Overcoming Self-Rejection In 3 Simple Steps
How many times have you talked yourself out of doing something that scared you? I’ve done it more times than I’d like to admit. After working with so many teachers committed to finding flexible work outside the classroom, I’ve realized how many of us need help with overcoming self-rejection.
What Is Self-Rejection?
When we self-reject, we talk ourselves out of taking action before we even get a chance to try. Usually, self-rejection happens when we’re afraid of failing or afraid of being rejected by someone else. To avoid that pain or embarrassment, we take ourselves out of the situation before it can happen.
Self-rejection can look like:
Seeing a job posting that you’re excited about, then not applying because you’re sure won’t land the job
Not starting a LinkedIn profile because you feel like you don’t have enough experience to share
Really wanting to reach out to a potential professional contact, but thinking that you’ll seem too forward or that you’ll never hear back from the contact, so why even try?
All of these situations illustrate anxieties that many of us have. But it’s important to realize these self doubts don’t have to be your reality. The only way to move closer to your dreams is by overcoming self-rejection through action. If you don’t push through your uncomfortable feelings and limiting beliefs, you’ll never know what can happen just on the other side of your fears.
Overcoming Self-Rejection in 3 Steps
Ready to stop rejecting yourself? Follow these steps to help stop self-rejection in its tracks.
Do It Scared
Recognize your feelings, then do the scary thing anyway. The feelings might not go away, but you don’t have to let them stop you. Even just realizing when you might be sabotaging yourself can be helpful when overcoming self-rejection.
When you realize that you’re keeping yourself playing small, you can intentionally take action to move forward anyway. You need to be the one who makes your dreams come true– not the one who stops them in their tracks.
Celebrate Taking Action
When job searching, there are some things that are within your control and some things that are not.
The things that are in your control include:
Whether or not you apply for a job
How amazing your resume and cover letter are
The steps you take to increase your visibility
How much you network and maintain authentic professional connections
The things that are outside your control can include whether or not you get an interview or get hired. Try to do your best job in the things you can control. Create a stellar cover letter, apply for the jobs that light you up, and put your big ideas out there. Giving yourself the best chance possible to land the opportunities you want will help ensure you don’t self-reject.
Then celebrate the action you take! This momentum will propel you forward and move you closer to your dreams.
Let Others Decide Whether to Move Forward or Not
After celebrating the action that you took and how you refused to self-reject, let others decide whether you move forward or not. You can rest easy knowing that you put your best foot forward and persisted.
Whether or not you get chosen for a particular job, keep taking action. Put your efforts into the things you can control, then work on doing those things better and better. If you didn’t get the job you were hoping for, try to revise your resume or put more effort into building more connections who might be able to help you land similar jobs.
The key to overcoming self-rejection for good is to keep moving forward, even after a setback or disappointment.
Need Extra Support to Achieve Your Goals?
Even when you stop rejecting yourself, it’s not always easy to achieve big career goals - especially if those goals include leaving your career as a classroom teacher to find flexible jobs in education.
Working toward alternative careers for teachers is a big change. Luckily, there is plenty of support and guidance available. Ready to be part of a supportive community that will make sure you don’t self-reject and share key knowledge to make your career transition easier?
Join the Educator Forever Network and get the support you need to find flexible, rewarding work in education.