Dealing with Rejection...

How do you deal with Rejection? If you are like me you probably don't do so well with it. I would like to believe that it is just business and I do not need to take it personally but in fact I have lain awake many a night replaying how I might have handled the situation differently and then they would have loved me. They would have thrown a parade in my honor and distributed my business cards to every person in their little black books.

Alas. it was only a dream and I am still dejected because I was rejected. I always admired the people who seemed to be untouched by rejection. Almost as if they welcomed it. A door slams in their face and the turn undaunted and move to the next door.

I have a sister in law like this. It is impossible to hurt her feelings. I wonder at times if she has any. She is so focused on tasks that she does not see, hear or feel people. Guess what she does for a living? Yes. she is a very successful Realtor. Don't get the wrong impression. I admire and love her but I am still amazed at her response to rejection.

A few years ago and one career ago, I sat in a conference with about 1000 other church leaders. The host pastor began to talk about leadership. He said something that has helped a bit with rejection. He began to tell us how that in his church of about 2000 members there were about a 100 or so people who did not like him. Some of them had banded together to tell him so. His response was this: "I had to choose that day whither I wanted to be liked or respected".  With some people you will not be able to be both liked and respected so you have to choose one.

That really hit home with me. If I have to choose, I would rather be respected over being liked. My people pleasing nature wants to be liked and that is the battle when it comes to rejection. R-E-S-P-E-C-T tell me what you think of me and I will survive it. Because I choose to be respected.