One of the hardest things in life is learning how to accept rejection. Throughout life we experience rejection more often than we would like to admit. We experience rejection at the earliest ages from family and friends and as we move through adolescence into early adulthood we begin to experience other forms of rejection such as from: relational partners and colleges. Once we get out of college we begin to experience more difficult types of rejection such as employer rejection which can be much harder pill to swallow. The reason employer rejection stings the most is because you may be financially depending on the position, you may have invested hours of time from writing and revising a resume and cover letter, to going through an exhaustive interview process, and you may have even envisioned yourself in the role or envisioned yourself on your first day at the new job. I am here to tell you that being told no by recruiters is a blessing in disguise. Every single "Thank you for applying for --- position. We are moving on with another candidate" you receive, embrace the rejection. Yes, I said embrace rejection. I recommend printing them out and using the stack of rejections to inspire you to push forward to what is to come.

Being rejected by your dream company or maybe even the company that is on your top five list stings but it does build character. Embracing rejection will set you up for success in all aspects of life because if you can handle being told "no" you will be able to handle anything life throws at you. Once you accept and embrace rejection you will be able to continue to push on to your greater purpose. I am a firm believer that every time you get told no you are just one step closer to receiving the acceptance you deserve.

Besides, being rejected is always for a good reason which is why it is necessary to embrace it. There is in fact, a silver lining in employer rejection.

Here are some examples below:

• The company culture did not match your values
• There are barriers to career advancement such as the glass ceiling or the sticky floor
• Little to no promotion or opportunities to increase your salary
• You are overqualified for the position
• There is a better opportunity coming

Those are just some reasons why being rejected from employers is actually a blessing in disguise. If you still are not convinced that accepting and embracing rejection will help you reach your greater purpose let me tell you my story. I am a senior in college and I applied to over fifty full time jobs, I received 7 interviews, and I was told no by 4 companies. There were a total of thirty nine unspoken rejections because I never heard anything from the companies and 4 companies told me no despite the time and energy I put into interviewing. Three companies gave me opportunities and of those three I chose the best option. I began applying for jobs in August and did not sign a job offer until December. The reason I remained resilient throughout this process of rejection is because I knew the value I could bring to any company and I accepted and embraced rejection.

In 2020, I challenge you to make one of your New Year's resolutions: Accept and embrace rejection because if you do then nothing will stop you in the world and nothing will rob you of your self worth.