not an indicator of my worthiness.
19. I will not let rejection define me.
20. I know that there is someone out there who deserves my love and affection.
21. I will not let a temporary feeling ruin my life forever.
22. People are attracted to me for the right reasons.
23. I am good enough the way I am.
24. My happiness is not dependent upon the approval of others.
25. I am stronger than rejection.
26. I am patient with myself.
27. I accept myself for who I am today.
28. I attract people into my life who are meant for me.
29. I respect myself.
30. I love myself unconditionally.
How to Healthily Deal With Rejection
Since rejection happens to all of us, it’s important to have a process and a few tools for dealing with it in a healthy way. Here are some steps you can take to minimize the sting of rejection when it occurs:
Understand Your Reasons for Feeling Rejected
Rejection is an experience that humans have been having for thousands of years. It’s an important emotion that protects us from being removed from the tribe. If we weren’t connected to our community, chances of survival were significantly decreased.
And it can feel just like that in modern times – a way in which we are trying to survive. The problem is that we don’t need to think so dramatically these days. For example, if a person says no when you ask them on a date, it doesn’t threaten your work status, friendships, or health in an immediate way. We just tend to feel like it does.
This isn’t meant to minimize your feelings but rather meant to offer you more compassion for them. Rejection really hurts and it happens for a reason. Validate yourself and remind yourself that you feel bad for a very real reason.
Once you do this, you don’t have to battle feelings of shame or self-doubt about how you feel. Simply embrace them. This allows you to move through further steps that can release the pain caused by rejection.
Soothe Yourself
It can be tempting to want to avoid the feelings of rejection, but it won’t work. It’s a natural human emotion that needs processing so it can move through you. So, make sure to allow yourself time and space for it.
Don’t force your feelings into hiding; rather, give them time and space to come up. Acknowledge the feelings of rejection when they peak, but don’t engage with them any more than that. Otherwise, you’ll be stuck in a cycle of trying to avoid your feelings rather than letting them go.
Instead of holding onto the painful feelings as they arise, try to think of something you can do to take care of yourself at that moment. For example, if you’re feeling badly about a job rejection, do something that makes you feel valuable, like offering a friend advice or working on a creative personal project.
This can help you to recover from the rejection faster and feel better.
Practice Affirmations for Rejection
Affirmations are a great tool to help you move past the pain of rejection. They can remind you that your feelings about being rejected aren’t facts about your self-worth.
The best way to use affirmations is by repeating them when you are experiencing feelings of rejection in addition to a daily practice. This will help them to sink into your subconscious mind, where they’ll be most effective.
Write down and display your chosen affirmations in areas where you can see them often, like your mirror or laptop screen. This will help you to remember the affirmation when you’re feeling seized by your emotions and need a hint of where else you can focus your attention. You can learn about how many affirmations you should work with here.
Connect With Loved Ones
Having meaningful connections with loved ones produces the opposite feeling that rejection does. Even if one person or experience has made you feel rejected, there are likely many other areas in your life where you are accepted.
Focus on those people and spaces when you’re feeling bogged down by rejection. These are people who celebrate your wins and are there to remind you that you’re valuable when you’re struggling with saying it about yourself.
It takes a tremendous amount of bravery and vulnerability to let your loved ones know when you’re feeling low. But similarly to working out in a gym, you will get stronger as you practice this over time.
Aim to make it a habit to reach out to a loved one when you’re feeling rejected and it will become very easy and natural feeling after a few tries.
Grow Your Sense of Worth and Value
Rejection confronts our sense of worth and can challenge our self-esteem. It can cause us to reexamine our sense of self and what we’re capable of doing in this world.
When you’re feeling rejected, try to gently remind yourself that the only person who can determine your sense of worth is you. You have full power over it and you can choose what you believe about yourself.
You can grow your self-worth by repeating the simple affirmation “I love myself” every day. You could also try to write a letter to yourself that clearly states your own worth and value.
Dedicating your life to making small improvements each day usually fulfills someone’s sense of self-worth. Anything you can do in the self-help world, from listening to a podcast to attending a major conference will make you more rejection-resilient.
Final Thoughts
Rejection is tough, but it is there for a reason. It’s a powerful teacher that lets you know where you may need to develop more self-worth or work on your boundaries.
When you’re feeling rejected, gently remind yourself that it’s part of the process of building long-lasting relationships and that it’s not about you. Your feelings are valid, but they don’t define who you are.
Use the tips and tools in this article to help you through rejection. You’ll learn something new each time about how your mind works, which will help you to grow and find peace.