By Gonny 
Imagine this: you put your heart and soul into something, give it your best shot, and then—BAM—rejected. The door closes, the email remains unanswered, the date says, “I just don’t feel it.” Ouch. Whether it’s missing out on a job, not being invited to a party, or someone subtly tweaking your cookie recipe (“Oh, I thought it would taste better with less sugar”), rejection stings.
Why does it hurt so much? Simple. We’re social beings. In prehistoric times, being excluded from the tribe meant you might get eaten by a saber-toothed tiger. Nowadays, there are no tigers (except for that one grumpy coworker on Monday mornings), but our brains still react as if rejection is a life-threatening situation.
But what if rejection is actually a gift?
Here’s where A Course in Miracles steps in: everything that happens is ultimately an opportunity to wake up from the illusion. So, what if rejection isn’t a slap in the face but a gentle nudge in the right direction? What if the universe is saying: “Not here, darling. This isn’t where your joy awaits.”
Think about all the things you didn’t get:
• The job where you later found out the manager was a nightmare.
• The relationship that ended, only for you to meet someone who truly matched you.
• The party you weren’t invited to, but the music turned out to be so bad that you were grateful to be home with a cup of tea.
Every rejection is a redirection. But yes, that’s easy to say when you’re not in the middle of the pain.
How to handle rejection?
Feel it. Rejection hurts, and that’s okay. Don’t push it away—acknowledge it. “Ah, there’s that sting in my chest. Interesting. Like I baked a cake, and no one wants a slice.”
Don’t take it personally. If someone rejects you, it doesn’t mean you’re worthless. It just means there’s no match. You’re not a discarded sock—you’re a unique being, perfect as you are.
Find the humor. Really, you’ll laugh about this later. That teenage crush who dumped you? The employer who didn’t hire you but later went bankrupt? Humor helps put things into perspective.
Trust. Something better is coming. Always. But we often only see it in hindsight. Instead of thinking, “Why me?” try thinking, “Oh, this is interesting… where is this leading?”
Remember who you are. You are not a rejected person. In fact, you are not even a person if we go by ACIM. You are pure awareness, love in its essence. And love cannot be rejected—only misunderstood.
So next time you face rejection, smile a little. It might just be a blessing in disguise. And if that doesn’t help: treat yourself to some chocolate. That always helps.
With love and light,
G.