Home / Making Friends / How to Deal With Rejection
When Someone Says No, Keep Your Heart Open.
40 lessons · 6 themes · practical tips in every lesson
Handle ghosting, cancelled plans and cold shoulders without losing your confidence.
THEME 1 · 7 LESSONS
Why Social Rejection Stings
Understand what is going on inside.
LESSON 01
Your Brain Treats Social Pain as Real Pain
LESSON 02
Why a Cancelled Plan Feels So Big
LESSON 03
The Stories We Tell After a Snub
LESSON 04
Rejection Is Usually About Fit, Not Worth
LESSON 05
Why It Hurts Even More When You Care
LESSON 06
Everyone Has Been Left Out
LESSON 07
Rejection Sensitivity: Know Yours
THEME 2 · 7 LESSONS
The First Moments
Handle the immediate hurt.
LESSON 08
Breathe and Feel It for Five Minutes
LESSON 09
Do Not Send the Angry Message
LESSON 10
Reach Out to a Safe Person
LESSON 11
Do Something Kind for Yourself
LESSON 12
Get Moving and Change Your Scene
LESSON 13
Write It Down, Then Let It Rest
LESSON 14
Remember Who Does Care
THEME 3 · 7 LESSONS
Common Friendship Rejections
What to do when it happens.
LESSON 15
When a Friend Cancels Again and Again
LESSON 16
When You Are Not Invited
LESSON 17
When Someone Ghosts You
LESSON 18
When a New Friend Pulls Away
LESSON 19
When a Group Shuts You Out
LESSON 20
When a Friend Chooses Someone Else
LESSON 21
When Your Invitation Is Declined
THEME 4 · 7 LESSONS
Think Clearly, Not Catastrophically
Keep the story fair.
LESSON 22
Separate the Facts From the Fear
LESSON 23
Consider Kinder Explanations
LESSON 24
Do Not Assume the Worst
LESSON 25
Ask Gently Instead of Guessing
LESSON 26
Notice Your Attachment Patterns
LESSON 27
Stop Reading Too Much Into Texts
LESSON 28
Wait a Day Before Deciding What It Means
THEME 5 · 6 LESSONS
Protect Your Confidence
Stay open without staying hurt.
LESSON 29
Talk to Yourself Like a Friend
LESSON 30
Keep Reaching Out to Others
LESSON 31
Do Not Stop Trying After One No
LESSON 32
Build a Wider Circle So No One Friend Carries All
LESSON 33
Practise Being Rejected in Small Ways
LESSON 34
Celebrate Every Brave Invite
THEME 6 · 6 LESSONS
Learn and Grow
Use rejection as a guide.
LESSON 35
Learn From Honest Feedback
LESSON 36
Know When to Move On
LESSON 37
Let Go With Grace
LESSON 38
Stay Kind to People Who Reject You
LESSON 39
Rebuild Trust After a Hurt
LESSON 40
Your Rejection Recovery Plan
Ideas in this topic come from
- Rejection Proof (Jia Jiang)
- Attached (Amir Levine and Rachel Heller)
- Daring Greatly (Brené Brown)
- Self-Compassion (Kristin Neff)
- Platonic (Marisa Franco)
Tips are written in our own words and are general guidance. The books are suggestions for further reading.
