How To Overcome Fear Of Rejection?
We all have the need of belonging and want to connect with like-minded people.
Whenever we are starting something new - like a hobby we are dreaming about for a while, moving to another city or starting a new job – we want to feel welcome and accepted by unfamiliar people and communities.
The first encounter requires that one person is brave and takes action to show interest through a smile, a gesture, or simply saying “hello”. And the other person is open to interact. Sounds easy.
But in reality, fear of rejection can cause high levels of stress and anxiety and even hinder to get in contact with new people. Individuals even prefer to not join a new club or stay at a place or job they don`t like anymore.
One of the reasons can be that it feels easier to be surrounded with already well-known groups. And meeting new personalities requires to be vulnerable, step outside of the comfort zone and face our own anxieties.
Recently, in one of my mentoring sessions, I received the question “How do I overcome my fear of rejection?”
This is a huge topic and there is a lot to say. I pick a few points to mention here:
- Acceptance: Recognizing fear and accepting that this feeling is present in certain situations helps to reduce the density of this emotion.
- Response: How do you respond now to rejection? Which other habits could you develop over time to respond differently?
- Expose yourself to rejection: That`s a big one. And needs to be done with care to transform fear into a strength.
What would you recommend overcoming fear of rejection?
