I had a tough day at work.

Anonymous

October 5,2021 at 12:57AM UTC

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I had a tough day at work. Rejection on a couple things I'd been working on for a while (unrelated). I know the only thing to do is to buck up and not take anything personally and try, try, try again. I tell my kids to always get up when you get knocked down but having a hard time practicing what I preach. I'm going to try to get a good night's rest and shake this off.

Still, any tips or moral support much appreciated about how not to let rejection create a spiral of defensive negativity!!

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AnonymousOctober 5,2021 at 1:02AM UTC
I am so sorry.....it's tough not to take things personally. You're on the right track--you realize you have to stay positive and y ou're going to get a good night's sleep. Eat well, stay hydrated and do a power pose or 2 when you get into the office (or home office) in the morning! :)
AnonymousOctober 5,2021 at 1:42AM UTC
Are you getting helpful feedback? Do you have a trainer or mentor to learn from? How can your employer expect you to learn and grow without those things? If you are not well supported, I would ask for a meeting, apologize for the errors, and ask for the resources you need to improve.
For right now - Take a deep breath first. Try to put things in perspective. Very few jobs are life-and-death situations. Your mistakes are unlikely to have any long term impact. If you’re really shaken, try a gratitude meditation so you can keep your focus on what’s really important. Take a bath or drink a cup of tea, watch a funny show, and just relax before bed. Give yourself permission to let it go for tonight.
If there is a pattern of mistakes, try an exercise like the 5 whys to get to the root cause. Then you can address all of the issues, not just the surface issues.
Modeling all these coping tactics for your kids will help them grow into more resilient and grounded adults.
April ChuOctober 5,2021 at 2:23AM UTC
Dp you have a mentor/close colleague you can chat with and bounce ideas with? Hear their perspective/
Simple tips I do to uplife me: go for a walk outside for at least 20 min (and turn phone to silent), go out for dinner with a friend, watch a few episodes of Schitts Creek/Kims Convience/Friends (I really do this), hug your family. I have been where you are and it will pass. Hang in there. What goes down has to go back up.
AnonymousOctober 5,2021 at 2:32AM UTC
The only way I counteract these things is to build an amazing life away from any connection to work. A life that is full of joy and interest while providing me a sanctuary of peace and deep satisfaction .
AnonymousOctober 5,2021 at 1:53PM UTC
Take it as a learning opportunity. Did you receive feedback from the rejections? Is there something you can adjust in your proposal that will get it approved? You are not alone in taking things personally, I struggle with this also. Often, if you can chalk things up to an experience or lesson, it's easier to push through the hurt. Either way, have a good cry and try to clear your mind. Once the emotion is out, you'll probably think more clearly and can create a new approach. Hang in there.
AnonymousOctober 6,2021 at 9:02AM UTC
A bit redundant, but hopefully helpful. Sometimes looking at things from an objective viewpoint can help take the sting out of rejection. Like making a list of the good and not-so good things about your "rejections" or like anonymous said, writing down the feedback and figuring out lessons learned and what you can to to adjust next time.