Have you ever dealt with hurt or rejection? If you’re like most people, you likely have. Moving ahead, however, can be challenging. Having the right mindset or grit can help along with others tools.
Best-selling self-help author Karen Salmansohn says, “Often it’s the deepest pain which empowers you to grow into your highest self.” If you’ve suffered hurt, rejection and or loss, finding happiness and joy (perhaps in the state before your hurt or loss) can be a difficult journey. Whether quicker or longer, the journey nonetheless makes us that version of ourselves which Salmansohn describes as our “highest self.”
Here are 4 ways to keep moving along in your journey towards joy and success, including ways to make things easier as you do:
1. Don’t minimize your feelings. Honor them.
When we suffer from hurt, a loss or rejection, some of us might be inclined to deny ourselves how we feel. However, denial and minimization of raw and difficult feelings keep us from moving onward. Psychology professor Steven C. Hayes of Psychology Today says, “Suppression and avoidance [of pain and loss] come at a high cost—they diminish our ability to do much of anything else.”
Honor your feelings by letting them out. You might let out tears, frustration, sympathy, anger or a combination of all the above. It’s okay.
2. Let go of the past.
Whether sweet or bitter, past memories can keep you from enjoying the present. Letting go, as motivational speaker Tony Robbins writes, can help us reach our “true potential.” Let go of what was (when it interferes with your ability to enjoy the present), take that ticket, move ahead, and go for the ride anticipating the best is yet to come.
3. Find your purpose.
Hurt and loss can help us find our purpose. Trying to find yours may take time, but once found, think how tremendously motivating it can be. As Pablo Picasso said insightfully, “The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.”
4. Learn from rejection and challenge.
I see one of the wisest ways of honoring rejection and challenging feelings and or experiences is by learning from them. Perhaps a kind gesture made you want to pay it forward. Perhaps your suffering helped you connect with others in a similar position.
Learning and growing lets you achieve more, and continuously doing so is a great recipe for a joyful and grateful life. Let yourself learn. Keep on growing.
In sum, these 4 ways to move past hurt and rejection can make your present all that much more rewarding and joyful. Empower yourself. With gratitude and with strength, you can move forward towards your “highest self.”
Source/Credit for Photo Above: Pinterest