Fear of Rejection Explained: How to Deal With It?

As human beings, we all have various fears. There is no human being who is not afraid of anything, who has infinite courage. And why is this so? As long as we have something to lose, we are doomed to live with fears. In fact, nobody has a fear of heights; they have a fear of falling from a height and losing their life. Nobody is afraid of the darkness; they are afraid of the possible harm that can be done by elements they cannot see in the dark.

When we investigate our fears and try to understand them, we realize that there is a logical reason behind every fear. We are all human beings, we all have a reason to be afraid of something, and it's in our nature, it's completely normal. Fear of rejection is something that many people experience and, like all other kinds of fear, it is perfectly normal. Although fear of rejection is normal, a severe chronic fear of rejection is considered a psychological disorder that permeates every moment of our social life and can seriously impair our quality of life.

What is The Fear of Rejection?

Have you ever felt that knot in your stomach before stepping into a social situation, fearing you might not be accepted or understood? That's the fear of rejection, and it's more common than you might think. It's like a shadow that follows us, making us doubt our worth and avoiding situations where we might feel vulnerable.

The fear of rejection is a universal experience, one that transcends age, gender, and background. It's a shadow that follows us, subtly influencing our thoughts and actions, making us doubt our worth and question our abilities. This fear can be traced back to our primal instinct for social belonging, a need ingrained in us since ancient times

This fear often manifests in subtle ways, such as avoiding certain social situations or hesitating to express our true thoughts and feelings. It's like a silent partner, influencing our decisions and coloring our perceptions of the world around us. However, by understanding and acknowledging fear of rejection, we can begin to break its power over us and reclaim our sense of self-worth and confidence.

How to Deal With It?

There is no scientific formula for overcoming the fear of rejection. No matter who you go to, they cannot give you a clear and definite solution such as "If you do this, this fear of rejection will disappear". Even if they do, they are not sincere.

The only thing that can overcome your fear of rejection is yourself. The only way we can help you overcome it is to explain the methodological methods of overcoming it and how can you break the chains of fear of rejection. So, let's explain.

Find out what it is that you are actually afraid of.

In the introduction to this article, we mentioned that the things you are afraid of are not really the things you are afraid of. Recall the example of a person with a fear of heights who is not really afraid of heights, but of falling and losing their life. The same is true for fear of rejection. Deep down inside you know that rejection is nothing to be afraid of. In fact, what you fear are the side effects of rejection. If you are rejected from a job application, you will have to start the long, arduous, exhausting and life-draining process of job hunting all over again. Subconsciously you are not afraid of being rejected but of having to go through this process again, but your brain interprets this as fear of rejection.

If you are rejected by the person you like, maybe even by the person you are in love with, you will not have the happiness of being with that person, you will not have the privilege and peace of mind that comes with being loved by that person, you will not have the perfect relationship that you can live together. You are not afraid of being rejected by the person you like, you are afraid of the privileges that rejection will cost you, that's all.

Stop Overthinking.

The main reason why fear of rejection can become an anxiety and make your life unbearable is that you think too much about what you would experience if you were rejected. Everyone has a little fear of rejection, but most people don't let it affect their lives. You don't need to have a very strong character for this; on the contrary, you will feel the difference if you are a little bit reckless. You only come into this world once, stop making your life miserable for yourself, stop thinking about what will happen if you are rejected, the difficulties you will have, etc. Just let things slide.

Instead of worrying about rejection, focus on what you can control. Work on improving yourself, your skills, and your relationships. Remember, rejection is not the end of the world. It's just a part of life, and it can even lead you to better opportunities and experiences. So, don't let fear hold you back. Embrace life with all its ups and downs, and you'll find that rejection is just a small bump on the road to happiness and success.

Make Fun of Yourself!

Perhaps this advice may surprise you. Make fun of yourself; make fun of your weaknesses, your failures, everything that bothers you!

When you start making fun of yourself, you will see that your self-confidence will increase in direct proportion. If you make fun of yourself, others have no such power over you. Any person or event that can directly or indirectly upset or psychologically injure you will no longer affect you as much as before. A person who knows how to make fun of himself/herself and enjoy himself/herself has learned how to make fun of life. Being able to make fun of life is a great talent, not everyone can do it. Being able to make fun of yourself means that you are at peace with your problems, your shortcomings and imperfections as a whole, and this is something that only people with extremely strong character can achieve.

When you learn to make fun of yourself, you will notice that your fear of rejection will disappear. It is worth a try.

Don't feel down because you have a fear of rejection. We are all afraid of something. It is the nature of our humanity, indeed of all living things, to be afraid. But don't forget that it is also in the nature of our humanity to be able to think and overcome. There are not many things that we cannot achieve if we believe and want to. Don't let your fear of rejection ruin your life. We hope that the above tips have helped you to overcome your fear of rejection.