Woman Embarks On A Year-Long Experiment Of Purposely Being Rejected 1,000 Times
MAYA LAB | Shutterstock A woman named Gabriella Carr attempted to dispel her fears about rejection by throwing herself headfirst into a constant stream of "nos." Through a year-long experiment, Carr hopes to discover the power of facing rejection instead of fearing it.
Rejection is something that most people try to avoid at all costs. We're constantly trying to play it safe so we don't have to face disappointment when things don't work out the way we might've wanted. However, whether it's your love life or professional endeavors, rejection is inevitable, and avoiding it only makes these learning experiences harder to handle.
A woman embarks on a year-long experiment of purposely being rejected 1,000 times.
"I've been rejected 1,000 times. Hopefully, what I'll be saying after a few months," Carr began in her TikTok video about her experiment. "You know anything about me? It's that I love chasing dreams. All the dreams I'm chasing are full of nos. They can be so discouraging."
Carr explained that she's trying to push through that feeling. In her experiment, she's carrying around her "no" journal and will fill its pages with exactly 1,000 notes for every time she's told that. Each time she's told "no," she'll cross off a note and write down what she was rejected for.
"You might be thinking, 'Gabby, isn't that depressing?' Yes, it absolutely is. What's even more depressing? Not following my dreams because I'm too scared to chase after them," Carr continued. "If I've learned anything, it's that every no brings you closer to a yes."
Most people are scared of rejection, but they shouldn't be.
Rejection is something that people tend to run away from, even when they shouldn't. Receiving any kind of "no" can feel like a personal slight, and that discomfort is something people actively try to avoid. But there's a lot to learn from rejection.
It forces people to reassess their priorities and sometimes change the goals they originally wanted. Sometimes that redirection is a good thing.
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"A big part of our fear of rejection may be our fear of experiencing hurt and pain. Our aversion to unpleasant experiences prompts behaviors that don’t serve us," explained licensed marriage and family therapist John Amodeo, Ph.D., MFT. "We withdraw from people rather than risk reaching out. We hold back from expressing our authentic feelings. We abandon others before they have a chance to reject us."
But rejection has a way of coming at the most perfect times. It's the Universe's way of letting you know that you're not exactly on the right path. The best thing about rejection, though, is that after some time has passed, you end up feeling a lot more grateful for not having to experience something that wasn't meant for you. It might not feel like that in the moment, and sure, the rejection can hurt.
Once you're able to heal and move on, that rejection quickly becomes the best thing to have ever happened. And it also opens the door for many more chances to actually hear the word "yes."
Nia Tipton is a staff writer with a bachelor’s degree in creative writing and journalism who covers news and lifestyle topics that focus on psychology, relationships, and the human experience.
