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No matter who you are, no matter where you come from, rejection is something that everyone will face in life. Over. And over. And over again! That’s just how life works. So, instead of complaining about how unfair life is, it’s better to adopt a growth-oriented mindset and become more resilient to whatever life might throw at you.

That being said, some rejections are so brutal that it hurts to even read about them. To show you just how bad things can get, Bored Panda has collected some of the worst relationship and work-life rejections from all over the internet. Keep scrolling if you want to wince, cringe, and feel sorry for a whole bunch of strangers.

#1 My Girlfriend’s Rejection Email. You Can’t Make This Up

Image credits: Rhododactylus

#2 Bro Got Rejected By A Stick Girl

Image credits: stickgirlah

#3 Didn’t Think I Would Enjoy A Rejection

Image credits: r_moma

Rejection rarely—if ever—feels pleasant. It’s something that everyone goes through in life, whether they come from a privileged or disadvantaged background. Often, rejection is less about you and more about the other person’s circumstances. Even if it sometimes feels like the opposite! A healthy perspective to have is that rejection, just like failure, is an opportunity to grow, mature, and improve as an individual, rather than taking the criticism incredibly personally.

Of course, not taking things personally and protecting your self-esteem is easier said than done. Especially when you can’t read someone’s mind and figure out the exact reasons why they rejected you. However, the more risks you take, the more you put yourself out there, the more new things you try and people you meet, the more accustomed you become to hearing ‘no.’ You develop a thicker skin. You become more resilient. And getting through a bunch of ‘nos’ is how you get to the ‘yes’ you want and need both in business and in relationships.

#4 My Friend Went On A First Date A Few Days Ago. I Ask Him How It Went, He Sends Me This Screenshot

Image credits: ijfalk

#5 Sheeeeesh, Just Say No

Image credits: Onfour

#6 Had The Worst Interview Of My Life And A Rejection 1 Hour Later

Image credits: jacoblindner

According to Indeed, rejection has an unavoidable, deeply social element to it that is a core part of the human experience.

“From an evolutionary standpoint, pain is necessary. When humans were hunter-gatherers, they lived in groups to maximise their chances of survival. Being ostracised from the group was dangerous, as individuals would have to fend for themselves. This created an innate fear of rejection that encouraged them to change their behaviour to ensure they could stay in the group.”

#7 That Was Really Good Rejection

Image credits: athrvpatil

#8 What A Healthy Way To Deal With Rejection After A Hookup

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#9 Inspiring Words

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Some healthy, positive ways of handling rejection include:

Taking the time to process your emotions
Looking after yourself
Analysing the situation, instead of just yourself
Not assuming that the rejection was personal
Considering the possibility that you weren’t actually rejected
Protecting, building up, and nurturing your sense of self-worth
Talking to people you trust about your experience
Seeing the situation as an opportunity for growth
Making alternate plans to reach your goals

#10 Wait Till They Find Out Mexico Is Part Of North America

Image credits: MarthPaynter

#11 He Doesn’t Want To Rent His Apartment

Not the deposit – a bank statement that shows that you have a year of the rent in your savings account, probably as a “security measure” to make sure you’ll be good for on-time monthly payments.

Image credits: zedonarrival

#12 This Rejection Email

Image credits: Glass_Spend1655

Indeed explains that rejection can make you feel angry, ashamed, and disappointed. In that extremely emotional context, it’s easy to slip up and make decisions that make the situation even worse.

So, it’s best to take a break, step away from the situation, and cool off.

It’s only then that you can begin to process the situation calmly and make rational decisions about how to respond adequately.

#13 Got Rejected From A Dream Job Because I Have Non Conventional Male Look

Piercings and earrings were taken off. Beard was fresh from the barber (interview was 7 days ago) Went in this shirt and black pants. Job was “typist” as the English translation says; I’m not a native speaker, so a person who uses a PC to type documents in court while people talk, especially the judge. Working currently as data entry/QA administrator (since March 2019).

Image credits: redseptember1994

#14 Phone Overheated In The Middle Of A Job Interview

I was in the middle of a video job interview, and my phone overheated and disconnected the call. When it turned back on, I had already received a rejection email from the job.

Image credits: awkwardbreakfast99

#15 Some Women Don’t Take Rejection Very Well Apparently

Image credits: I_Call_Everyone_Ron

In the meantime, it’s incredibly important that you take proper care of your physical and mental health.

Give yourself the tools and the space to react to stress in a better way.

That means getting plenty of rest, moving and exercising frequently, eating nutritious food, avoiding unhealthy habits, spending time with people you like and love, meditating, being grateful for what you have, and spending time on your hobbies and passion projects.

#16 Rejection Rejected

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#17 A Gracious Reply To A Courteous Rejection

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#18 My Friend Got Rejected For Having An Android Phone

Image credits: Gamesbyned

While rejection can feel devastating if it derails the awesome plans and goals you’ve cooked up in your imagination, it’s hardly ever fatal.

So long as you get back up and dust yourself off, there are always other opportunities in life.

“Use rejection as a process of elimination and keep trying new routes until your plan is successful,” Indeed suggests. “With an alternative plan, rejection doesn’t seem like the end of the world but simply an indication to pursue a different route. When you prepare for potential rejections, you can handle them much more effectively, as you’re ready to achieve your dreams or goals in a different way.”

#19 One Of The Nicest Interactions I Had On This App So Far Was A Straight Out Rejection

Image credits: Theobromin

#20 He Was Complaining About Being Rejected By A 19 Year Old Girl. He’s 28 Btw

Image credits: toobloodytiredtocare

#21 Offensive Memes Instagram Account Can’t Handle Getting Rejected

Image credits: Swedz12

Verywell Mind points out that rejection can be emotionally intense to the point that it hurts physically, not just mentally.

“Research has found that the network for psychological pain overlaps to some extent with brain regions involved in physical pain. In other words, we can literally feel something like rejection as physical pain.”

#22 Fair Enough

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#23 Sounds Like The Best Payback To Me

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#24 I Got Rejected From A Bar In Boston Because I Had A Canadian ID. I’m 37

Image credits: NutsBruv

Meanwhile, one danger of rejection is that it might make you make wrong, large-scale conclusions based on very isolated incidents.

Rejection may not be as bad as it seems.

For instance, if you get rejected by a romantic interest or a large corporation, you might suddenly decide that you’re bad at relationships or not qualified for that particular job industry.

In reality, however, you might have simply been a bad fit in that specific situation.

#25 Got Rejected For Asking For The High End Of Their Marketed Range

I have a bachelor’s degree, 5+ years of professional experience, and made $45/hr at my last job(did not mention that to her).
The marketed range for this entry-level role was $17-24/hr, and I asked for 24.
I am so upset. I live in socal, I live on my own, $24 is the closest to a livable wage here.
Had a perfect interview with them and they asked me what amount I would feel comfortable getting paid and obviously I thought to myself “hmmm probs the livable wage please!” And said $24 without hesitation.
I hate it here.

Image credits: Feeling-Extreme-7555

#26 Rejected Because I Am Easy To Read! What Does That Even Mean?

Image credits: Maxipp9001

#27 Guy Gets Rejected From Bumble Match

Image credits: Annabellini

As per Verywell Mind, if you want to cope with rejection in a healthy way, you should:

Let go of blaming yourself and avoid rumination
Focus on self-care
Allow yourself to feel your emotions instead of bottling them up
Remember all of your past successes
Stop comparing yourself to others
Persevere and don’t give up

#28 Nice Guys Can’t Handle Rejection

Image credits: trbenoit43

#29 Rejected By Hundreds For Being “Too Nice”

Image credits: the_ben_obiwan

#30 Women Can Be Incels Too

Image credits: Unique-Fig-4300

Which of these rejections were the most painful to read, Pandas? Which ones made you physically wince and feel outraged? What is the very worst rejection that you’ve ever faced, and how did you get over it?

We’d love to hear your opinions, and all about your experiences. If you’re in a social mood, feel free to swing by the comments section at the bottom of this list to share your thoughts!