You’re 5 Steps Away from Overcoming Rejection

While it’s easy to sit and stew over your rejection, you run the risk of missing out on other opportunities. So, how are you supposed to bounce back from a bad bout of rejection? That’s why I’m so excited to introduce you to Alison Shamir. As a career coach, Alison specializes in boosting confidence and overcoming imposter syndrome, which can be side effects of being rejected.

“It’s a part of the process,” she says. “No one escapes rejection when building a business (or a life).”

To help, Alison’s sharing her tips for handling rejection like a boss. Because, let’s be honest, one setback shouldn’t let you lose sight of how awesome you are.

Let it Go

You might be a rockstar entrepreneur but, at the end of the day, you’re human. Rejection stings, so give yourself permission to process the pain — and move on.

“It’s ok to be upset; you just don’t want it to drag you down for too long,” Alison says. “Take a day off if you need to, do a big workout, speak to a loved one who has your back, or simply cry or scream it out. Do whatever you need to do, but give yourself a deadline. One to two days, tops.”

Whenever I face rejection — or am just feeling down — I give myself permission to throw a pity party. But, when I wake up the next day, I turn my frustration into action.

Trust Your Timeline

I firmly believe that everything happens for a reason. I know it sounds a little “woo-woo,” but so many aspects of my life — landing my first big-girl job at the Wall Street Journal, becoming my own boss, meeting my boyfriend, and even my parents meeting 10 years before they had me — was a result of a meticulous series of events. If one thing didn’t happen just as it did, I doubt I’d be where I am today.

So, why not apply this same mentality to your business? Chances are, you’ve had a series of events that led you to take the leap of faith and become your own boss. So, it’s likely your setbacks are laying the groundwork for a bigger, better chapter.

“Reframe rejection into redirection,” Alison says. “For every ‘no’ you get, you’re closer to a ‘yes’ or the breakthrough you’re seeking. You should pat yourself on the back when rejected because you’ve had the confidence and courage to put yourself out there.”

When One Door Closes…

One of my favorite things about being a freelance journalist is that each day has unlimited possibilities. When things don’t go my way, I try to think about the other opportunities I can pursue. What other story ideas do I have? Is there another website I want to pitch? How can I control my situation?

“When hit with rejection, we can lose sight of what we need to do next,” Alison says. “The sooner you can get back to taking action, the sooner your confidence will fire and silence your inner critic. Choose one key action you can take that aligns with your goal, even if you consider it easy. The key is to get moving as soon as possible.”

Rejection can be a hard pill to swallow; however, closing one door can give you the time and energy to focus on all the other possibilities.

Give Yourself a Pep Talk

It’s amazing how one “no” can affect you more than one “yes.” Rejection can even have the most successful self-starters questioning their business, services, and worth. If you need a reminder of just how awesome you are, add some positive affirmations to your morning routine.

“Choose two to three positive statements that start with ‘I am,’ ‘I can,’ or ‘I will’ — and say them out loud to yourself every morning,” Alison says. “Affirmations evoke positive emotions and are a great confidence booster!”

Instead of saying positive affirmations, I have a folder in my inbox called “Kelsey’s Work Confidence.” Whenever I receive a nice compliment from a client or colleague, I put it in my folder and re-read it if I need some extra encouragement.

Leave it on the Line

As self-starters, we know that things can change in the blink of an eye, so why would you think rejection is permanent? Just because you weren’t the right fit now doesn’t mean it’ll always be that way. Instead of wallowing in your rejection, thank that prospective client for their time and tell them you’d love to keep in touch. Who knows? If they ever need help with a new project, they’ll likely remember your can-do attitude.

A special thanks to Alison for such an insightful and important conversation. Give Alison some love by following her on Instagram.

Hustler of the Week: Alice Chen

Congratulations on Sunday Club! What inspired you to launch your own candle line?

Thank you! There’s something about candles that just sets the tone and finishes a space. I keep candles burning constantly. They help center me! I’ve collected them for years, but am actually pretty picky about what I want in a candle. So, I thought: Why don’t I try making my own? I’ve always loved being creative and making things with my hands. After about a year of testing fragrances and formulas, I finally landed on a core collection that I personally love and am proud to share.

More importantly though, I created Sunday Club out of a need to build something for me. I’m incredibly proud of the career that I’ve built and I look forward to continuing to grow in this path, but I saw that I was starting to let my job define me and my life. Sunday Club’s mission is to help you set aside time for you to pursue the things that light your fire; that’s what launching this business has done for me.

What’s your favorite thing about being your own boss? Least favorite?

The best part about being my own boss is having the creative freedom to pursue my own vision and to set my own priorities. The toughest part is not having enough hours in the day to do everything I want to do! Sunday Club is my side hustle, and I’m a one-woman show. When my work day is over, my second work day begins: Pouring candles in my kitchen, packaging orders, making runs to the post office. Weekends are reserved for more creative work. I do all my own photography, and I prefer to shoot in natural light, so I try to batch-capture content on the weekends that I can use throughout the week.

What is the best lesson you’ve learned since becoming your own boss?

I’ve learned to forgive myself! When it comes to owning a small business, there is an endless list of things you could be doing better, or doing, period. But, I have to remind myself that I started Sunday Club not to add to my plate — but rather, to do something I love and am passionate about — so I don’t need to do everything … just everything that is personally fulfilling to me and my business.

Give Alice some love by following Sunday Club on Instagram and picking up some new candles.

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