To the person facing denial,

There is no talking around it; it sucks.

Every person has ambitions in life and goals they hope to reach. We're human. And whether we like it or not, humans are oblivious to denial. We don't think it will happen to us, but when it does, it hits at full force.

We know that we don't always get everything we want. But we usually resort to believing the things we don't receive are the ones we lightly hoped for, the ones that don't affect us if we don't get it. We have heard, day in and day out, that we can get anything we set our minds to and that we can achieve anything we work hard for. Nowhere does it say that you can work so hard, but be denied in the end.

I understand the feeling.

The pit in your stomach when you get told no, when you're name isn't called, or when you see that someone else is better. I understand what it feels like to have that denial override any confidence you once felt. The feeling that you worked so hard, for something you wanted so, incredibly bad, and you see that the hard work didn't pay off.

But, we hear from the wise that "It is about the journey, not the destination". I hope that throughout your hard work and dedication, you learned something about yourself. Although you didn't get the job, experience, or whatever it was, that you improved. I hope that you are better off than when you first started. And you probably are, whether you see it or not.

Denial is sometimes a funny thing. A blessing in disguise. Don't let the one "no" define you. If anything, let it spark more ambitions and motivations. Your hard work shouldn't be thrown down the drain. You did it for a reason. Denial is the preparation for the new and better things you will encounter in your life.

For every "no" you receive in life, just know you are one "no" closer to your "yes". Let that motivate you to reach your "yes" and experience the feeling of fulfillment. Pure happiness is rewarded to those who wait. I promise that it is worth it.

It is an awful feeling to think that you're not good enough. But life is full of ups and downs. The downs may seem like the end, but they're far from it. If life was only filled with positivity all the time, then how much of life's gifts will you truly encounter? Have grit. Don't linger over sadness for too long. Be the one to stay positive in the times of denial and just know that better things await around the corner.