The dawn will come, the sun will shine again, and I will be on my way.

"Despite the rejection, and in violation of all the rules, I came back year after year." --Joseph Barbera (of Hanna-Barbera Cartoons)
"I really wish I was less of a thinking man and more of a fool not afraid of rejection." --Billy Joel

If there were one universal truth in this unpredictable world, it would be this: no one enjoys rejection.  It's hard to dish out (unless you're stone-cold heartless), and it's difficult to hear.  Rejection can take on a number of forms:

• You apply for a job, and "after careful consideration, they've decided to pursue other candidates whose particular combination of education, skills and experience more closely fit the needs of this position."  (did I make it too obvious that I've received one or two of those emails?)
• Your boyfriend/ girlfriend/ husband/ wife/ crush/ gorgeous-coworker-who-probably-has-no-idea-you-exist decides to pursue someone else.  Ah, the classic "it's not you, it's me."
• You ask someone to go out on a date, and he/ she "has other plans." 
• You complete an essay/ test after working tirelessly on it, and your instructor's harsh comments go something like this: "Did you even read the book?"
• You submit a work of art to a gallery, and "it doesn't exactly fit their style."
• You're applying for mortgage approval with a certain financial services company, and you receive the letter that says "your employment length is not sufficient length to qualify."
• You attempt to use your credit card at the local coffee shop and "it's-rejected-do-you-have-another-form-of-payment?"  (again, that's never happened to me... or has it?)

No matter how they word it (and it seems like it's often riddled with flowery "nice" words to make it seem less harsh), rejection stings.  It never feels good.  I can't speak for everyone, but I hate to be the one rejecting another human for any reason.  "Yeah... that's nice/ flattering/ beautiful, but it's just not what I'm looking for right now."  Not cool.  Rejection sucks.  No matter which side you find yourself on.

My mom gave me a desk calendar for my birthday, and each page displays the date, a photo of Ireland, and a quote. 

November 14: "Failure, like the darkness of night, may slow me down.  But the dawn will come, the sun will shine again, and I will be on my way." 

It's easy to feel like a failure after you've been picked over.  Why are you afraid to do certain things?  You're likely afraid of rejection, which would inevitably be followed by feelings of failure. 

We only get one shot at life.  If we're rejected now and then, so what?  Success never shows up before the initial attempt.  You have to try something to see the result.  Failure doesn't mean that all hope is lost; it means that we've learned a lesson (whatever it may be) and we get a chance to try again... perhaps trying it slightly differently.  So get out there and face your fears.  Go to work wearing your new hot pink lipstick.  Talk to that cute guy (or gal).  Go skydiving.  Ride the elevator.  Hold a snake.  Look a clown in the eye.  Wait a second, daredevil... let's not get ahead of ourselves.  One step at a time.