Rejection can be scary. It’s not fun when you ask someone out on a date and they turn you down, or when your project idea gets shot down by your boss, or when the people you invited to your party don’t show up. 

However, if you want to get ahead in life and achieve your goals, you’ll need to learn how to overcome your fear of rejection.

If you’re worried about rejection, you’re not alone. Rejection can happen in many parts of your life – at work, in romance, even with family and friends. If this fear of rejection keeps you from doing the things that would make you happy and successful, there are some things you can do to help conquer your fear of rejection and make it easier to overcome. 

Here are ten suggestions on how to overcome your fear of rejection and live your life without the fear holding you back

1) Give yourself permission

One way to overcome your fear of rejection is to give yourself permission. When you give yourself permission, you're telling yourself that it's okay for you to not know exactly what it is that you're doing and that making mistakes is part of the process. 

You'll stop caring so much about getting something wrong and will take more risks because you won't be scared of the consequences. 

You'll also stop comparing yourself to other people or worrying about their opinion so much since they don't matter if you've given yourself permission! You have a right to exist!

2) Identify your thoughts

Think about the things you're afraid of and what your worst-case scenario is. For example, if you're afraid people won't like your idea, ask yourself: What are the worst thing that could happen? They might say they don't like it. You might have to spend time developing a new idea. But you'll still be alive.

The world will not have ended. If something bad does happen, do not let it define who you are or change how you live. Remember these thoughts when in times of doubt and insecurity. If there's anything we can take from our failures, its that we can always get back up again.

3) Use thought stopping techniques

You can use thought stopping techniques to stop the negative thinking cycle and replace it with more positive thoughts. This technique is very popular in cognitive behavioral therapy and is used as a way of changing your thought patterns. 

There are many ways you can do this, such as repeating words or phrases, counting objects, or doing some kind of physical activity.

4) Pause and reflect before responding

If you have a fear of rejection, it's important that you take the time to reflect before responding. You may feel like your opinion is the only thing that matters and you're not going to be liked if someone disagrees with you. But, if you take the time to pause and think about what they said and why they disagree, it can help you see their perspective and maybe help change your mind on an issue.

5) Get feedback from others

One way to overcome your fear of rejection is by getting feedback from others. Reach out and ask for feedback from people you respect. You may be surprised by how many people will give you honest feedback, especially if they know that you are trying to improve yourself. 

Receiving a positive response not only makes it more likely that you'll have the courage to reach out in the future, but it also feels really good!

6) Practice makes perfect

Practice makes perfect. The more you do it, the better you get at it. Practicing rejection will make it easier for you when it actually happens so that you know how to handle it better than before. 

When something doesn't work out in your favor, don't take it personally. Focus on what went well and practice some more on what went wrong. You're just going to get better and better every time!

7) Believe in yourself

Believe in yourself. Even if you're not confident in your abilities, the more you believe in yourself, the more confidence will grow. And the more confidence you have, the less likely you are to be afraid of rejection. 

When you do something that scares you and then see that it wasn't so bad after all, it builds up your self-confidence even more. 

8) Become more self-aware

Becoming more self-aware is a good way to start feeling more confident about yourself and your skills. This can be accomplished by observing your behavior and thoughts, identifying the root cause for them, and then working on ways to work through these issues. 

In order to become more aware of how you are feeling, you should take time each day (about 20 minutes) to write in a journal about what you are thinking or doing. 

Self-awareness also includes being able to tell when someone else is uncomfortable around you because that can be something that causes fear of rejection as well.

9) Acknowledge Your Fear 

It can be hard to admit that you're afraid. The first step is acknowledging that you are afraid and what it is that scares you. Doing this will help you work through your fear, and help remove the power it has over you. 

It might also give others a better understanding of where you are coming from. If you're having trouble with this, try writing down your thoughts in a journal or talking to someone close to you. 

10) Find Something That Makes You Happy

When we feel low or down on ourselves, it's easy to let our fears take hold of us. So when they come up, find something that makes you happy and do it! 

Even if it's something small like going for a walk or taking time out for yourself by listening to music. Just remember that you deserve to be happy too! 

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