When it first happens, rejection can feel like you’ve been stabbed in the heart, leaving the knife in your chest to fester. Edward Smith, a Columbia University psychologist states that intense emotional suffering activates the very same neural pathways that are activated by physical pain. None of us purposely set out to be rejected, but rejection is an unavoidable part of life that all of us will encounter during our lifetime. Though rejection can hurt when it occurs and the sting resulting from it can remain until we heal from it, rejection can hold advantages that aren’t apparent on the surface.
Below are 6 reasons why rejection can benefit you.
1. Rejection can actually enhance your creativity.
Contrary to popular belief, a 2012 Cornell study concluded that rejection actually boosts our creativity. Study participants were instructed to select members of the study to work with them as part of a team on a project only to later find that nobody had chosen them. The study’s results showed that it’s participants, who had the highest levels of confidence and independence were most capable of dealing with social rejection. Therefore, provided that you own the fact that you’re unique and you may not always fit in, being rejected may actually catapult your creativity into overdrive, inspiring you to strive for a big project that you’ve procrastinated in surmounting.
2. Rejection can lead to gaining increased self-confidence.
The more you’re rejected, you may feel that it’s more apparent that what other people think of you is irrelevant. If you can can enter a room holding your head high and be unconcerned about if other people like you or if they don’t, rejection will phase you much less. Initially, rejection can feel like a hole has been punched in your ego, but as time passes, you’ll discover the harsh truth that everyone won’t always like you. Once you’re accepted this fact, you’ll recover much more quickly from rejection and you’ll be able to observe the value of your own self worth.
3. Rejection assists in promoting your empathetic qualities.
You’re aware of how painful rejection can be, and by experiencing this, you can better empathize with others who have experienced the same situation or those that are even worse than the ones you’ve experienced. According to the results of a study conducted by Miami University researchers, those who relive rejection memories have a better ability to select genuine smiles. The researchers speculate that the experiences of rejection had encouraged the study’s participants to seek acceptance after a rejection, and due to this act, they are able to better discern the sincerity of others.
Therefore, rejection can enhance your perception of the emotions of others, and could aid you in avoiding later pitfalls that can cause you the pain of exclusion again.
4. Rejection provides you with an opportunity to improve yourself.
It’s obvious that you’ll learn a great deal about yourself when you’re rejected, and it will strengthen your resiliency, overall. It’s even appropriate sometimes to ask those who have rejected you for feedback or constructive criticism to assist you in better determining what aspects of yourself that need improvement or if the person who rejected you simply didn’t resonate with you. Each experience we encounter can serve us as a teacher, and rejection isn’t any exception to your learning experiences. Spend time reflecting upon rejection experiences can not only help you improve as a person, but it can aid you in determining the lesson to be gained from this misfortune. Instead of rejection breaking you, it can serve you if you allow it to affect you in a positive manner.
5. You won’t waste your precious time obsessing over the thoughts and feelings of other people.
At times, it’s necessary for someone to be blunt and tell you the truth so you can let go and move forward with your life. Whether this rejection comes from your love interest, your boss, or a friend, it doesn’t serve you to speculate on a person or a subject when this whole process could be avoided if you initially learn the harsh truth. So, when you’re rejected outright, don’t feel that this experience is negative, but see the positivity in this experience. You were just spared wasted time that you’ll never get back that could have potentially wasted musing over your thoughts or unhealthily analyzing the feelings of others.
6. Rejection helps you become a more well-rounded and humble person.
Not only can rejection help you to gain confidence, it additionally can help you become more humble. Rejection teaches you that perhaps you need to work on certain elements of yourself and by further developing yourself, you are sure to become a better person during this process. This assists you with a wider world vantage point, allowing you to better understand yourself and others.
It will serve you to view rejection as an ideal opportunity for you to humble yourself and be reminded that nobody is perfect. You’ll always disappoint someone at some point, be excluded every now and again, and undoubtedly be hurt by someone. However, know that you can learn a valuable lesson from these unpleasant experiences, and learn to love and even laugh at your own imperfections, as well!
By: Amy Russel
