“A rejection is nothing more than a necessary step in the pursuit of success.”

Every once in a while you just have one of those epically bad days where everything culminates at once.  Yesterday was one of those for me.  It started with being ridiculously sick the past few days; so sick in fact, that I was living on jello and gatorade for days and too weak to walk more than 10 feet.  I missed one day of work but could not find anyone to cover my night shift.  Thus, I headed in for a night of call totally depleted and still not well enough to tolerate solid food.

I made it through the shift ok.  I even had an opportunity to make a difference for a few people (something I never take for granted).  Then I ended up staying in the hospital post call because I had a meeting in the afternoon (and decided it was be safer to sleep after a 15 hour shift than drive straight home anyway).  After a 3ish hour nap, I woke to an email that the person who was interested in adopting Ellie (my bully who needs to be re-homed) was now backing out.  This was a huge blow because it was the umpteenth time this had happened.  Each time it’s an emotional roller coaster:  We get excited for Ellie and sad at the same time, hopeful for some resolution and closure- only to have the other party get cold feet at the last minute.  I feel like I am dating these people, as if I am continually getting lead on and then dumped.  And the excuse is always the same: after careful consideration, I’m [we’re} just not ready.  It’s the dating equivalent of “It’s not you it’s me”.  All I can do is tell myself that it will all work out eventually, but it’s a hard thing to remember when you are overtired and run down.

It was on the heels of this news that I got my rejection letter from Fitfluential.  Apparently I am just not “influential” enough for them.  I will say that while I may not have a strong Twitter, Facebook, or Intsagram presence, I do actually have a good amount of blog traffic and easily meet their criteria in that department.  In fact, my blog following has been regularly and steadily expanding.  So here is what I have to say about their rejection: They will be sorry when I’m famous!  That’s right folks.  I didn’t cry over this one.   Cry over losing another home for Ellie, yes.  Cry over someone failing to appreciate how driven, fabulous, and unique I am- um no.  They can get in line with everyone else who has failed to appreciate my awesomeness. 😉

In all seriousness though, I’ve come to a point in my life where personal rejection isn’t much of a blip on my radar.  I have become immune to it, if you will.  People have underestimated me and told me I wasn’t good enough my whole life.  My most epic day of rejection, for example, was when I applied to PA school the first time (yes it took me two application cycles to get in!), and I got my rejection letter from Yale on my birthday.  Yup, nice timing guys!  A few hours later someone shot a window out of my car while it was parked int he driveway.  Happy Birthday to me! That was an epically bad day.  However, a year later they were eating their words and offering me a spot.

Why? Because I am resilient.  Because once I set my heart on something, I don’t give up.

I am surprised that anyone could read or look at this blog and not pick that up about me, but I am not offended.  I am accustomed to being overlooked.  Given the flood of applications they likely receive, it’s probably easy to get caught up in the numbers over the value of the content.  Not to say that people with larger followings don’t have amazing content, but I think it is probably easy for someone like me without a huge Twitter or Intsagram following to get lost in the shuffle so to speak. I will say that Fitfluential is missing out because I have a lot to offer! lol  On the bright side, I don’t need for them to believe in me to believe in myself.  Luckily, my self worth doesn’t come from external sources.  I learned I long time ago to rely on myself for that.

While most people out there take rejection as a bad thing, I find it to be a great motivator.  Go ahead and tell me I can’t or I’m not good enough for something and watch how hard I’ll push to prove you wrong.  I truly believe that if  you don’t have people looking at you like you have three heads, calling you crazy, or telling you your goals are impossible then you aren’t dreaming big enough.  Every person who has ever called me nuts or told me I wasn’t good enough has done me a favor because they are the people who motivated me to work that much harder.  

There is no one on this earth who has the right or ability to decide for you what you can and cannot accomplish in your life.  Once you appreciate that, what does rejection really matter? Is it still a bummer? Sure.  Should it ruin your day.  Absolutely not.  If you know who you are, what you want, and what you are capable of, then what do you care what anyone else thinks?

In case you hadn’t guessed, the point of this post was not to be a poor me session.  Rather, it’s chance to illustrate that bad days happen, rejection happens, but how we deal with it is a choice.  I will always choose growth.  I will keep my head up and keep truckin’.

Before I leave this earth, I will have created a Thriver Movement.

#thriveon