Emotion · Connection family
Rejection
noun
The pain of being excluded, turned down or pushed away by others.
How it shows up in the body
A drop in the stomach, heat in the face, wanting to hide, replaying what you said.
What it is telling you
Belonging matters to you — it matters to everyone. Rejection hurts in the brain in ways that resemble physical pain.
The urge — and the choice
To reject first next time, or to decide you are unlovable. The choice is to keep your worth separate from one response.
One thing to try
Write what happened as facts only. Then write what story you are telling yourself about it. They are not the same.
Practice it: Feelings journal.
